After agriculture, the Textile Industry is the second largest industry in terms of providing employment, primarily in the developing countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Africa and some European nations. It has always been an industry in demand and also has high competition. In modern times, there has been a steady rise in synthetic fibre, which require more refining and processing than natural ones. The various pollutants arising from various methods of processing fabrics have been harmful to the environment through emissions in the air and discharges into the earth and water. Generally, these pollutants remain untreated and often mingle with drinking water creating health hazards. Since the trend over the years has been to use more synthetic fabric, the usage of harmful chemicals and pesticides has been on the rise. Vegetation has also been highly affected by the toxicity of the wastes and marine life has taken a major impact. Given such harmful effects, the World has started to take serious note of the textile industry. The industry is also working steadily on various techniques to counter such hazards through sustainable innovative processes.
Textile Process Overview | Environment Factors | Opportunities in Cotton Production | Manufacturing of Textile | Plant Emission | Usages of Water | Solid Waste Management | Distribution of Product | Recycling of Textile
Textile Process Overview
Generally, cotton balls develop within 100-150 days of seeding. The processing of the same into yarns and fibres takes another 30-40 days. The various dyeing options and treatments take a further 20-30 days and after that bear a shelf life of 2-3 months with the marketplace and another 2-3 years with the customer. However, there are a lot many factors that play their roles in defining the life cycle of a textile product.
Environmental concerns play an increasingly vital role in the textile business. Both Government and consumers are expecting greener products and services.
Environment Factors
Textile products have certain life cycles. The life cycle refers to the period from the cultivation of material through to the finished product’s launch into the market until its final withdrawal. Although the textile sector is one of the biggest consumer intensive sectors, as of now, recycling and reclamation practices are not given much significance.
Life cycle assessments or LCA, examine stage-wise waste generation potential, energy consumption, and environmental impact.
It helps in evaluating the environmental impact of a product at every stage of its life cycle — from raw material cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal or recycling.
Apart from two types of different technical LCA (Attributional & Consequential), Social LCA is also under development.
Opportunities in Cotton Production
The production of organic cotton has risen manifolds over the recent years. It is grown in specially prepared soils and no pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are used. However, due to the specialized methods of this type of farming, the products tend to be a little more expensive than the normal products. Nevertheless owing to the benefits that one gets towards health and the environment, this type of farming is being steadily encouraged. Government agencies like NABARD etc are supporting the farmers with easy loans to undertake such kinds of cultivations. However, the price-sensitive population is still sceptic about the prices resulting in low demand for such fabric among the mass purchasers. There is a need the roll out incentives for the use of organic products and subsidise the same to lower the prices. The availability of organic fertilizers and vermicomposts should be assured by the government agencies at affordable rates to the farmers to carry out such types of cultivation.
More focus on organic cultivation should be put and the demand for such products should be encouraged. The fashion industry also needs to re-align itself in a manner that more organic products are endorsed and used. With proper know-how and proper training, people can be made to grow and use natural fibres organically without the use of harmful chemicals.
In recent times, increased awareness of the use of pesticides and chemicals has triggered the increased demand for organic products.
Manufacturing of Textile
The manufacturing sector also needs to adopt environmentally friendly approaches for sustainable and healthy practices. Discharges from the plants need to be well treated before taken for recirculation.
Plant Emission
The emissions are needed to be treated through proper ESPs (Electrostatic Precipitators) or condensed for usage in process boilers are fuels. This way Carbon credits can be obtained as per the ISO 14000 norms.
Usages of Water
Water needs to be properly treated as there are multiple methods for doing so. This same water can be reused for the service water requirement of the plant.
Solid Waste Management
The solid wastes can be made into composts and used for the construction of internal roads and temporary structures.
Distribution of Product
Distribution of products can be done seamlessly through organized shipment, especially by the use of railways rakes to minimize vehicular movement causing dust and pollution. Nowadays, every major industry has its railway sidings for raw material intake and dispatch of products. This is the most convenient method of bulk transportation. lots of challenges might come through transporters who had been engaged in such work for ages. These transporters may be compensated by utilizing their services in other sectors like construction etc.
Recycling of Textile
Recycling of used material, plastics and wastes is gaining popularity with the advent of innovative technologies that primarily focus on the molecular alteration of the products instead of burning or disposing of them. Most synthetic fibres take 20-200 years to decompose and hence are considered to be environmentally hazardous. However, by up-cycling the wastes, a lot of items of utility may be produced. The synthetic fibres can be solidified to be made into mounted plastics and other products too. Synthetic fibres can also be taken through the process of pyrolysis to yield petrol, diesel and producer gas. Construction blocks or road making components can also be derived from it and used extensively in infrastructure development.
A lot of research is presently going on for the process of seamless recycling. The biggest hurdle in recycling has always been the automatic segregation of different forms of chemicals. It is anticipated that soon some workable solution will be worked out regarding the same which will be highly beneficial towards affluent elimination and contamination of the ecology.
These processes are also sustainable methods of employment generation for the underprivileged and can also be developed as various welfare schemes. The government should urge major industries that have a good kitty of CSR funds to adopt technologies related to waste management and recycling to benefit society at large.
It is also anticipated that the awareness of the usage of eco-friendly products will gain prominence in the years to come and would prove to be a healthy initiative. It is common for industries to strategize methods of improving utility and improving their existing processes. With a little concerted effort, we can bring about a revolution in the textile industries worldwide.
By Satadal Lahiri
Satadal is an engineer by profession and author by passion. He has written 17 books till date in various genres Satadal cares about environment and sustainability.
