Implementing sustainable heavy impact on environment as the current
practices are unsustainable; and companies,
strategy in textile industry
Name: Sanket Jotiram Chavan &
Omkar Shrikant Jadhav
Institute: DKTE’s Textile And
Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji.
Abstract:
The textile industry is concerned as most
ecological harmful industry in world. The
ecoproblems in textile industry occur during
some production processes and carried
forward right to finished product. In the
production processes like bleaching and then
dyeing, the subsequent fabric make toxic
substances that swell into our ecosystem.
During this production process controlling
pollution is as vital as making product free
from toxic effect. The utilization of rayon for
clothing has added to fast depleting forests
and opened the door to development in
natural sustainable fibres like organic cotton,
Hemp fibre and bamboo fibres. Petroleum
based products are harmful to environment.
In order to safe guard our environment from
these effects, an integrated pollution control
approach is needed. Textile industry has a
environmentalist and consumer are looking at
strategies for reducing textile carbon
footprint. So there is need to produce textile
materials which are eco-friendly through
using different processes like enzyme
technology, plasma technology, super critical
carbon dioxide or foam technology etc.
Keywords: Textile industry, Eco-textile,
Sustainable processes.
1. Introduction
Indian textile sector has been enjoying rich
traditional reputation in the world market for
a number of decades. The growth of this
industry in term of its output and export tends
substantiates this. In the recent years it has
been the victim of many challenges that have
come up in the context of industrialization.
One of the most challenges problems for the
human race today is the environmental
problem. As a result, individuals, business
organizations, the judiciary and the
government all over the world have
recognized the need of ecofriendly textiles so
as to avoid or reduce environmental issues.
Industries, on a global basis, have to decide
to modify their technology and production
process in order to have an environmental
friendly output to satisfy their customer
needs. Textile industry is committed to
produce eco-friendly textiles in order to face
the global competition. Any textile product,
which is produced in eco-friendly manner
and processed under eco-friendly limits are
known as eco textiles. It is simple practice of
everyday life that makes India an effectively
ecofriendly nation. Environmentally friendly
(also ecofriendly, nature friendly, and green)
are synonyms used to refer to goods and
services, laws, guidelines and policies
considered to inflict minimal or no harm on
the environment. For good environment
health people should engage in eco-friendly
activities and should begin to look into more
eco-friendly ways of living and doing
business. There are many ways to be eco-
friendly i.e. Use of low impact dying, azo free
dyeing and bio processing of textiles etc. But
there are some problems that’s why the
textile industry is considered as the most
ecologically harmful industry in the world.
The eco-problems in textile industry
occur during some production processes and
are carried forward right to the finished
product. During bleaching and dyeing, the
subsequent fabric makes a toxin that swells
into our ecosystem. Controlling pollution is
as vital as making a product free from the
toxic effect. There is need to produce the
material which is eco-friendly. So, the
materials can be considered 'environmentally
friendly for a variety of reasons’. First and
foremost is the renewability of the products.
Renewable resources are the items that can be
replenished in a relatively short amount of
time (an opposed to millennium). The second
factor is the ecological footprint of the
resource- how much land (usually measured
in acres) it takes to bring one of the
individuals (plants or animals) to full growth
and support it. The third thing to consider in
determining the eco- friendliness of a
particular product is how many chemicals it
requires to grow/process it to make it ready
for market. However, little is known about
the long term effects of these chemicals.
Hence it becomes absolutely essential to
study uses of chemicals and there eco
substitutes in details from environmental
point of view.
2. Sustainable Textiles:
We put a lot of effort into our textiles, or
human-made fabrics. Across the world and
throughout history, textiles have been the
base of some of the most lucrative economies
and networks of exchange in the world.
Textiles are important, and it's not just
because we need them to stay warm. We
enjoy our textiles. But, we want to be able to
feel good about our textiles. Just as we want
to make sure that we are making responsible Water
habits in the food products we purchase and Process consumption (%
of total)
consume, we need to be aware of the impact
Bleaching, finishing 38
of our role as economic consumers of Dyeing 16
textiles. In accordance with that agenda, Printing 8
many people in the world are pushing for Boiler house 14
Humidification
more sustainable textiles, or ethically 6
(Spinning)
produced fabrics. We may look good in our Humidification
9
textiles, but we want to feel good about them (Waving)
Sanitary, domestic 9
too.

From above data we can say that

consumption of water is more in textile
3. Following are the sustainable strategies processing i.e 64% of water is required for
which can be used in textile industries: processing. Along with water consumption
 3R’s many other hazardous substances released in
 Reduction in water consumption environment which may create
 Reduction in waste environmental and health issues.
 Reduction in energy consumption
Implementation of sustainable strategy by
reducing the water consumption: 4. We can reduce the water
There are many sectors in textile which are as consumption by following methods,
follows:
 Spinning 4.1 Foam technology

 Weaving 4.2 Ultrasonic dyeing

 Processing
 Garmenting
Water consumption in different processes is
as follows
4.1 Foam Technology:
Foam technology is the next
ecofriendly process that is being adopted. It
is being used in various fields of textile
processing like pretreatments, dyeing,
printing, finishing, etc. Foam is nothing but a
colloidal system consisting of a mass of gas
bubble in a liquid continuous phase. This is
the liquid dispersion, which uses low water.
The foam finishing technology (FFT) process
is a novel application system for treating
porous substrates with foamed chemicals at
very low wet pick-ups. It involves the use of
a rapidly-breaking low-density foam or froth
as the delivery medium for finishing
chemicals, precise metering and flow control
for delivery of foam to the substrate,
pressure-driven impregnation of the foam
into the substrate, and an applicator system
designed to allow uniform high speed
application and collapse of the foam in a
single step. The semi-stable foam is
necessary to get spontaneous foam collapse
and spreading though the substrate, and is in
contrast to stable foams specified in various
foam coating processes normally requiring a
separate step to break and distribute the foam
through the textile material. The other
important salient features of foam
technology: Better colour yield, Superior
levelness, Saving in energy, Minimum wash
off, Very minimum (or) nil pollution,
Negligible effect on fibrous material. Thus
foam technology paves a new path to textile
processing industry to lead a green life.
4.2 Ultrasonic dyeing
The use of ultrasonic waves in dyeing process
can be explained as:
When ultrasonic are absorbed in the liquid
system the cavitations/bubbles created.
Cavitations can liberated entrapped gases
from liquid or material like textiles, dye bath,
etc. In dye bath, vibration of waves make
compressions and rare factions. They create a
small vapor bubbles of 500nm in size, which
can collapse and cause shock waves
throughout the bath. If the bubbles collapse
in textile materials, it results the formation of
high velocity micro jet with velocities as
highly directed towards solid surface. These
micro jets can give rise to infra yarn flow,
increase in the rate of mass transfer between
the infra-yarn and inter yarn pores. On the
other hand, they may be carried along with
the sound waves if they do not collapse
immediately. This, in turn, pushes water
along with the bubbles producing a flow of
water called streaming away from the sound
source.
4.2 a) Methods of formation of ultrasonic
energy:
Case 1: Formation of cavitations:
Ultrasound energy is sound waves with
frequencies above 20,000 oscillations per
second. In liquid, these high-frequency Fig.2:- Forces created during
waves cause the formation of microscopic compression or rarefactions.
bubbles, or cavitations. They also cause Case-3: Streaming:
insignificant heating of the liquid
Pushes water along with the bubbles
producing a flow of water called streaming
away from the sound source. The two
phenomena attributed to ultrasound are the
rapid movement of liquids caused by
variation of sonic pressure which subjects the
solvent to compression and rarefaction and
Fig1:- Cavitation or bubbles formed in micro streaming. Simultaneous formation
liquid by ultrasonic waves. and collapsing of tiny air bubbles result in a
large increase in pressure and temperature at
Case-2: Compression or rarefaction: microscopic level.
There is a compression or rarefaction during
each cycle of wave. When ultrasonic waves
are absorbed in liquid system, the
phenomenon of cavitations take place, which
is the alternative wave formation, oscillation
or collapse of tiny bubbles or cavities. When
the bubbles collapse, they generate tiny but
powerful shock waves. Fig.3:- Rapid movement of liquids by
ultrasonic pressure.
 based
reactive
softeners
5. We can implement sustainable strategy
Scourin
in order to reduce use of hazardous AOC causing
g and
Chlorine cancers
chemicals bleachin
mutants
g
In textile industry for production,
Nervous
processing and finishing different chemicals Metals such disorder
are being used which may have impact on as:- Heart failure,
 Arsenic vomit, diarrhea
human health as well as it will affect
 Cadmium, Abdominal
environment too. Dying
cobalt and pain,
and
Following are some chemicals used copper anaemia
printing
and their hazards:  Lead Dizziness and
 Mercury death
Chemical Hazards
Process  Nickel, Impaired
used caused
Zinc growth.
Chlorine
Evolve Anrexiia
based
pentachlorophe Formaldehyd
pesticides
nole(PCP) and Dye e(HCHO)
Cotton such as Skin irritation
polychlronated fixation containing
cultivati phenoxy
biphenyls fixing agents
On alkonic acids
(PCB) Pigment
and Kerosene Air pollution
which are printing
hexachloro
carcinogenic. Non-
benzene.
biodegradable
Starch paste Carrier Phenol based
& hence
PCP from dyeing carriers
Skin effect and effluent
phenolic and
“algal load
Sizing chlorinated
blooming” Release free
compounds
Carcinogenic Formaldehyd HOCH due to
as
e (HCHO) unreacted
preservatives Finishin
based cross HOCH,
Spinnin Floating Air pollution & g
linking which causes
g fibers byssynosis
agents skin
Starches PCP Algal
allergies.
as blooming
Desizing Depletes ozone
preservatives Carcinogenic Garment CCL4 and
layer and thus
Pyridine Carcinogenic ing and CFC contain
induces cancer
 packagi stain due to UV pH and temperature is on the
ng removers exposure peak.
 For most of the enzyme
activity degrades on the both
We can reduce use of these chemicals by
sides of optimum condition.
adopting following methods.
3. Alternative for polluting chemicals.
5.1 Enzyme technology
 Enzymes can be used as best
5.2 Plasma technology
alternative to toxic, hazardous,
pollution making chemicals.
 Also some pollutant chemicals
5.1 Enzyme technology:
are even carcinogenic. When we
Enzymes are protein substances
use enzyme there is no pollution.
made up of nearly 250 amino acids. They can
4. Enzymes act only on specific
be prepared form pancreas, malt and bacteria.
substrate
They are preferred due to the following
 Most enzymes have high degree
reasons:
of specificity and will catalyse
1. Enzyme accelerates the reaction:
the reaction with one or few
 All enzyme accelerate the rate
substrate.
of particular reaction by
 One particular enzyme will only
lowering the activation
catalyse a specific type of
energy of reaction.
reaction. Enzymes used in
 The enzyme remains intact at
desizing do not affect cellulose
the end of reaction by acting
hence there is no loss of strength
as catalyst.
in cotton.
5. Enzymes are easy to control
2. Enzymes operates under milder
 Enzymes are busy to control
conditions:
because their activity depends
 Each enzyme have optimum
upon optimum condition
temperature and optimum pH
6. Enzymes are biodegradable
i.e. activity of enzyme at that
 At the end of reaction in which
enzymes are used we can simply
 drain the remaining solution
because enzymes are
biodegradable and do not produce
toxic waste on degradation hence
there is no pollution.
over headed by the use of enzymes. Effluent
treatments are done through the use of several
chemicals. As these chemicals are hazardous,
they are being replaced by the use of
enzymes. The applications of enzyme
technology is more environmentally
compatible process.

5.2 Plasma Technology:

Different enzymes used for Plasma treatment can be used for soil
different processes: release and water repellent finishes in eco-
friendly manner. Plasma refers to a partially
ionized gas that consists of ions, electrons
Type of and neutral particles. Exposing the fibres to
Process enzyme gaseous plasma by two main procedures,
used
which include depositing and non-depositing
Desizing Amylase
Scouring Pectinase plasma. Plasma treatment does not, involve
Glucose handling of hazardous chemicals and thus
Bleaching oxidase
there is no problem of effluents. Depositing
catalase
Reactive plasmas i.e. (Plasma-enhanced chemical
Laccase
dyeing vapors) are applied with the help of saturated
Laccase+cell and unsaturated gases like ethylene vapors
ulose
and monomers like acetone and methanol.
Finishing catalase
Flaxzym and Plasma chemistry takes place under non
ultazym equilibrium conditions and the physical
interactions can occur while the gas or the
Hydrolases type of enzyme is mostly used in
parts exposed to it remain at relatively low
textiles. Bio washing which are
temperature.
conventionally done with the help of pumice
stone. These stone create disposal problems. 5.3 a) Plasma technology advantages:
This non eco-friendly process is now being Plasma processing is a dry and
environmentally friendly technique. It does
not require vast supplies of water, heating
and drying, and only minute amounts of
chemicals are necessary to reach the desired
functionality. Because the desired material
behavior is achieved by modifying only the
surface of fibers, bulk characteristics of the
material, such as its mechanical strength, are
unchanged. Further, plasma treatment allows
achieving surface characteristics that are
beyond the reach of traditional wet chemistry
finishing.
6. Conclusion: -
"Eco friendly textiles" are gaining
importance in the consumer market.
Consumers who initially considered only the
aesthetic value are now looking at the
harmful effects created by various chemicals.
"It is better for the society to prevent
pollution than to cure it after its creations".
Environmental protection and eco-
friendliness play an increasing part in
consumer awareness today. Therefore the
textile industry become aware of it and
efforts are being initiated in the production
and export of "Eco-friendly textiles".
7. References:
1) Roadmap to sustainable textiles and
clothing- Subreamanian Senthilkannan
Muthu
2) Envinronment friendly textile processing
using plasma and UV treatment – K.
Samanta, Santanu Basak and S.K.
Chattopadhyay
3) Guifang, W., Han, K. and Salmon, S.
2009. Applying Enzyme Technology for
Sustainable Growth. Asian Textile
Journal.
4) Horrocks, A. R. 2004 Ecotextile The way
forward for sustainable development in
textiles, University of Bolton, UK.
5) Jadhav, C. Abhishek, A. 2009. Eco-
Friendly Substitution in Textiles.
International Textile Bulletin
6) Natrajan, T. S. 2006. Environmental
Friendly Textiles- a road to
sustainability.
7) Patel S. B. 2009. Applying Enzyme
Technology for Sustainable.
8) Saraf, N. M. and Alat, D. 2007. Dyeing
Without Water.
9) Guifang, W., Han, K. and Salmon, S.
2009. Applying Enzyme Technology for
Sustainable Growth. Asian Textile
Journal