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Regenerative Textiles: A Framework for Future Materials Circularity in the Textile Value Chain

Author

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  • Miriam Ribul

    (Materials Science Research Centre, Royal College of Art, London SW7 2EU, UK)

Abstract

Materials science breakthroughs have regenerated high value fibres from end-of-life cellulose-based textiles that can be introduced into existing textile fabrication processes from raw material to textile product in established textile value chains. Scientific developments with regenerated cellulose fibres obtained from waste textiles suggest their potential to replace virgin resources. The current scale-up of regeneration technologies for end-of-life cellulose-based textiles towards pilot and commercial scales can potentially achieve a future materials circularity, but there is a lack of a long-term view of the properties of materials after consecutive recycling stages take place. Cellulose-based materials cannot be infinitely recycled and maintain the same quality, a factor which may provide new challenges for future textile processes in the context of the circular bioeconomy. This paper maps collaborative design and materials science projects that use regenerated cellulose obtained from waste feedstock according to materials in the value chain they seek to substitute. It also presents four new processes that use regenerated cellulose materials in relation to their intervention in the value chain (as determined in a PhD investigation). A framework is presented to demonstrate how these circular material design processes take place at earlier stages of the textile value chain after subsequent regeneration stages.

Suggested Citation

  • Miriam Ribul, 2021. "Regenerative Textiles: A Framework for Future Materials Circularity in the Textile Value Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13910-:d:703869
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Víctor Fernández & Elena Laborda & Felipe Del-Busto & Carmen Bartolomé, 2023. "Social Perspectives towards Biobased Products and Textiles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-24, January.
    2. Lelia Lawson & Lauren M. Degenstein & Bronwyn Bates & Wade Chute & Dan King & Patricia I. Dolez, 2022. "Cellulose Textiles from Hemp Biomass: Opportunities and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Erminia D’Itria & Chiara Colombi, 2022. "Biobased Innovation as a Fashion and Textile Design Must: A European Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-23, January.

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