Sustainability in textiles starts with the fibre

There is increased consumer awareness on the environmental footprint of fashion buys, but also more and more fashion designers use sustainability as the starting point for their creative process. Fabrics are carefully selected, based on the sustainability profile of the fibres used, their environmental footprint, chemicals used, and end-of-life, among other aspects.

Eastman has developed a carbon renewal technology that allows to use waste materials – that would otherwise be destined for landfills, incineration, or other, undesired end-of-life options – and turn them into a sustainable fibre. This fibre is produced from a combination of recycled waste content (40% mass balance approach), recycled cellulose (20%), and sustainably harvested wood pulp (40%). The result is a high-quality, sustainable fibre product made from 60% recycled content.

The company sources wood pulp from sustainably managed and certified forests and plantations and combines this wood pulp with acetic acid to make cellulose acetate granules. The feedstock for the acetic acid comes from recycled waste materials. The production process is a closed-loop process as the solvents and waters are being recycled—leading to a solvent recovery rate of 97%.

Overall, the sustainable fibre is part of the solution to the overconsumption of textile raw materials, the growing plastic and textile waste problem, and rising greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, to drive the change in the textile industry it needs the collaboration of the different players in the industry, so Eastman teams up with different value chain stakeholders through industry consortia, working groups, and initiatives. It is already in use in some workwear shirts.

Associated SDG Targets