Introduction
Hook
Polyester is everywhere. From your workout apparel to home decor, this synthetic is all the rage on the runways and elsewhere. It is a very popular choice because it is affordable, durable and versatile. But what’s rarely mentioned is the environmental price polyester pays.
Importance
Polyester, as a petroleum material, isn’t biodegradable, and is part of the growing issue of textile waste and microplastic pollution. As our consciousness about climate change, resource exploitation and environmental destruction grows, there is no time to look any further for green alternatives to old polyester. Fashion – which accounts for a majority of the world’s carbon footprint – has a key part to play in transitioning to sustainable materials and practices.
Thesis Statement
In this blog post, we will dive into green alternatives to polyester as they come in, where they come from, their uses, how they are challenging, and how you can make informed, eco-friendly choices that won’t ruin the planet.
1. Why We Need Alternatives That are Sustainable.
- Environmental Effect of Regular Polyesters Traditional Polyester.
Polyester starts its life on the Earth before it lands on your clothing rack. Its manufacture and lifespan are environmental hazards.
Derived from Non-Renewable Fossil Fuels
Regular polyester — polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — is made from petroleum and natural gas. These fossil fuels are not replenishable, ie extraction uses up pre-existing reserves. What’s more, extraction is also expensive and polluting.
Resources: Polyester sucks up natural resources and so increases oil and gas consumption.
Degrade the environment: Oil and gas drilling destroys habitats, pollutes the water and causes pollution of the air.
High Carbon Footprint During Production
Polyester is very expensive to manufacture and it needs much heat and chemical manipulation. It emits a lot of GHGs, and the Earth is warming up.
Carbon Footprint: A kilo of polyester generates almost 5.5 kilo tons of CO2. That’s significantly more than the natural materials such as cotton or wool.
Contributes to Microplastic Pollution
The most concerning factor about polyester is that it pollutes the environment with microplastics.
Microfiber Shedding: Each time polyester clothing is washed, tiny plastic fibers, called microplastics, are discharged into the sewer. These microplastics then end up in rivers, lakes and oceans where they kill sea life and pollute the food web.
Physiological and Chemical Damage to Life: Marine Life consumes microplastics and it can damage them both physically and chemically. Then these microplastics settle on larger animals, such as fish and shellfish that we humans eat.
Non-Biodegradability
Polyester is not like other natural fibers because it does not dissolve easily. It can live in dumps for centuries, and is an environmental poison over the long term.
- Constrictions of Classic Polyester Recycling.
Recycling polyester can lessen its footprint, but only to certain extent.
Mechanical Recycling Degrades Fiber Quality
Polyester recycling is mainly done mechanically, in the form of fibres removed from old polyester clothes or plastic bottles.
Repurposing: This will usually leave inferior fibers that are less robust and versatile than virgin polyester. Recycled polyester therefore is usually recycled into insulation or carpet, instead of high-quality fabrics.
Chemical Recycling is Energy-Intensive
Chemical recycling provides a means to degrade polyester to its component raw materials which can be transformed into new polyester with the same attributes as virgin.
Chemical Recycling – Expensive and High Energy Use: Chemical recycling is energy-consuming and entails high tech, not yet common.
Infrastructure: Chemical recycling infrastructure is still young, so it is not viable for bulk recycling.
Limited Consumer Awareness and Infrastructure
The average customer doesn’t know how to recycle polyester clothes. In addition, there are no readily accessible recycling plants which means most polyester garbage ends up in landfills or incinerators.
2. Sustainable Polyester Alternatives
Good news, is that renewable replacements for polyester are available. These are options to be green, while still retaining the best attributes of polyester: toughness, moisture management, and price.
- Recycled Polyester (rPET)
Source
Recycled polyester (rPET) is made by converting post-consumer plastic waste, like old plastic bottles and discarded polyester clothes, into new fibers.
Benefits
Lowers Reliance on Virgin Petroleum: By recycling current plastic, rPET lowers the demand for virgin petrochemicals.
Lowers Carbon Emissions: As rPET uses half as much energy as virgin polyester, it releases far fewer carbon emissions.
Disperses Plastic: rPET de-plasticses landfills and oceans for a cleaner planet.
Challenges
Microplastic Exfiltration: Just like regular polyester, rPET clothes retain microplastics at washing times.
Restrictions and Cost: rPET is more expensive than virgin polyester, and available only in certain areas.
- Bio-Based Polyester
Source
Bio-polyester is made with renewable materials – corn, sugarcane or algae – and not from fossil fuels.
Benefits
Lowers Fossil Fuel Requirements: Bio-based polyester does not rely on fossil fuels, by making its products from renewable materials, the fashion industry will no longer need to rely on fossil fuels.
Potential for Biodegradability: Depending on the formulation, some bio polyesters are more biodegradable than regular polyester.
Lower Carbon Footprint: Bio polyesters tend to be lower carbon footprint than their petroleum counterparts.
Challenges
Food Depends on Agriculture Land and Water: Harvesting the biomass for bio-based polyester is food intensive and requires water.
Higher Price and Limited Scalability: Bio-based polyester currently costs more and is not scalable as Polyester so it’s not being used in a mass scale.
- Polylactic Acid (PLA) Fibers
Source
PLA fibres are fermented starches from corn or sugarcane, usually.
Benefits
Biodegradable: PLA fibres can decompose in industrial composting, which is greener than traditional polyester.
Low Greenhouse Gas emissions: PLA doesn’t emit as many greenhouse gases as traditional polyester.
Challenges
Very Poor Biodegradability in Nature: PLA does not break down in landfills or oceans without special industrial composting conditions.
Composting Facilities: Without universal composting facilities, PLA fibres might not benefit the environment.
- PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates) Fibers
Source
PHA fibres are made by bacteria that ferment vegetal matter like vegetable oil or agricultural waste.
Benefits
100% Biodegradable: PHA fibres break down in water and air, so they represent a potential solution to plastic contamination.
Non-Food Crop Sourcing: PHA, unlike other bio-based fibers, can be extracted from non-food crops, which means fewer conflict with food supply.
Challenges
High Production Costs: PHA currently is not cheap to manufacture and is therefore not affordable for mass markets.
PHA Fibres in Very Limited Commercial Available: PHA fibers are still very early in commercialization and limited in supply.
- Organic Cotton-Polyester Blends
Source
They’re blends of organic cotton and recycled polyester to minimize the carbon footprint of both materials.
Benefits
Save the Environment: Organic cotton and recycled polyester are combined so that you don’t have to use virgin fibres.
Durability and Biodegradability: The blend keeps the durability of polyester but is biodegradable better than natural polyester.
Challenges
Hard to Recycle: Blended fibers are hard to recycle because the characteristics of cotton and polyester differ.
Microplastic Pollution: Even with organic cotton added, these blends are microplastic polluting.
3. New Innovations in Sustainable Fibers.
Recycled and bio-based polyesters may have short-term solutions, but the future of sustainable fibres promises a textile revolution. These technologies combine renewables, biotechnological innovation and environmental sustainability to create materials that are both durable and efficient.
- Algae-Based Fibers
Fibers from algae are among the brightest stars of the sustainable textile industry. They are made from micro and macro algae, they have a lot of ecological advantages and can change the fashion game.
Source
Algae is a renewable resource with high growth rate and is the raw material for most algae fibers. They are derived by mining algae of cellulose or other structural material and turning it into textile yarns.
Benefits
Abundant and Renewable Resource
Algae produce fast and don’t need a lot of resources – like water and soil – which makes them a very sustainable raw material.
Algae don’t interfere with food supplies like cotton or corn, and they grow in all types of waterways – freshwater and oceanic.
Potential for Biodegradability
Fibers made of algae degrade with the right care, which reduces the long-term ecological footprint of textile residue.
Carbon Sequestration
Algae are also naturally rich in carbon dioxide (CO2) when they photosynthesise, so cultivation is potentially a method of carbon capture. This can compensate for some of the carbon released from textile production.
Challenges
Early Development Stages
Algae fibres are still in their infancy, and there are not many commercial uses or scales.
Cost and Infrastructure
Production is very expensive at present and infrastructure for mass production and distribution is not there.
- Mushroom Leather (Mycelium-Based Textiles)
Mushroom leather (or mycelium-based textiles) is a renewable option to synthetic leather and other petroleum-based materials. Mycelium is made from the root system of fungi and is an ecologically friendly option for clothing and other uses.
Source
Mycelium – the rootlike growths of fungi – is grown indoors in controlled settings from agricultural effluent or other organic matter. Mycelium grows quickly and becomes an extremely hard, leathery substance that can be processed into all manner of texture and finish.
Benefits
Sustainable Leather Alternative
Mycelium-based textiles are more sustainable than traditional leather that frequently involves animal sacrifice, forest removal and chemical tanning.
Mushroom leather is not coated with harmful chemicals and petroleum derivatives like synthetic PVC or polyurethane leather.
Biodegradable and Compostable
Mycelium textiles are biodegradable and compostable, so the environment is minimised at the end of life.
Minimal Resource Use
To grow mycelium, we need less water, energy and land than with conventional leather or synthetic.
Challenges
Limited Use in Fashion
Mushroom leather is increasingly common but mainly in the fast fashion world because it’s costly and there isn’t enough capacity.
Durability Concerns
Mycelium-based textiles may not be quite as durable and practical as traditional leather, so only some products will benefit from them.
- Spider Silk and Organic Fibers Grown in a laboratory
Spider silk – the purest fibre in nature – is being imitated by biotechnology into sustainable, ultra-light fabrics. These synthetic fibers come from a lab and are an alternative to conventional polyester and synthetic fibers.
Source
Spider silk fibers are made with genetically modified yeast, sugar and water. They tinker with the yeast so it forms silk proteins, which are harvested and spun into threads that mimic the resilience and malleability of spider’s silk.
Benefits
High Strength and Flexibility
Spider silk is world-famous for its tensile strength, elasticity and lightweight nature and is ideal for a variety of products, from clothing to medical textiles.
Eco-Friendly Production
The production of synthetic spider silk does not use petroleum or chemicals to create it in the lab, which makes it more sustainable than regular synthetic fibres.
Biodegradability
The lab-made spider silk is biodegradable, making it less polluting than other synthetic fibres such as polyester, which can’t.
Challenges
Scalability Issues
‘It’s still really hard to get spider silk to work at scale because of the difficulty and cost of the biotech involved.
High Production Costs
Spinning silk made in the lab costs more than textiles to produce and, therefore, is no longer accessible in mainstream markets.
4.Consumer Options for a Green Wardrobe
Innovation in sustainable fabrics remains on the rise, but consumers are at the forefront of the demand for sustainable materials and practices. With a little effort, people can be more environmentally responsible and help a more sustainable fashion industry.
- Prioritize Sustainable Fabrics
When you’re shopping for new clothes, go for clothes made from sustainable fabrics and certifications indicating ethical and sustainable practices.
Certifications to Look For
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
Guarantees recycled content in textiles production and confirms fair labour and environmental policies.
Fair Trade Certified
Ensures that workers engaged in textile manufacturing are compensated well and are worked in safe environments.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Verifies textiles as chemical-free for both consumer protection and the environment.
- Buy Less, Choose Better
The most sustainable shirt is the one you have. Buy less, choose better, consumers are able to decrease the environmental footprint of clothing by having a “buy less, buy better” mindset.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Get good quality clothing that will last and you won’t have to replace it as often.
Timeless and Versatile Pieces
Pick timeless and versatile pieces you can wear all different ways, so you don’t have to have a huge wardrobe.
- Support Ethical Brands
Buying from brands with sustainability and transparency as a primary priority is a great way to support ethical fashion.
Research Brands
Find brands that are open with you on their supply chains, materials and labour practices.
Invest in companies that put sustainability first and have fair work conditions.
Participate in Circular Fashion Initiatives
Join clothes swaps, rentals and second-hand marketplaces to save your clothes from the landfill.
- Proper Care and Disposal
Longer lives for clothes, and recycling them, can save a huge part of our earth.
– Microplastic Filters or Washing Bags (Recommended).
Filter or use wash bags that trap microplastics blown during laundering, so they won’t get into the water.
Donate, Recycle, or Repurpose
Give old clothes away to charity shops or thrift stores.
Join textile recycling events or use your used clothing for rags, cleaning supplies, or other crafts.
Yashvi Jain, a writer by day and reader by night, is an accomplished content writer and published author of ‘Mind Under Construction. Yashvi possesses extensive knowledge of fabrics, sustainability, and literature. On occasions, you would catch her scripting for her YouTube channel, engrossed in fiction, or ardently dedicating her time to research and storytelling.