synthetic fibers do.
12
According to
a 2019 study commissioned by
the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
and conducted by the University
of Newcastle Australia, humans
could even be ingesting, on
average, a credit card's worth
of plastic every week.
13
This is
a concerning statistic, enough to
force many of us to take pause.
In fact, Cotton Incorporated's
2022 Denim and Sustainability
Consumer Survey showed that
61 percent of respondents said
they feel it is "very important for
the clothing industry to improve
garment end-of-life by designing
clothes to biodegrade, recycle or
otherwise divert from landfills."
Biodegradability offers many
benefits to the health of the world
around us by helping to reduce
waste, reduce microplastic pol-
lution, and conserve resources.
Meanwhile, cotton, as a biode-
gradable fiber, has the potential
power to help reduce the envi-
ronmental impact of the textile
industry as a whole.
When Cotton
Becomes Compost
Cotton composting is an
exciting new concept that
also supports cotton's place
in a circular economy. This
innovative, sustainable practice
is also on target to revolutionize
waste management methods
in the textile and apparel
industries. Within 90 days, cotton
textile scraps, garments, and
manufacturing by-products can
be transformed into nutrient-
rich organic matter that can
enhance soil structure and
health, increase soil's capability
to hold water, and sequester more carbon into the soil. It would take any
synthetic material much longer to transform in this way.
1114
A more nutrient-
rich soil with improved water retention qualities leads to a healthier, more
plentiful yield of crops.
15
Meanwhile, sequestering more carbon into the soil can further support
the reduction of methane emissions and reduce the release of harmful
greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the air. This could result in a decreased
rate of global warming and less extreme weather cycles caused by climate
change.
16
Additionally, cotton composting contributes to the reduction
of waste in our landfills. Landfills, by nature, create a high rate of GHG
production. By freeing up more space in our landfills, composting can
affect positive change throughout our environment.
17
The composting process involves placing cotton materials in a specific,
controlled environment that uses bacteria, oxygen, and designated
temperatures to eliminate germs and the seeds of weeds.
15
While the
logistics of cotton composting still present some challenges (for example,
it can be complicated and expensive to collect, sort, and transport cotton
textiles at the end of their useful lives, and ensure they are free from
any synthetic materials), this practice has the potential for a positive
environmental impact that could likely outweigh any obstacles.
18
New Recycling Methods Reduce Waste, Increase Landfill Space
Many textile manufacturers who prioritize environmental health are
aiming to create textile products out of more recycled cotton content,
without compromising quality. New recycling technologies can now
produce higher-quality recycled cotton yarns and fabrics while being
able to handle blends and post-consumer waste.
19
Of the 13.1 million tons of textiles sent to American landfills or
incinerated, 35 percent is currently recyclable, and another 45 percent
could be recycled with advanced technologies. Commercial-scale U.S.
trials were conducted in 2021 through early 2023 to demonstrate the
feasibility and value of current recycling processes, and to promote
cost-effective circular textile supply chains.
20
Improving and integrating
both mechanical and chemical textile recycling technologies into the
manufacturing process can help transform textile waste into "new" raw
materials and keep it out of landfills.
Cotton Helps Complete the Circle
The goal of reaching a sustainable balance with nature through
circularity has inspired exciting innovations in the textile industry, and
manufacturers aren't stopping now. Even though recycling cotton
textiles can pose challenges, research and development to overcome
these obstacles are ongoing, as manufacturers and brands commit to
improving and scaling up recycling technologies.
While the environmental impacts of circular practices still need to be
measured to confirm whether they are truly beneficial, cotton's durability,
biodegradability, and ability to effectively and efficiently be composted into
nutrient-rich soil amendments make it a natural fit for circular solutions. n
Sources
1. University of Alberta (2021). What Is Sustainability? https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/files/sustainability/what-is-sustainability.pdf
2. EPA (2019). Textiles: Material-Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data
3. Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (2020). Biodegradability of Plastics in the Open
Environment, p. 125. https://www.sapea.info/wp-content/uploads/bop-report.pdf
4. Sullivan L (2020). How Big Oil Misled the Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled. https://www.npr.
org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled
5. EPA (2021). Plastics: Material-Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data
6. Hale RC, Seeley ME, La Guardia MJ, Mai L, Zeng EY (2020). A global perspective on microplastics. JGR Oceans
125:e2018JC014719. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018JC014719
7. EPA (2020). What You Should Know About Microfiber Pollution. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/documents/article_2_microfibers.pdf
8. Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2021). Redesigning the Future of Fashion. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/fashion/overview
9. National Geographic. Microplastics. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/microplastics/
10. Zambrano M, et al. (2020). Aerobic biodegradation in freshwater and marine environments of textile microfibers generated in clothes laundering: Effects of
cellulose and polyester-based microfibers on the microbiome https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X19309828?via%3Dihub
11. Li L, Frey, M, Browning K. (2010). Biodegradability Study on Cotton and Polyester Fabrics
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267243642_Biodegradability_Study_on_Cotton_and_Polyester_Fabrics
12. IUCN (2017). Invisible plastic particles from textiles and tyres a major source of ocean pollution – IUCN study.
https://www.iucn.org/news/secretariat/201702/invisible-plastic-particles-textiles-and-tyres-major-source-ocean-pollution-%E2%80%93-iucn-study
13. The University of Newcastle Australia: University News (2019). Plastic ingestion by people could be equating to a credit card a week.
https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured/plastic-ingestion-by-people-could-be-equating-to-a-credit-card-a-week
14. Rynk R, et al. (2021). The Composting Handbook (1st Edition), Academic Press, page 5.
15. U.S. Composting Council(R): Compost Definition. https://www.compostingcouncil.org/general/custom.asp?page=CompostDefinition
16. USDA.gov. Nature's Benefits: Carbon Sequestration. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd545181.pdf
17. Perez T, Vergara S, Silver W. (2023). Assessing the climate change mitigation potential from food waste composting. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-34174-z
18. Cotton Today (2023). Cotton to Compost: Transform Waste Management in the Textile Industry.
https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/cotton-to-compost-transform-waste-management-textile-industry/
19. Hugill R, Ley K, Rademan K. (2020). Coming full circle: Innovating towards sustainable man-made cellulosic fibres. Fashion for Good, p. 15.
https://fashionforgood.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Coming-Full-Circle-Innovating-Towards-More-Sustainable-MMCFs.pdf
20. Accelerating Circularity (2021). Putting Textiles to Good Use.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e434df1c42dd46de2822ab1/t/60f7272fa8a12b6232ac92a4/1626810160140/Putting+Textiles+to+Good+Use+210720.pdf
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
OR-R1B-18.375x84.625.pdf 1 5/23/23 4:16 PM
Fall 2023 ~ Textile Insight • 41
