Since the origin of civilization, natural fabrics have been part of societies, using vegetable sources, such as cotton or hemp, or animal sources, such as wool or silk. However, with the industrial revolution, an industry that until then had been handcrafted began to be mechanized and new types of fabrics began to be introduced that no longer came directly from nature and had undergone certain chemical transformations in order to be obtained.
In this way, at the beginning of the 20th century a development began that has led us to the present day to a textile industry dominated by synthetic fibres such as nylon or polyester. Being the latter, one of the most used fabrics in the textile industry today and one of the most pollutant worldwide due to manufacturing processes based on oil.
Fabrics of the future made reality
For years, the current textile industry has been taking its first steps to achieve a real change in its production processes, taking advantage of technological development to obtain new materials that have the least impact on the environment and, at the same time, improve the quality of life of the people involved in their production.
In this sense, brands such as Piñatex have emerged that have managed to create a type of natural fabric, with a similar appearance to leather, from the use of fibers from pineapple leaves. Its creator Carmen Hijosa, worked for years in the design and manufacture of products made with leather and decided to go one step further to investigate and discover alternatives to traditional leather through products made with natural fibers and 100% vegan.
In her production, she tries to keep the impacts as low as possible. «The fibers are extracted from the leaves during a process called decortication, which is done on the plantation itself by the farming community. In addition, the product derived from this process is biomass that can be converted in turn into organic fertilizer and biogas» explain from the brand.
And from pineapple leaves to coconut shells. The company 37.5 has developed a technology from which they have managed to extract active carbon from the coconut shell creating fabrics with a faster drying process and that repel bad odors. «These particles use the heat released by the body itself to eliminate moisture. This means that the warmer this fabric is, the stronger its ability to eliminate moisture and, at the same time, the more comfortable the garment becomes,» they explain on the company’s website. Brands like Adidas or North Face have already included this technology in their fabrics for the production of T-shirts, linings, gloves, footwear, etc.
On the other hand, the German company Qmilch has created an innovative process that makes it possible to produce fabric with a silk-like texture from milk that is no longer suitable for consumption. Its creator Anke Domaske and her team, after years of research and trial and error, managed to reduce the milk to protein powder, boil it and, from there, compress it to extract threads.
This fiber comes completely from renewable sources and in its production, water is hardly needed, since «to obtain a kilo of fiber, only five minutes and a maximum of two liters of water are needed» explain from the company. In addition, «the garments obtained are organic, antibacterial, free of harmful substances and dermatologically tested» perfect for people with skin allergies.
SeaCell™ is another innovative fabric from renewable sources but this time obtained from a type of algae that grows in the fjords of Iceland and can only be cut once every four years to encourage the regeneration of the same in the area. To produce the fabric, the company SmartfiberAG has managed to mix this type of algae with lyocel, to achieve a type of fiber that maintains the revitalizing and antioxidant properties of the algae in the garments themselves.
These four companies are a reflection of the current reality in which the consumer is gradually demanding a change towards a more responsible and conscious production model.
Fortunately, it is becoming increasingly common to discover companies that, like these, have made sustainability the focus of their business activity through research and technology with the aim of achieving a greener future for the textile industry.
SOURCE: FASHION UNITED
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