Fabrics

The word green is an adjective used to describe something that is perceived to be beneficial to the environment. So, green textile materials should be fibers, fabrics, clothing, and related products that would be friendly or beneficial to the environment. At the same time, green materials should be also sustainable products, which are defined as having no negative impact on natural ecosystems or resources. Most green materials should be recyclable, renewable, and reusable. Recycled products are made in whole or part from materials recovered from the waste stream.

Renewable products are those that can be replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management practices, while reusable products can be repeatedly used after salvaging, or special treatment or processing. Textile manufacturing processes may involve the use of raw materials from either nonrenewable or renewable resources such as oil, coal, agricultural products, energy, and water. The production of textiles should also follow the principles of green chemistry, including 12 principles generally recognized by scientists. The principles include the following:

• 1.
  It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed.
• 2.
  Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.
• 3.
  Wherever practicable, synthetic methodologies should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.
• 4.
  Chemical products should be designed to preserve efficacy of function while reducing toxicity.
• 5.
  The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and innocuous when used.
• 6.
  Energy requirements should be recognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. Synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.
• 7.
  A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting wherever technically and economically practicable.
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• 8.
  Reduce derivatives—unnecessary derivatization (blocking group, protection/deprotection, temporary modification) should be avoided whenever possible.
• 9.
  Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.
• 10.
  Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they do not persist in the environment but break down into innocuous degradation products.
• 11.
  Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.
• 12.
  Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.

In general, green textile materials should be renewable, reusable, recyclable, and eco-friendly at the grave; also, they should provide improved health and aesthetic benefits to humans and should be produced in green chemistry processes.