Environmental Impact of Textiles: Production, Processes and Protection (Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles)

Environmental impact of textiles examines what effects all phases of textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended. It looks at the physical environment affected by these processes, including resource depletion, pollution and energy use; the biological environment, by considering what happens as a result of manufacture, and the social environment as it impinges on our psychological, physical and physiological comfort, as well as our financial well-being. It pulls together a wide range of examples drawn from a diverse collection of sources and integrates them to form a new and coherent set of ideas. This comprehensive approach has not been undertaken before and has never previously been associated with textile production and use. In addition to its analysis of the environmental impact of textile manufacturing activity, the book also considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment whether by air pollution, wind, water and other agents. Environmental impact of textiles provides a complete survey of how developments in the textile industry and consumers of its products have affected the environment in the past. The book also covers recent solutions adopted by the industry in the hope that some alleviation of the problems can be achieved without sacrificing high textile production targets and the ways in which the industry is responding to the environmental challenge. It will be an essential reference for anyone involved and concerned with its future environmental footprint. Examines the effects textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended Looks at how the physical environment is affected by textile production processes, including resource depletion, pollution, energy use and the biological environment Considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment by air pollution, wind, water and other agents Environmental impact of textiles examines what effects all phases of textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended. It looks at the physical environment affected by these processes, including resource depletion, pollution and energy use; the biological environment, by considering what happens as a result of manufacture, and the social environment as it impinges on our psychological, physical and physiological comfort, as well as our financial well-being.

It pulls together a wide range of examples drawn from a diverse collection of sources and integrates them to form a new and coherent set of ideas. This comprehensive approach has not been undertaken before and has never previously been associated with textile production and use.

In addition to its analysis of the environmental impact of textile manufacturing activity, the book also considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment whether by air pollution, wind, water and other agents.

Environmental impact of textiles provides a complete survey of how developments in the textile industry and consumers of its products have affected the environment in the past. The book also covers recent solutions adopted by the industry in the hope that some alleviation of the problems can be achieved without sacrificing high textile production targets and the ways in which the industry is responding to the environmental challenge. It will be an essential reference for anyone involved and concerned with its future environmental footprint.

• Examines the effects textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended
• Looks at how the physical environment is affected by textile production processes, including resource depletion, pollution, energy use and the biological environment
• Considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment by air pollution, wind, water and other agents

Content: Front Matter , Page iii Copyright , Page iv Preface , Pages ix-xi 1 - Structure and stability of the ecosystem , Pages 1-8 2 - The health of our planet , Pages 9-16 3 - The nature of textiles , Pages 17-22 4 - Textile fibre production , Pages 23-39 5 - Yarn production , Pages 40-60 6 - Fabric production , Pages 61-68 7 - Fabric treatment processes , Pages 69-89 8 - Use of textiles , Pages 90-97 9 - Environmental protection , Pages 98-114 10 - Effects on textiles of natural exposure , Pages 115-138 11 - Thermal exposure , Pages 139-151 12 - Chemical and microbiological attack , Pages 152-160 13 - Protection of, or by, textiles from environmental damage , Pages 161-177 14 - Conclusions , Pages 178-182 Appendix , Pages 183-206 Index , Pages 207-228 This comprehensive book examines the effects that all phases of textile production and use have on the environment, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended. It looks at the physical environment affected by these processes, including resource depletion, pollution and energy use and the biological environment, by considering what happens as a result of manufacture. It also considers the degradation suffered by textile materials within the environment whether by air pollution, wind, water and other agents. The most recent solutions adopted by the indu This book examines the effects that all phases of textile production and use have on the earth around us, from growing or making fibres to discarding a product after its useful life has ended. It looks at the physical environment, including air, water and land; the biological environment, by considering what happens as a result of manufacture; and the social environment as it impinges on our psychological, physical and physiological comfort--as well as our financial well-being Deals with developing an awareness of the environmental problems generated by textile production. After an introduction that indicates what environmental awareness involves, this book then divides into four general areas of discussion, closing with practical ideas on how to improve the eco-friendliness of textile production.