What do oranges, coffee grounds and seaweed have in common? They outshine cotton in sustainable fashion

Wed, 1 Feb 2023 19:29:33 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-do-oranges-coffee-grounds-and-seaweed-have-in-common-they-outshine-cotton-in-sustainable-fashion-196391>

"Ever considered the carbon footprint of manufacturing your favourite shirt?

The average cotton shirt produces 2.1 kilograms of carbon dioxide – but a
polyester shirt produces over twice as much (5.5 kilograms). It might come as
no surprise that the fashion industry is responsible for around 5% of global
CO₂ emissions.

Some natural fibres can also take a heavy toll on the environment. Last week,
for example, an ABC investigation revealed hundreds of hectares of the Northern
Territory’s pristine tropical savanna had been cleared to make way for cotton
farms, sometimes without permit.

So, are there more sustainable textiles we should be producing and purchasing
instead?

Research, including our own ongoing research, points to certain
“non-traditional fibres” as new green alternatives. These include fibres
produced from wastes – think coffee waste and recycled plastic bottles – as
well as seaweed, orange, lotus, corn and mushroom.

Brands such as Patagonia, Mud Jeans, Ninety Percent, Plant Faced Clothing and
Afends are among the brands leading the way in incorporating sustainable fibres
into their products. But the true turning point will likely come when more of
the biggest names in fashion get involved, and it’s high time they invest."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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