Sustainable Textile Sourcing for Home Textiles
Synthetic fibres have dominated the home textiles sourcing industry for the last century, but as the world moves toward sustainability, natural and sustainably derived fibres are expected to gain traction.
For thousands of years, only natural textile materials like cotton, wool, silk, and flax were used to create fibres. However, the fabrics that allowed the natural world to advance have also become more remote from people. Around 100 years ago, when the technological revolution got going and people started looking for new materials to use, textiles started moving away from natural materials. The many possibilities that synthetic textiles provided fueled this pursuit.
The emergence of synthetic textiles
When numerous DuPont chemical experts, under the direction of Wallace Carothers, synthesised polymers derived from petrochemicals, they produced nylon1 for use in industry, putting an end to the hunt for synthetic materials. The first nylon stockings, made of this material, were such in demand that they caused the great nylon riots, which marked a turning point in the history of textiles and the dawn of the synthetic age.
Since their discovery, synthetic fibres have supplanted natural fibres as the material of preference for textiles. Polyester, rayon, spandex, and nylon are the principal synthetic materials utilised. These supplies can withstand stains and moisture and are inexpensive and simple to mass-produce. With 62 percent of all manufactured fibres, they currently dominate the world’s fibre industry. Polyester, the most widely used synthetic, is anticipated to drive future growth in synthetic fibre, reaching 63 million metric tonnes by 2023.
Influence on the environment
Synthetics have the drawback of not being ecologically friendly even if manufacturers may favour them. Plastic, which is generated from oil and used to make synthetic products, is closely related to fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Polyester and nylon both release nitrous oxide during manufacture, which is 310 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide. They also demand significant quantities of chemicals during production and produce significant amounts of hazardous waste.
Because synthetic fibres are made of plastic, they remain in the environment and take a long time to biodegrade; nylon may take up to 40 years to break down, while lycra and polyester require more than 500 years5. When these substances finally degrade, microplastics—often referred to as microfibres—are what remain. Microfibers have a variety of negative environmental effects, including endangering aquatic and terrestrial life as well as human health, polluting the environment with harmful compounds, causing plastic pollution, and not biodegrading. According to current estimates, the seas contain 1.5 million trillion microfibers.
Chemically or mechanically, synthetic fibres may be recycled. When compared to utilising virgin synthetics, recycling synthetic materials consumes 35 to 50 percent less energy and produces 79 percent less carbon emissions. However, even though recycling synthetic materials would seem to be a better choice than using virgin synthetics, when they are washed, they still leak hazardous elements into our rivers that end up in the seas and are consumed by aquatic species.
Home décor with textiles
Textiles and fabrics used in home furnishings are included in the category of home textiles. They are made up of both natural and synthetic fibres and include both ornamental and useful items. It is difficult to picture a home without home textiles since they are present in practically every household. Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels, tablecloths, carpets, and rugs are examples of basic things.
The colours and materials of textiles have a significant impact on how individuals express their cultures, identities, faiths, personalities, emotions, and more in their homes. The textiles and materials are essential to turning a house into a home because they enable people to express their fundamental personalities.
The massive home textiles market is expected to increase at a 3.51 percent annual pace between 2020 and 2025 to reach $151.825 billion. It is projected that factors like rising single-person families and higher living standards would be the main drivers of this growth.
The use of synthetic materials is widespread in home decor. Unfortunately, it has been shown that these materials and furniture not only harm the environment, but also people’s health. The exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds7, which are known to cause cancer, reproductive problems, nervous system damage, and immune system disturbance, has been demonstrated to rise due to synthetic home furnishings, according to research.
Additionally, having synthetic textiles in the house raises the danger of harmful exposure in the event of a fire since they release carcinogenic compounds into the air, which are present in non-organic fabrics and flame-retardant coatings. These substances linger in the air after being emitted and are difficult to remove. People with sensitive skin have also been reported to be impacted by synthetic fibres.
Summary
Sustainable fabrics are becoming a trend in recent years. They are followed by a concern of nature and environment. You can also contribute towards making the environment healthy and waste free by using organic material in home decor. If you are hunting for a platform that could provide you real authentic textile products the fabriclore is here for you. We will provide you with the best products for the textile sourcing which actually helps you in getting certified fabrics. You can buy wholesale fabric with guarantee of quality.
