For most brands, implementing sustainable practices has shifted from being a “nice to have” to a crucial part of their business strategy. However, according to Gartner, even today only 59% of executives believe it is very important for companies to implement environmentally sustainable supply chain practices, evidence that there is plenty of work left to be done.
Changing how textiles are produced is complex in a system that has been in place for so long. Manufacturers require solutions that are readily available, affordable and easy to implement to achieve their sustainability goals quickly. One example is rPET - recycled PET plastic, a material often used to replace virgin PET. This transition was relatively simple for supply chains and inflicted minimal difficulties on other business processes or the bottom line. Contributing to source reduction of virgin plastics and typically requiring less energy to produce, rPET is considered a better alternative to conventional polyester. Similarly, textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling, which uses recycled clothing and textiles to create new fiber and yarn, is currently seeing heavy investment. While T2T is not yet considered easy to implement, when up and running at mass scale it will be effective in contributing to the circular economy. Polyester is one of the easier fibers to recycle through either mechanical or chemical processes.
That said, what these two solutions fail to address is that because polyester is plastic and not readily biodegradable, it may end up polluting the environment at some point. With an increased awareness of how plastic pollution persists indefinitely in the environment, the textiles industry has started to recognize the benefits of biodegradation as a sustainable solution to fibers that unavoidably leak into the ecosystem. For instance, CiCLO biodegradable polyester remains durable during manufacturing and use, can be recycled, but also breaks down in the presence of moisture and microorganisms like wool does. Biodegradable synthetics can lessen the impact of plastic pollution caused by textiles, and is an immediate, affordable solution that is being scaled globally today.
The International Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) announced in April that they have a revised mission and new theme of “Nonwovens for a Healthier Planet”, which will be their focus for the foreseeable future. INDA’s sustainability objectives include responsible sourcing, innovations in sustainability, and end-of-life solutions. There will also be more support for the category of “long-life” durable nonwovens, which represents 50% of nonwovens consumption alongside “short-life” disposables.
As this focus is implemented across the industry, nonwoven companies must find ways to overcome the current barriers to sustainable supply chains, consider the importance of their practices, focus on durable applications for nonwovens and innovative solutions to reduce the impacts of necessary disposables and design products that can be recycled and/or biodegradable with the ultimate end in from the start. Measuring a supply chain’s sustainability requires significant effort. Without clear, consistent, and enforceable regulations, leaders face a mounting list of barriers to achieving goals. Beyond that, even when making strides toward more responsible practices, manufacturers run into hurdles like scalability, customer adoption, resource constraints, expertise shortages, and more.
One of the most pressing forces driving nonwoven companies to develop more sustainable materials is the need to address synthetic microfiber pollution caused by products like PPE masks, gowns and accessories, industrial cleaning products, geotextiles and more. These items are made largely of polyester and polypropylene, both non-biodegradable plastics. As use of synthetics for textile fibers is anticipated to continue to rise globally in the coming years, brands and retailers are adopting more end-of-life technologies like CiCLO technology to alleviate these burdens and implement solutions now to reduce microfiber pollution in the future.
Fiber fragments that have shed from synthetic textiles (“microfibers”) are the primary contributor to microplastic pollution in environments all around the world. The world generates 400 million tons of plastic waste annually and some of the main sources of the plastic waste comes from unexpected products. 90% of wipes include plastic and recent reports reveal that the US alone has discarded more than 18 million disposable masks, 22 million gowns and 500,000 gloves. All of these necessary PPE products are made from synthetics that shed microplastics during manufacture, use, care and disposal. Mainstream media and research organizations are becoming more vocal about the impacts of microplastic pollution, driving more conversation and education around the negative impacts of the crisis. Data released this year found that via ingestion and inhalation, microplastic is making its way into lungs, reproductive organs, human placentas, testes, brains and more. Based on the current trajectory of plastic production, the amount of plastic in the world is expected to double every 10 to 15 years.
The issue of microplastic pollution from synthetic textiles is complex and will require multiple solutions. Fibers, yarns and fabrics can be re-engineered to meet the requirements of the end application, but also to shed less. Alternative materials to conventional synthetics can be substituted in some applications where they can be afforded. For instance, PHA plastics are bio-based and also biodegradable. Filtration should be measured and improved upon where applicable in the manufacturing process. Integrating CiCLO technology with rPET or virgin polyester during fiber manufacturing maintains durability and performance characteristics while enabling any that escape into the environment to biodegrade like wool and reduces the persistence of microplastic fiber pollution.
brrr˚, a company that invented an innovative cooling technology, is a great example of an organization that found a way to reduce the environmental impact of their fabrics with a solution that didn’t lessen their product’s high performance or interrupt the supply chain process. After combining CiCLO with brrr˚ 's temperature regulating technology, polyester fabrics are still incredibly durable but also biodegradable without affecting manufacturing requirements, warehouse storage, or customary care of garments—all key factors supply chain leaders consider when adopting sustainable technology.
End-of-life technology is an impactful way to reduce the amount of microplastic fiber pollution in the environment. CiCLO technology is designed to scale across diverse supply chains, including nonwovens, making it a versatile and accessible solution. Its ease of implementation and affordability eliminate some of the roadblocks to more sustainable manufacturing and products.
Brands and manufacturers are under more pressure than ever to make sure products they produce do less harm to the environment by addressing things like their role in the microplastic pollution crisis. There are no silver bullet solutions, but there are many actions that can be taken that are not too disruptive or costly and every effort will add up to meaningful change. Specifically for nonwovens, starting with the end in mind and designing materials to be durable and biodegradable is one pragmatic way to make a small change that amounts to big impact.
As the CEO and Co-Founder of Intrinsic Advanced Materials and Co-Inventor of CiCLO technology, Andrea Ferris has a wealth of experience across advertising, business development and technology innovation. Throughout her decade-long journey from co-inventor to CEO, she has experienced firsthand the challenges and triumphs of commercializing a scientific technology in the often misunderstood industry of biodegradable plastics. She has made jumps from advertising, to business development, to the driver’s seat of CiCLO technology. She loves the challenge of jumping into the deep end and is an excellent orchestrator and entrepreneur, allowing her to push the limits to breathe new life to brands and spearhead new brands themselves. Over the last decade, Ferris has remained dedicated to developing the company’s patented CiCLO technology. With a passion to solve the existential threat of plastic pollution in our environment, Ferris has co-created a first-of-its-kind upstream solution that combines durability and sustainability.
