Responsible Textile Design and Manufacturing: Environmentally Conscious Material Selection

Environmentally conscious material selection is required for responsible textile design and manufacturing. Environmentally conscious design and manufacturing in textile production comprises the selection and use of sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable textile materials. Conventional textile product design aims for a product with lower cost, higher functionality, and easier manufacturability. However, environmental concerns are forcing textile manufacturers and consumers to find greener ways to manufacture and to use textiles responsibly. Textile fibers are mainly classified into natural fibers and man-made fibers. Eco-friendly material selection plays an important role in the manufacturing of sustainable textile products. Natural fibers have an important role in responsible textile manufacturing, mainly due to their renewable, biodegradable, and carbon-neutral character. Pineapple fibers are an alternative eco-friendly textile fiber source, which is also obtained from agricultural waste. Composite structures are increasingly becoming a new use area for textile fibers. Chemical textile finishing processes are generally the least ecological textile processes and result in a negative impact on sustainability.