Some companies, perhaps sensing a business opportunity, have tried to use the green textile movement to their advantage. DuPont and other chemical companies have targeted a potentially hopeful resource for the future in the form of enzymes, which can be very effective in fiber preparation, pre-treatment and value-added finishing as catalysts. Because enzymes work "even under mild conditions and do not require the high energy input often associated with chemical processes," they offer a more ecologically friendly way to treat fabrics than harsh formaldehyde or chlorine ("Textiles and leather," Industrial Sustainability, 2007).
It may sound paradoxical that enzymatic chemicals can make the industry more sustainable. Another paradox of the industry is that natural fibers such as cotton and hemp may not be as eco-friendly as one might expect. For example, in the United States, about a third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are required for the process of growing enough cotton for a T-shirt, and in California, five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton are cancer-causing chemicals (cyanazine, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin) ("What's the Cotton-Picking Idea?" The Worsted Witch, 2006). Up to 40% of cotton grown is wasted between the harvest and the manufacture of garments (Dadd, 2007). Using organically grown cotton is one way to ensure that wearing this 'natural' fiber does not contribute to ecological damage, although even this label is controversial, as organic farms may still leave a substantial ecological footprint, depending on how their goods are shipped, and how far. Organic does not necessarily mean friendly to the environment.
The inevitable costs caused by manufacturing new products means that even though new technologies are evolving in terms of how to create new products, it is also important to develop new ways to use existing textile fabrics in circulation. "According to the Council for Textile Recycling, nationwide over four-million tons of post-consumer textiles enter the waste stream every year. Most go to landfills, but around a million tons are collected by charity groups. About half of the...
Sustainable Development While reflecting on some of the events that have transpired over the last decade, it may be no wonder why people have fueled the debate and salience of concepts related to sustainable development. Countless corporate scandals such as Enron and many others pointed out some of the questionable business practices in the modern economy. Also the sub-prime mortgage markets have gained large amounts of negative publicity for their systemic
It is essentially a potential solution to a real ethical and economic problem. With so much work and natural resources pumped into producing textiles at such a high waste rate, recycling textiles can provide a way for consumers to reduce their impact and help increase a much more sustainability. This can be seen as especially making an ethical impact in situations where textiles in question were cheaply made on
Sustainable Fashion Purchasing sustainable garments is a challenge for everyone when fast fashion is so common. The labors in fast fashion can hardly afford the clothes they make while many consume fast fashion in a problematic way. Fashion industries need more transparency to educate the purchasing decision of individuals. Fast fashion not only is polluting and creating so much waste to our world; it is also taking away the basic human
If there is an aggregate sub-base, these can provide water quality treatment. There should be good compaction and appropriate geo-textiles especially for areas accessible to heavy vehicles. Permeable pavements reduce the need for deep excavations thereby providing a cost benefit. This system reduces the run-off rates and peak flow. The overall benefit is that it removes pollutants and holds water so that it does enter the main drainage. A lot
Fashion "Eco-fashion" is a term that describes the making and wearing of clothing that takes the environment into account. It is concerned with the health of the planet, including natural resources and the people and animals that inhabit it. Eco fashion also takes in consideration the working conditions of the people in the fashion industry, a particularly timely concern given the recent tragedy in Bangladesh where more than four hundred
Sustainability in Fashion This study seeks to answer the question of how the concept of sustainability applies to local fashion production and to explain the connection between global fashion industries and fast fashion business to the sustainability fashion products. The Designers Speak Sustainable fashion is defined differently depending on who is asked to define the concept. Freda Giannini, Gucci creative director defines sustainable fashion as, "Quality items that stand the test of
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