• Discussion on realizing the principle of sustainable development

through innovation in Indian textile.

Green Textiles

Topics:
Green textiles, Sustainable textiles & apparel, Eco-friendly textile products, Textiles &
environment, Textiles & ecology, biodegradable textiles, Eco textiles, Eco-textiles

Domestic units have commenced eco-textile clothing production as a key activity, owing
to heavy demand for organic wear in local markets.

Chemical fiber clothing is not good for human health and the environment, so preferred is
garments made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool and silk.

People opting for natural fabrics is increasing, indicating bright prospects for eco-fiber
textiles in the country.

With textile and apparel firms achieving all-round development, eco-fiber textiles
(recycled polyester & organic cotton) and clothing have become more popular.

But domestic development of ecological green fiber is not in pace with the demand
from textile and garment companies.

• Crazy for cotton going: organic for sustainable future- Cool:

The current process of textile production pollutes the environment.
To create finished goods, fabrics are often colored with toxic dyes and finished with
formaldehyde. Residues of these substances accumulate in the environment and can
become irritants by reacting with detergents and bleaches. How do we reduce such
harmful processes.

• Future fashion

Cutting edge eco-friendly fashions on the runway. Renewable, reusable, non-polluting

fabrics such as organic cotton and wool, bamboo, corn-based fibers, recycled fibers and
biopolymers were transformed into everything from elegant couture to street wear.

• Organic Jute and string ball:

Materials
There are many factors when considering the sustainability of a material. The renew
ability and source of a fiber, the process of how a raw fiber is turned into a textile, the
working condition of the people producing the materials, and the materials total carbon
foot print.

Natural fibers

Natural Fibers are fibers which are found in nature and are not petroleum-based. Natural
fibers can be categorized into two main groups, cellulose or plant fiber and protein or
animal fiber.

Cellulose

Cotton is one of the most widely grown and chemical-intensive crops in the world.
Conventionally grown cotton uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and
more than 10% of the world’s pesticides other cellulose fibers include Jute, flex, Hemp,
Ramie, Abaca, Bamboo, So, corn, Banana & pineapple.

Protein

Wool, Silk, Angora, Camel, Alpaca, Lama, Vicuna, Cashmere, Mohair.

Designers
Designers say that they are trying to incorporate these sustainable practices into modern
clothing, rather than producing "hippy clothes Due to the efforts taken to minimize harm
in the growth, manufacturing, and shipping of the products, sustainable fashion is
typically more expensive than clothing produced by conventional methods.
Controversy
Though all cotton has a large carbon footprint for its cultivation and production, organic
cotton is considered a more sustainable choice for fabric, as it is completely free of
destructive toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Many designers have begun experimenting with bamboo fiber, which absorbs greenhouse
gases during its life cycle and grows quickly and plentifully without pesticides. Even with
this, bamboo fabric can cause environmental harm in production due to the chemicals
used to create a soft viscose from hard bamboo.

Some believe hemp is one of the best choices for eco fabrics due to its ease of growth,
though it remains illegal to grow in some countries. These facts make recycled,
reclaimed, surplus, and vintage fabric arguably the most sustainable choice, as the raw
material requires no agriculture and no manufacturing to produce.

Recently, another alternative to sustainable fashion has emerged that uses synthetic fibers
with a process called Air Dye technology that eliminates all water from the dyeing and
printing process. While critics still point to the chemicals used in making synthetic
materials, this method significantly reduces water consumption and pollution, while
cotton (organic or not) uses a tremendous amount of water during the growth and dyeing
phases.

Critics of sustainable fashion have argued that the trend merely seeks to stamp high-
priced luxury good with a seal of liberal social approval.

Another major criticism about "sustainable fashion" is the potential of constantly

changing fashion to encourage customers to repeatedly discard last season's clothing to
purchase the latest fashions.