Textile Science and Fashion

Your favorite pair of jeans, active wear worn for vigorous activities, and clothing designed to protect from the elements: these were all designed with a specific purpose. Clothing is not only designed to be fashionable but functional as well.

Clothing can be fashionable and functional because of the textiles it is constructed with. A few examples of these textiles are moisture-wicking fabric and waterproof textiles which are treated with special chemicals or made with special materials to meet functional criteria. The production of these materials harnesses technology that’s engineered to improve everyday life, but it can also negatively impact the environment.

Performance apparel is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the textile industry, and it is often enhanced by the emergence of new innovations and technological updates in fabrics, like moisture-wicking technology. Ken Knapp, a writer for REI Co-op Journal explained that “moisture-wicking fabric has two jobs… so that your sweat doesn’t saturate the fabric.” The first job is to quickly move (or wick) sweat to the fabric’s outer surface, while the second job is to dry quickly. Knapp said that this process will make people more “comfortable because your body can regulate its temperature efficiently and the fabric touching your skin has a dry, non-sticky feel.” 

Knapp explained that the process of moisture-wicking technology relies on “capillary action, which is the movement of a liquid [like sweat]… through tiny spaces within a fabric due to the molecular forces between the liquid and the fabric’s internal surfaces.” Textiles constructed of natural materials like cotton, rayon, and linen are breathable, but cannot wick away moisture because as Knapps explained, “it gets absorbed into a fabric’s yarns,” and gets “trapped there instead of moving through the fabric.” Athletic performance textiles are usually woven with synthetic yarns like polyester, nylon, and spandex, because they are hydrophobic, and can “resist the penetration of water,” explained Knapp. Therefore, a functional pair of athletic performance tights or an athletic t-shirt should be constructed to include synthetic fibers. 

Waterproof textiles utilize a number of technological advances to keep people dry and comfortable in rain or snow. Functional waterproof clothing should block precipitation to keep people dry, provide an escape route for perspiration to keep clothing dry and to help maintain a comfortable body temperature. The most common example of waterproof clothing is jackets. The textiles that waterproof jackets are constructed with are known as laminates and coatings. 

According to REI brands, ‘laminates’ is a textile in which “waterproof/breathable membrane is bonded to the underside of a garment’s shell fabric (much like wallpaper is applied to a wall)… because it’s a durable construction (the membrane is protected by the face fabric)…” Coatings are a “waterproof or breathable film that is spread across the inner surface of a shell fabric (like a thin coat of paint on a wall). Coated constructions are lighter and more affordable than laminates, the tradeoff may be lesser performance and durability than a laminate (Andre et al).” 

When manufacturers construct waterproof jackets, they use multi-layer technology that includes laminates or coatings to ensure protection against abrasion and contamination of dirt. The first type is a 2-layer or casual jacket that includes a “2-layer construction that bonds a waterproof/breathable membrane to the underside of an outer fabric. A hanging liner protects the membrane on the inside” (Andre et al). The second type of multi-layer construction is known as 2.5 layer construction and is more affordable than other types. The construction begins with “a waterproof/breathable coating on the underside of an outer shell fabric and then adds a thin protective veneer (the half layer) to protect that coating” (Andre et al). 2.5 layer jackets are less breathable than the other constructions, but it will also be more affordable because there is no inner fabric. The final type of multi-layer jackets have 3 layers and are performance jackets. 3-layer constructions are similar to 2-layer constructions in that the “waterproof/breathable membrane is bonded to the underside of an outer shell fabric… another fabric layer is also bonded to the membrane [on the inside] to protect it (Andre et al).” 3-layer waterproof jackets are usually the best quality and are expensive. The complicated technology that waterproof clothing, for example, jackets, uses is designed to be fashionable, functional, and affordable based on various needs and demands that people may have. 

Moisture-wicking and waterproof fabrics are just two examples of the numerous ways that scientists have engineered fabric to make life easier. These technological advances make life easier, but they can be detrimental to the Earth because the synthetic materials and the chemicals used in the processes to create these textiles are not biodegradable. 

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing each year, which is about 3.8 billion pounds of clothing every year. According to Ben Smee, writer for The Guardian, “textiles account for 10% of global carbon emissions,” and the industry is the world’s second-biggest industrial polluter, behind oil.” This is mostly due to the nature of ‘fast fashion.’ According to the Oxford Dictionary, fast fashion is described as “inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.” Fast fashion is a major contributor to pollution around the world, but there are solutions to this issue. Clothing can be donated to others or to secondhand stores. Like paper and plastic, clothing can be recycled as long as it is clean and dry. According to Smart: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles, “stuffed toys and pillows become car seat stuffing and automobile insulation. T-shirts, sheets, towels, and clothing become wiping cloths. Denim becomes home insulation. Shoe soles become paving material, [etc].” Fast fashion manufacturers like H&M and Levi’s have taken initiatives to become more green as well. According to David Meyer, writer for Fortune, H&M has launched the Treadler Initiative that includes “use of recycled materials… emissions-reduction goals, and its use of artificial intelligence to make sustainable business decisions.” The company Levi’s who has produced denim for centuries has launched an initiative to use less water during production known as Waterless. The company explained that they “developed more than 20 innovative techniques… [to] use less of our world’s precious natural resource.” Levi’s also explained that they shared all of their waterless techniques with 20 of their competitors in an attempt to save water. If people purchase clothing from companies that implement sustainable practices, recycle or donate clothing, and purchase second-hand clothing, fast fashion will become less detrimental to the earth. 

Sources:

1. Andre, Tifani. Smith, Scott F. Nagode, Steve. “How Raingear Works.” Recreational Equipment, Inc, Accessed 20 Oct 2020
2. Knapp, Ken. “What Does Moisture-Wicking Mean?” REI Co-Op Journal, 11 Nov. 2018.
3. Smee, Ben. “Holy Grail: How Textile Recycling Can Help Slash Emissions, Pollution and Landfill.” The Guardian, 17 Mar. 2019.
4. Smart: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles. “Textile Recycling Fact Sheet.” Accessed 20 Oct. 2020
5. Meyer, David. “H&M made its former sustainability chief its CEO. Now it wants to help other fashion houses become sustainable—for a fee.” Fortune Media IP Limited. 4 Mar. 2020.
6. Levi’s Off the Cuff “What are Waterless Jeans?” Levi Strauss and Co. March 2018