I Environmental protection and

Textile Finishing

sustainability in the textile industry

Modern consumers expect a lot out of the textiles they buy. Of course, they harsh strueture. Animal fibers require animal
husbandry for better or for worse.
must suit their taste and be health friendly. However, consumers also ex-
pect more and more that socially acceptable workplaces are offered to the Ecologic plus factors for chemical fibers
employees in production. In addition, the goods must be produced in an Besides natural fibers, many synthetic fibers
environmentally friendly way as sustainability is required. According to the can be listed. Polyester fibers have been pro-
duced industrially since 1947 and represent
Brundtland report, sustainability means that the raw materials consumed today's most important chemical fiber all
must also be sufficiently available for future generations. around the world. Chemical fibers with 60 %
in world fiber production in 2006 have al-
ready greatly surpassed natural fibers like
Friedrich Petry water problem becomes clear: Depending on cotton (38 %) and wool (2 %). In addition,
Textilchemie Dr. Petry GmbH, Reutlingen/Germany cultivation method and region 1 kg of cotton chemical fibers show properties like elasticity
needs from 7,000 liters (for example in case and wearing comfort which cannot be ob-
The textile industry soon feit the geographic of drip irrigation in Israel) to 30,000 liters of tained with regenerative fibers. A fast judge-
and social consequences of globalization: In water (in Sudan, for example, when using ment like "natural fibers are better than syn-
search for more favorable conditions for pro- water as a production factor extensively) un- thetic fibers" is not justified, as chemical
duction, many textile companies relocated til it is harvested. fibers behave more favorably than cotton in
their production to developing countries Cotton cultivation by irrigation in desert or the total ecological balance. Besides the
where wages are Iow, raw materials well- veldt zones along the feeder rivers towards need of energy and resources also factors like
priced and environmental constraints Iow. In Aral Sea since the 1960's led to the world- machine usage, fertilizer, finishing and trans-
the course of processing raw materials, semi- wide biggest natural disaster caused by portation costs have to be kept in mind. In
manufactured goods and finished clothes humans. The formerly fourth biggest lake in the case of synthetic fibers their dependence
frequently travel half way around the world. the world which was rieh in fish lost almost on the raw material, petroleum, is problem-
Therefore, the most important factor regard- half of its area and 90 % of its water, the con- atic.
ing sustainability is the human being. Only tent of salt quadrupled. The climate changed However, chemical fibers also provide valu-
the one who knows what he does and who drastically within a large radius from the able ecological Services after their use as tex-
is aware of the consequences of his actions created salt desert, the conditions for life tile. While cellulosic chemical fibers are bio-
can decide in favor of the most sustainable worsened significantly. logically degradable, synthetic fibers can be
Option of actions. Nevertheless, for doing Energy is mainly generated from non-sustain- recycled by reducing them to their mono-
this there ought to be no external restraints able sources. Regenerative energy so far rep- mers. Furthermore, a variety of chemical
such as financial objectives for organizing the resents a small share in energy generation. fibers already consists of recycled raw mater-
production process. Normally, this is not the Sun shines on the earth with sufficient ials. For example, approximately 40 % of all
case as in this age of bargain hunters only a power. However, as long as it is impossible to PET bottles consumed in Europe are convert-
minority of customers is prepared to pay make use of this and other regenerative ed into fibers every year. Thus the pile of
higher prices for sustainably manufactured sources and to satisfy the needs with this, the waste is decreased by 10 million PET bottles
quality products, if necessary. most economical use of energy is recom- per day and 200,000 tons of primary raw
mended. materials can be saved.
Water, energy and raw materials - From the very beginning, the textile industry In order to produce textiles many machines
production factors in the textile used regenerative raw materials as textile are necessary. In the past, development of
industry raw materials, predominantly cotton and these machines a trend of development
The essential factors for production in textile other vegetable and animal fibers. Besides could be recognized despite all diversity:
finishing are water, energy, textile raw mate- the already mentioned enormous quantity of More modern machines work faster, more
rials as fibers, yarns or fabrics and additional- water, the cultivation and harvesting of cot- precisely, with shorter liquor ratios and with
ly machines and chemical auxiliaries. ton requires high amounts of pestieides and Iower energy consumption. For the produc-
Water is the basis of life for humans. A sus- herbieides. So-called 'organic' cotton has tion of machines raw materials (metals) are
tainable production requires careful handling been eultivated without using pestieides. The required.
of this resource which is running shorter and part of organic cotton in the complete cotton
shorter throughout the world. Only a small market amounts to 0.5 % and is still insignif- Dyestuffs and finishing - chemistry is
percentage of water on this earth is fresh icant. essential and ecological
water, and again only a fractional amount of Linen and hemp are much more resistant to Chemistry plays a significant role in textile
this can be used as drinking water. At the pests than cotton. When eultivating linen finishing. Natural dyestuffs have been re-
same time water is also an essential factor for and hemp no, or only small amounts, of pes- placed little by little by synthetic dyestuffs. In
production in industry and agriculture. Partic- tieides are necessary, but these fibers are only the past, dyestuffs like indigo were extracted
ularly, in case of the cultivation of cotton the suitable for particular textiles due to their from plants. In 1878 the first production of

E 86 Melliand English 7-8/2008


synthetic dyestuff succeeded. Since 1897
synthetically produced indigo has been com-
mercially marketed and has almost com-
pletely replaced the indigo production out of
vegetable raw materials. In terms of econ-
omy and ecology the synthetic process
turned out to be significantly superior to the
natural process.
In addition, the auxiliaries for finishing are
mainly on synthetic-chemical basis. The rea-
son for this development is the predomin-
ance of synthetic products with regard to dye
fastnessand levelness of finishing. Petroleum
is mostly used for the production of chemi-
cals. As this is not a regenerative raw mater-
ial, a careful handling with these chemicals
and auxiliaries is necessary.
One may reasonably expect that in an envi-
ronment shaped by competition the costs
for the production factors lead the dyehous-
es to a possibly careful handling with them.
However, by taking into account this criter-
ion, no Statement can be made regarding
the environmental friendliness and sustain-
ability.
Chemistry helps to save
water, energy and fibers
The combination of production factors is not
made according to rigid Standards, but can
be chosen to a certain degree. As a conse-
quence of this the same result can be
achieved using different resources. The price
is crucial for weighting the Single production
factors. Adjustments of the prices for the Sin-
gle production factors shift the weighting of
the production factors. Thus increasing costs
for energy will induce the dyehouses to use
energy saving machines. On the other hand,
subsidies of water may impede the applica-
tion of water saving recipes.
A direct advantage of doing without chem-
istry - which is the overall demand of the
ecologists - cannot be observed. In the in-
dustry, a combination of production factors
including chemical auxiliaries is normal. The
replacement of chemical auxiliaries can be
discussed as follows:
Chemistry reduces the need for water
For some process Steps in textile finishing,
treatments without auxiliaries are possible.
Examples are dyeing and soaping processes.
However, much more water is necessary.
Chemical auxiliaries reduce the water con-
sumption.
Chemistry saves energy
Detergents containing polymers, enzymes
and newly developed bleaching agents show
much better washing results with shorter
times and at Iower temperatures than con-
ventional detergents. Modern auxiliaries lead
to direct savings of energy.
Chemistry cleans fibers
Cotton is a natural product which brings
along accompanying substances like fats, oils
and seed husks of up to 40 %. For this reason
it is necessary to clean cotton in order to be
able to carry out the successive process Steps
in a reliable way. The application of auxiliaries
guarantees the completeness of the cleaning
process. Auxiliaries reduce the amount of de-
fective goods.
Chemistry preserves machines
The friction between fiber and metal in the
weaving and knitting machines leads to
breakage of threads.
Auxiliaries prevent such breakage of threads
and allow for higher processing speeds, thus
higher capacities per machine are possible.
Auxiliaries reduce the machine depreciation
this way.
Methods to achieve more environ-
mental protection and sustainability
What other methods are available to achieve
more sustainability except abandoning
chemistry? First one should check which
combination of production factors meets the
requirements of sustainability best. For doing
this, broad knowledge is necessary: What
consequences has the consumption of a dis-
tinct raw material? To which extent can this
material be used again, i.e. recycled? This
knowledge is very complex. Many research
projects and companies deal with these is-
sues.
On the basis of this knowledge some meth-
ods to achieve sustainability can be found.
The realization will be various. The following
starting points come into consideration:
Costs for environmental matters
should be regarded when pricing
The price, with its function as a central sig-
naling tool must reflect the costs for environ-
mental matters and the considerations con-
cerning sustainability. Exceptions from this
rule lead to unfavorable results:
In many countries the price for water is ex-
tremely Iow - ironically this applies even for
countries with a shortage of water. Modern
machines and auxiliaries which help to save
water are not in demand, water is wasted. In
many countries waste water may be dis-
charged into the environment more or less
without treatment.
Machines or auxiliaries for water treatment
are not in demand. In some countries the
dyehouses can use governmentally subsi-
dized energy. Modern machines for efficient
production are not in demand. In all these
cases more sustainability in production
would be realizable by a more environmen-
tally friendly pricing - frequently, only by
doing without subsidies.
Textile Finishing
Voluntary self-commitment and
prohibitions
The voluntary self-commitment of market
participants is an alternative to prohibition
which proved in case of alkyl phenol ethoxy-
lates (APEO). APEO's are Iow-priced and
highly effective detergents with excellent ap-
plication properties. Therefore, they have
been used for many technical applications,
e.g. as washing and cleaning agents with
Special requirements. Already by the end of
the 1980's negative side effects of these
nonionic detergents were detected: APEO's
decompose relatively quickly in the environ-
ment, this is why their primary degradability
meets the demands of the detergent regula-
tion. However, the intermediate products
arising from this process are relatively resist-
ant and significantly more toxic for fish than
the surface active detergents themselves.
Therefore, the industrial associations German
Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent
Association (IKW) and Association of Clean-
ing Products Manufacturers (IPP), the sector
group Industrial Cleaners of the German
Chemical Industry Association (VCI) as well as
the Association of the Manufacturers of Tex-
tile, Paper and Leather Auxiliaries, Tanning
and Detergent Raw Materials (TEGEWA)
committed towards the Federal Ministry of
the Interior in 1986 to influence their mem-
ber companies aiming that APEO detergents
are no longer used in washing and cleaning
agents. This voluntary self-commitment pre-
vented the Ministry from decreeing a regula-
tion or prohibition of the APEO application or
severe requirements regarding the environ-
mental compatibility of detergents.
In the meantime, APEO's have been replaced
by fatty alcohol ethoxylates. However, mar-
ket participants of other continents did not
assent to the voluntary self-commitment so
far.
Chemical enhancements solve
Problems
A challenge which could often be met in the
chemical industry is the development of new
methods on the basis of modern chemistry.
Nature displays things of which chemists
could only dream of so far. Most complex
compounds are produced at ambient tem-
perature and without pressure just with the
aid of solar energy. There are still many start-
ing points for chemical research.
Everything easy -
really environmentally friendly?
In order to apply an antifelting finish wool is
usually chlorinated. This is guaranteed by the
"total easy care" label of woolmark Company
("wool label"). An alternative to processes
using chlorine which has been developed on
the basis of enzymes cannot comply with the
Melliand English 7-8/2008 E 87
I
Textile Finishing
Fig. 1
European Eco-Iabel
high criteria of the woolmark Company re-
garding washability, however, it nevertheless
shows sufficient anti-felting properties. In
addition, the new process would significant-
ly reduce the brden on the environment.
The consumers gain the convenience of
"total easy care" by considerable environ-
mental stress in production. It is a moot point
if consumers - knowing this connection -
would continue to enquire "total easy care".
Regenerative raw materials replace
fossil ones: the example of chitosan
Subject to certain conditions it makes sense
to do without a petroleum based production
of substances, but to use natural regenera-
tive raw materials. The example of indigo
shows that regenerative raw materials can-
not be preferred generally.
Chitosan is a regenerative raw material which
could replace traditional chemistry: yarns
processed on modern weaving machines
have to be treated with synthetic sizing
agents. These agents protect the warp yarns
from high rubbing forces by harness frames
and neighboring threads in the automatic
weaving process. However, they are not bio-
logically degradable or only under certain
conditions.
Conventional sizing agents are based on
starch, CMS, CMC, PVA, PET and acrylates.
The latter ones are mineral oil based and
show particularly good effects. Sizing agents
based on chitosan come into consideration
as an environmentally friendly alternative.
Chitosan is extracted from chitin which is be-
sides cellulose the most abundant polysac-
charide on earth. Chitosan can be produced
by Separation of acetyl groups. This polymer
is non-toxic and excellently biologically
degradable.
Requirements of trade chains and
consumers
Meanwhile, big textile producers and trade
chains require a lot out of the applied chem-
icals and processes in the countries of pro-
duction. Many campaigns primarily serve
communication purposes classically themed
"do something good - and talk about it". In
detail the activities can only be categorized
with difficulty, in most cases the path leads
undoubtedly in the right direction, even if
only step by Step.
One international label marking "sustain-
able" textiles is the EU Eco-Iabel. It marks
products which meet exalted Standards con-
cerning their Performance as well as their en-
vironmental quality. Products which are la-
belled with the EU Eco-Iabel must pass severe
environmental capability tests whose results
are checked by an independent agency.
Clothes labeled with the European flower
must offer environmental advantages which
are proven: Even fabrics made of natural
fibers like cotton or wool may damage the
environment, especially by their production
processes. Clothes and shoes carrying the
flower of the EU Eco-Iabel do less hrm to
the environment due to water saving pro-
duction processes, prevention of unhealthy
colors, printing pastes and other substances,
better dimensional stability, color fastness as
well as longer durability.
extile
echnology
jec*
Fig. 2
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
Schadstoffs rtffien
nach ko-Tex Standard 100
PrHMr 00000000 RHohensteh
In contrast, in the case of the most famous
label for textiles, Oeko-Tex Standard 100
("Confidence in Textiles"), only substances
harmful for humans are listed. The Standard
specifies the science-based limit values. It is a
human ecological and the human toxicolog-
ical Standard respectively which affects the
textile production chain only indirectly. In the
case of textiles the interaction between fab-
ric and skin is important. Here the Oeko-Tex
Standard proceeds from more severe criteria
than the German and European legislation.
The testing requirements are particularly se-
vere in case of baby clothes and articles for
infants.
Other labeis like Naturtextil and the EU Eco-
Iabel do also factor the production into the
evaluation.
Conclusion:
chemistry can contribute to more
sustainability in the textile industry
In total, the global textile industry does not
operate environmentally friendly and sustain-
ably right now. However, there are numerous
starting points to improve the sustainability.
Modern chemistry will be an essential com-
ponent on this path.