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August 07, 2024Sustainability of fibers-to-fashion value chain
Introduction
One of the biggest environmental pollutants is not equated with fossil fuels such as crude oil, petroleum products, farming, or chemicals; it’s in everyone’s closets, on the fashion runways, and required everywhere. The textiles and downstream apparel and accessories market accounts for approximately 10 percent of global carbon emissions and nearly 20 percent of the global industrial water pollution. This industry also accounts for approximately 35 percent of oceanic microplastic pollution, due to waste, leakage, and garment care. In addition, almost 85 percent of total textiles end their life as landfill. With increasing environmental restrictions, the global fashion apparel and accessories industries are having to make tough decisions about how to reduce their overall environmental footprint.
Overview of Fibers-to-Fashion (F2F) Value Chain
In principle, fibers are the basic starting point and foundational building blocks for the entire fabrics, textiles, and fashion (F2F) industry value chain. This includes, but is not limited to, Haute Couture (high-end/luxury), Prêt-à-Porter (ready-to-wear), activewear (sportswear), intimate apparel, and variety of accessories. The New York Times reports that approximately 60 percent of fibers, fabrics, and textiles are currently synthetic or petroleum/hydrocarbons based. Other data available in the public domain demonstrates that polyester use is up at least ten-fold from 1975, and the continual growth of “fast” fashion will drive this number even higher. Specifically, polyester, nylon-66, and acrylic fibers have unique chemical properties that make them highly valuable to the global fashion apparel and accessories industry. However, these are all hydrocarbons based that come from crude oil, refined products, petrochemicals, and downstream chemicals. Gasoline (octane) that is combusted in cars is sourced from the similar raw materials as intimate apparel. Alternatively, natural organic based products are not that much better. An estimated 2,700 liters of water is required to make one cotton t-shirt. Neither option is sustainable with growing population demands as well as improving demographics. To reduce the overall environmental footprint and impact, numerous fashion apparel and accessory brands must focus and revert back to the basics and reconsider how best to produce the basic fiber that subsequently becomes their fabrics and textiles. Thus, a key industry goal is to definitively displace conventional hydrocarbons based fibers with sustainable and bio-renewable fibers.
Key Role of Recycling and Circularity along Lifecycle
Currently, spinning mills, dyeing plants, and textile production facilities are rapidly consuming virgin material, replacing this with pre-used material alleviates many environmental stresses. Not only does effective ”recycling” conserves raw materials, but it also reduces water and energy consumption and diverts potentially toxic by-products and wastes from landfills. It is vital to create “circularity” within the fashion apparel and accessories industry to make a difference in the global climate crisis.
Recycling textiles is an essential but evolving area that has the vast potential to decarbonize the entire global fashion industry. Mechanical recycling of textiles mainly comprises of the sorting, shredding, and re-spinning to create new fabrics. Chemical recycling is more advanced and separates fabrics at the molecular and compound level to obtain a much higher quality fiber. This method is often used for blended fabrics. As an example, a recycling plant in Tuscany, Italy has been mechanically recycling fabrics for centuries and was a successful textile city in the 1950s. It is still known for its world-renowned facility, recycling more than 25 tons of clothes daily. In essence, recycling is not only a technically feasible and economically viable solution but a necessary one; because most clothing goes to waste, recycling is most likely the only practical and realistic solution that reduces raw material(s) consumption and landfill volume. It turns the current linear fashion lifecycle into a circular one.
Recent Innovation and Advances in Fibers and Fabrics
Aside from reusing or repurposing traditional textiles, there are biobased products in advanced development that could potentially displace and/or replace high carbon-intensive materials and processes. Alternative organic based compounds, biomaterials, and non-traditional recycled products are emerging as new industries. As an example, mushroom based material is an excellent replacement for traditional animal leather and traditional packaging. By pressing and treating mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, a durable textile is made. It is nontoxic, waterproof and fire resistant and can also be easily dyed. Due to the growth structure, the mycelium is made thick for packaging, or thin for dresses – highly customizable. The process is inherently carbon negative, without the need for toxic chemicals. However, mycelium requires a very long-time time to grow and would require more advanced research and development (R&D) and commercialization to be scalable for industrial use.
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a valuable non-toxic low heat polymer that has found new use in the textile industry. Corn, or other high yielding crops, is turned into threads that can be effectively spun to produce breathable fabrics. PLA is UV resistant, skin friendly, and blends easily with other materials. PLA also can be biodegraded at the end of its life. Unfortunately, processing of PLA is highly energy intensive and is difficult to dye lowering its value to both the fashion and sustainable world.
Microbial fermentation has been successfully used to transform biomaterial into textile material. Certain microbes produce a protein which can be spun into a variety of fabrics. Depending on the processing conditions, the proteins can be manipulated to make different fabric qualities from silky to woolen. This production method is already commercially accessible via small collaborations with sustainability focused brands, including The North Face, but is still not industrially viable.
Further Enhancing Sustainability in F2F Supply/Value Chain
An overnight switch from traditional to sustainable textiles is not expected in the near-term. A phased strategic and tactical transition along with steady incorporation of recycled and innovative material allows for the permanent integration of a circular fashion economy. Over time, wholesalers and retail customers will get acquainted with new materials; while recycling and biomaterial production will have the chance to reach a commercial and industrial scale. In the meantime, fashion companies can start by turning to renewable sources of energy and using current recycled technologies. They can also switch to use less harmful chemicals and dyes that require less water. There are many environmentally friendly choices to be made in the F2F value chain. As highlighted, further enhancing sustainability in the F2F value chain must target specific quantitative reductions, recycling, and reuse in:
Displacement of Hydrocarbons: Synthetic fibers (hydrocarbons based) versus natural/bio-fibers (e.g., cotton, rayon, silk, plant-based from vegetables/fruits, etc.), but even the natural and manmade fibers can consume much fuel and water.
Raw Materials: Fabrics, dyes, coatings, sizing, accessories, cardboard boxes, storage, and other packaging.
Manufacturing and Production: Yarn, chemicals dying, spinning, mills, fabric weaving with finishing, quality control (QC), and quality assurance (QA).
Finished Products and Wastes: Design, manufacturing, production, processing, finished apparel and accessories, packaging, cutting scraps, left over materials, and secondary wastes.
Logistics: Storage, inventory, sea transfer, rail, truck, airlines, drones, distribution network to wholesale and brand retail outlets, and e-commerce
The main drivers highlighted for sustainability in the F2F supply chain can help enable and advance a “game-changer” positive impact in global and regional fashion market segments with the emergence of new designs, styles, selection, sizes, and comfort – while meeting decarbonization targets.
Conclusion
A culmination of fast fashion, consumer awareness, and climate change requires the textile industry to make major transitional changes in their production approaches, methods, and processes. Being one of the major polluting industries, fashion companies are striving to reduce emissions and raw material consumption wherever possible. While the small reductions may potentially help in the short-term, to really change the fashion industry big steps must be taken on the smallest levels. That’s why changing the basic fiber structure of textiles will have the biggest impact on sustainability in the industry. Recycling and seeking alternative materials make this linear fashion economy circular. Closets, runways, apparel, and accessories will make their debut in the future, but the fiber they are inherently made of will not.
Find out more...
Market Insights: Polylactic Acid - 2023
This report provides analysis and forecast to 2035 of the global market for lactic acid and polylactic acid (PLA). Lactic end-use demand is segmented by PLA, food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical and others. PLA end-use demand is segmented by packaging, fibre, medical, electronics, agriculture and others. The report includes discussion regarding key market drivers and constraints, as well as supply, demand and trade analysis for nine regions: North America, South America, Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and China with forecasts to 2035. Analysis also includes the competitive landscape, capacity listing and delivered cost competitiveness along with price forecasts to 2035 along with latest pricing trends in the key regional markets and price forecasts to 2035.
The Authors...
Maisy Holehouse, Analyst
Pat Sonti, Senior Consultant
About Us - NexantECA, the Energy and Chemicals Advisory company is the leading advisor to the energy, refining, and chemical industries. Our clientele ranges from major oil and chemical companies, governments, investors, and financial institutions to regulators, development agencies, and law firms. Using a combination of business and technical expertise, with deep and broad understanding of markets, technologies and economics, NexantECA provides solutions that our clients have relied upon for over 50 years.
