Academic offers numbers on global fibre shortage
22/06/2010
Speaking at the Autex 2010 conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, Dr Michiel Scheffer, from the Saxion University of Applied Sciences, said changes in the textile supply chain are necessary if production levels are to meet future demand.
“There are three major issues,” he said. “Cotton is giving way to food in agricultural regions because cotton is not an attractive crop to produce. We also have the problem of peak oil and the future cost and availability of petrochemicals as a source of textiles. Thirdly, there is a waste issue with the whole textile industry with not nearly enough recycling going on. Germany is the best recycling economy in the world and even there less than 10% of textile products are being recycled at the moment.”
He suggested polylactic acid (PLA) as one possible solution. Although much work needs to be done to make PLA suitable for extensive use in the apparel industry, Dr Scheffer suggested the natural source for polymers could provide around one-third of the shortfall. He said that hygiene and health products would the easiest area to find additional applications of PLA. This in itself would free up other fibres for use elsewhere in the textile supply chain, in applications such as clothing.
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