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Australian Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Allied Industries
Sustainable textiles
In the Area of study: Australian Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Allied Industries you will learn about appropriate textile technology and environmental sustainability. A range of strategies have been adopted by the textile industry worldwide to reduce the impact of textile production on the environment. While it is easy to identify the negative impacts of the textile industry on the environment this tutorial focuses on the positive steps that can and are being taken to reduce the impact.
Outcomes
This material addresses aspects of the following syllabus
outcome:
H5.2 The student analyses and discusses the impact of
current issues on the Australian textiles industry.
Source: Board of Studies NSW, Stage 6 Textiles and
Design Syllabus, Preliminary and HSC Courses
(2007)
Sustainable design
Fashion by its very nature is a consuming business and while eco, green, natural clothing was 'in' a few years ago, it is maybe not as popular as it was. However, all the hype about clean green textiles did leave the legacy of a genuine concern about the impact of textiles on the environment.
Designers can make a difference by:
- understanding the theoretical, technical and practical considerations of the entire production process of a product
- asking questions
- collaborating with technologists, scientists, growers, manufacturers and marketing departments
- understanding the performance and aesthetic qualities that are high on the consumer agenda
- understanding how the consumer will use the product.
Adapted from Raath, J. (2000) Sustainable textile practices workshop, TEA Conference Leura, June.
Life-cycle assessment
Design for environment (DfE) "provides a unique opportunity to make critical interventions early in the product development process and eliminate, avoid or reduce downstream environmental impacts." (Lewis et al, 2001:13)
The greatest environmental impacts of the textile industry are pollution, in particular water pollution, waste and consumption of resources.
One of the first steps in environmental design is an analysis of environmental impacts. One of the most useful tools for this is life-cycle assessment (LCA), which is a technique for assessing the environmental impacts associated with a product or service. (Lewis et al, 2001: 31)
To understand the environmental impact of textiles we need to examine their complete life-cycle, which includes growing and processing the fibre, manufacturing the yarn, manufacturing the fabric, dyeing and finishing, cutting and making the final product, maintaining the product during use and disposal or recycling. (Lewis et al, 2001: 130)
Activity 1
- Draw a process flowchart for a woollen garment. Begin
with sheep farming and end with recycling and re-use. On
the left-hand side indicate the resources used during the
process, on the right-hand side indicate the waste. See the
example below.
To see how the scouring process can be more efficient take
a look at the following case study:
Pre-treatment process allows for the recovery of waste
products: Goulburn Wool Scour .
For an excellent discussion of the environmental impacts
of textile production and some examples of design solutions
to these problems ask your teacher or librarian to get a copy
of the reference book below from the Centre for Design at
RMIT: www.cfd.rmit.edu.au .
Reference
Lewis, H. and Gertsakis, J. (2001) Design and environment: A global guide to designing greener goods, Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield.
Reducing energy consumption
The main wastes from the dyeing process are contaminated water from dyeing, rinsing and washing baths and from dyeing chemicals. Energy is consumed when heating the dye baths and running pumps and other parts of the dyeing machinery. (Lewis et al, 2001: 137)
Cold-pad batch dyeing for cotton for example impacts less on the environment than traditional methods. The Australian Dyeing Company adopted this technique in the 1990s.
The new process uses 33% less energy and 45% less water, requires fewer chemicals and produces less effluent. (Lewis et al, 2001: 137)
The following case studies outline the strategies adopted by two companies to reduce the environmental impact of dyeing:
Reduction of chemicals and salt in dyeing processes:
Australian Dyeing Company
Cleaner production: Australian Country Spinners
For other cleaner production case studies involving the
textile industry,
click here .
Case study: Patagonia
Patagonia is a manufacturer of outdoor clothing and equipment based in the US. Not only have they embraced design for environment (DfE) principles in what they produce, they have also incorporated these principles in their buildings.
Work through the questions below to gain an insight into how a company can embrace strategies which reduce environmental impact. While this company is not Australian some of their strategies are worth highlighting and where possible the questions direct you to relate the issues raised to the Australian industry.
Activity 2
-
Visit www.patagonia.com
and select About Patagonia then Enviro
action and What we do.
State the four key ways Patagonia are addressing environmental issues.
-
Patagonia created an organic cotton T-shirt
company, Beneficial T's®, to build greater
demand for organic cotton. Visit the Beneficial
T's ® web site and select Choosing
organic to find out the benefits of organic
cotton.
Find out about the organic cotton industry in Australia by completing the Organic cotton tutorial.
- While the organic cotton industry in Australia has
had some dificulties, Cotton Australia has been working
with farmers on best management practices (BMP) cotton.
BMP cotton aims to manage resources like water, soil and
chemicals in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Gowings Cotton range features Earth friendly cotton, a label which indicates the garment is made from 60% BMP cotton and 40% organic cotton.
Visit the Cotton Australia web site to find out more about BMP cotton.
Compare the policy for spraying pesticides for both organic cotton and BMP cotton.
- Select PCR® on the Patagonia web site.
Post-consumer recycled (PCR®) fibres are used to
make Synchilla® fleece. 150 Synchilla
garments can be made from 3 700 recycled twp-litre bottles. How much oil and toxic emissions does this save?
- What policy does Patagonia promote to its
customers?
- Patagonia buys all its power from renewable
energy sources such as wind energy. What similar programs
are available in Australia for businesses and households?
Click here then select renewable energy to find
out.
Patagonia's Reno Service Centre features:
- solar tracking mirrors on the roof to reflect light to the work floor below.
- exhaust fans that remove all the stale air out of the building
- insulation
- window glazing
- sunscreens
- recycled materials
- energy efficient lighting systems
- radiant heating system
- 100% recycled polyester PET carpet
- 100% recycled plastic restroom counter tops
- wallboard, paint, floor coverings, ceiling and shower tiles containing recycled materials
- reclaimed or sustainably harvested wood.
Adapted from: www.patagonia.com
Activity 3
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) carpet is made with yarn
made from recycled PET drink bottles. It is very strong and
durable. Identify the advantages of
PET carpet.
Environmental fashion
The following articles on environmental fashion are well worth reading and summarising:
Environmental fashion: Beyond the Bright Lights
Environmental fashion: Off the Racks
Environmental fashion: Bottleneck Pants
Environmental fashion: Training Wheels
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