Bananas, coffee, pineapple, lotus, stinging nettles and hemp – what sounds like the ingredients on an exotic shopping list are actually all natural resources that can be turned into sustainable textiles. ‘How’ will be explained below; ‘why’ should be obvious: In view of dwindling resources, especially through resource-intensive natural fibres like cotton and the environmental impact of petroleum-based fibres like acrylic, polyester, nylon and spandex, it is about time for the textile and apparel industry to look for sustainable alternatives and to prove that the production of textiles and clothing does not have to pollute the environment. On the contrary. FashionUnited has found six interesting alternatives.
- Hemp fibres
One of the most versatile natural fibers can be obtained from hemp – hemp fibers, which are antibacterial, durable and resilient, and work as a natural air-conditioning system. In addition, hemp is a fast-growing plant that consumes very little water and does not require herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or GMO seeds. ‘What’s not to love?’ one could ask, and also why this super plant has not already become the standard in textile processing.
- Stinging nettle fibres
The common stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a widely used plant that is easy to grow. For the production of the fibers, the nettles are harvested in the summer and the stalks dried well. This removes the sting. After drying, the stalks are broken to separate the woody parts. Then, the plant is hackled to separate the fibers and to remove the leaf attachments. After that, the fibers are spun wet and then dried. Twisting them increases tear resistance.
- Coffee ground fibres
Most coffee drinkers simply throw away coffee ground after making their coffee. But it is an important raw material that can be used to make coffee ground fibres. Taiwanese textile company Singtex’s technology combines the post-patented processed coffee ground with polymer to create master batches before spinning it into yarn. The resulting coffee yarn is multi-functional and can be used in a variety of products, from outdoor and sports performance wear to household items used every day.
- Pineapple fabric Piñatex
Although the idea may sound unbelievable, there is a vegan alternative to leather, which is made from pineapple leaves. London-based Ananas Anam has developed a natural and non-woven textile out of pineapple leaves, known as Piñatex which is remarkably similar to leather. The revolutionäre pineapple fabric is made from pineapple leaf fibres, a by-product from the pineapple harvest in the Philippines. During a process called decortication, the fibres are extracted from the leaves. The fibres then undergo an industrial process to become a nonwoven textile, which is the base of Piñatex. A by-product derived from the manufacturing process is biomass, which is converted into organic fertilizer or bio-gas and used by the farming communities, thereby closing the loop of the material’s production.
- Banana fibres
Banana fibre is one of the world’s strongest natural fibres. It is made from the stem of the banana tree and is incredibly durable and biodegradable. The fibre consists of thick-walled cell tissue, bonded together by natural gums and is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Banana fibre is similar to natural bamboo fibre, but its spin ability, fineness and tensile strength are said to be better. Banana fibre can be used to make a number of different textiles with different weights and thicknesses, based on what part of the banana stem the fibre was extracted from.
- Lotus fibres
Using lotus fabrics and textiles may sound exotic to western ears, but in countries like Thailand and Myanmar, for example, lotus fibers have been used for special garments for centuries. Not surprisingly because the manufacturing process produces a luxurious fabric that feels like a mixture of silk and raw linen that is also stain-resistant, light weight, soft, silky and extremely breathable. ‘What’s not to love?’ one may ask again. In this case, it is the complicated and lengthy manufacturing process that is the biggest hurdle when using lotus stems.
It remains to be seen how commercially viable and suitable for large scale production each of the six sustainable fibres – hemp, nettles, coffee, pineapples, banana and lotus – portrayed here is. Specifically hemp, nettles and coffee have huge potential for the mass market, whereas fabrics made out of lotus stems and pineapple should be interesting for the luxury market.
Source: https://fashionunited.uk