Textiles and the environment
Textiles products have a large
impact on the environment as
energy and resources are used in
production, and waste is produced
Manufacturing Textiles
Dyeing and finishing of
fabrics uses a lot of
chemicals such as
Chemical dyes
Resins to make fabrics
shrink proof
Softeners to make fabrics
soft.
These produce a lot of
chemical waste and also
energy is needed to drive
machinery and lots of
water is used and it is
often contaminated.
Possible solutions include
using cold water dyes as
this requires less energy
Using renewable energies
such as wind and solar.
Reducing the need for very
dark dyes as these need a
lot of rinsing
Using natural dyes
Using naturally coloured
yarns such as cotton.
Trying finishes that require
less energy
Using fabrics that have
natural shrink resistant
properties.
Sustainability
Natural fibres and dyes need to come from
sustainable sources, that is sources that
can be carefully managed so that plants
and animals are replaced. As collecting
large amounts of wild life is reducing our
natural reserves and in some cases can
lead to extinction.
Scientists are exploring ways of producing
victimless leather in a lab from cells. This
is called biotechnology.
Laundry and aftercare
Most textiles products need cleaning and
maintaining. This is usually done through
washing.
Energy is used in washing processesSo create fabrics and clothing that are more easy
to care fro.
Give more info on labels so consumers can take
better care of the fabrics
Make products that can be washed at low
temperatures.
Avoid using fabrics that need dry cleaning.
Also look in fabrics that don’t need ironing.
Waste textiles
Off cuts and waste textiles need to
be disposed of. There are ways of
reusing and reducing this waste
To use computerised lay planning to
reduce the waste
Use fabric scraps within the
automotive industry or for
emergency blankets.
Look into ways of using the waste.
Design Obsolescence
The fashion industry encourages us
to update our fashions and old
clothes that are still in good
condition remain used.
This leads to goods being obsolete.
Fashion industry need to be more
responsible in their designing.
Disposal
The way in which a product is disposed of
at the end of its life cycle is critical.
If the products are thrown into the bin
they will end up in a landfill site or be
burnt.
By following the following methods we can
prevent waste and save energy.
We can also reuse and reinvent them
through buying good in charity shops or
simply reusing what we have.