Colors and Fabric from Algae for a more sustainable Textile Industry.
Synthetic apparel offers elasticity, is lightweight and breathable, but comes at the cost of non-biodegradability. This poses an environmental concern at the end-of-life of clothing items. As of today, recycling channels are scarce and not efficient, typically relying on customers to participate in specific returning/collection programs. As a result, California alone has over 1.4 million tons of textile waste that is not compostable and therefore will persist in landfills for hundreds of years [1]. The textiles industry has been identified as a major contributor to the threat of plastic entering the ocean, with around half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres shed during the washing of plastic-based textiles such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic end up in the ocean annually [2]. We are building on the potential of utilizing biomass feedstocks to create biodegradable plastics as a solution to plastic microfibre release into the environment [3], and we make it starting from algae. We are developing alternatives to standard synthetic fibers that are biodegradable when disposed in the environment, without compromising on the technical performance of the final textiles.
Another critical aspect in the manufacturing of apparel are synthetic dyes, that are in most cases toxic or cancerogenic and require harsh chemicals that result in contamination of fresh water and threatening pollution. We are studying how the production of microalgae for our renewable polymers can also provide raw materials that can be used as dyes. We collaborate with designers and textile manufacturers to expand the palette of materials available to provide colors to fabric without harming our planet.
We believe that algae is one of the most promising natural materials to make the fashion industry more environmentally sustainable without renouncing to beauty.