Importance of Using Lyocell Textile for the Fashion industry

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Rise of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a relatively new phenomenon in the industry that causes extensive damage to the planet,
exploits workers, and harms animals.

Slow fashion has been overtaken in the last 10 years by the destructive culture of fast fashion. Replicas
created by machines are used in place of handmade ones, to save time and money. Only by using synthetic
and hazardous dyes is it possible to mass produce designer garments at the lowest possible cost. The vast
volume of clothing produced by this fast fashion industry ultimately contributes to increased carbon
emissions and global warming. Low-quality materials quickly accumulate in landfills, where they become
dangerous to handle.

Textile waste

Over the past fifty years, both the production and consumption of clothing have expanded globally. The
second-highest polluting industry is the textile sector. Since clothing has a three-year lifespan on average,
there is a significant amount of waste produced by the textile industry. Textile waste deposited into
landfills takes up 5% of all landfill space worldwide.

It is impossible to eliminate waste when producing or using textiles. A sensible examination of consumer
shopping habits and the lifespan of a product is also crucial. Understanding a product's size and
compatibility with nature can greatly minimize the enormous amount of textile waste dumped in landfills
and burned. Every step of the textile manufacturing process, including spinning, weaving, dyeing,
finishing, making clothes, and even at the consumer level, results in the production of textile waste.

Harmful Textiles

Petrochemical-derived manufactured fibers are used to make fabrics including polyester, nylon,
spandex, and acrylic. These fabrics go through a lot of chemical processing, which results in significant
carbon dioxide outputs. In addition to being created with harmful chemicals for humans, synthetic
fabrics are also less breathable than fabrics made of natural fibers and have been related to an increase
in dermatitis cases.

Objectives of the Study

• Identify the benefits of Lyocell

• Know the manufacturing process of Lyocell and how is different from harmful textiles

Significance of the Study

There are a lot of emerging businesses and will continue to rise the following years. This study can help
businesses determine which materials are truly sustainable and beneficial for their use. The study can also
benefit to Local Consumers. They should be aware of the harmful effects of fast fashion and how it
damages the planet. Consumers should determine harmful textiles and fashion brands who contribute to
Textile waste. The study can also aid students currently studying textiles and fashion.
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

What is Lyocell

Lyocell also known as TENCEL™ is a lightweight fabric made from wood pulp, since wood pulp is plant
material, lyocell is biodegradable, helping to make it a sustainable fabric. Furthermore, according to the
Federal Trade Commission, lyocell is a type of cellulose fiber that is precipitated from an organic solution
without any hydroxyl group substitution or chemical intermediate formation. Meaning chemicals used
during production are usually able to be recycled. This greatly decreases the amount of new chemicals
and water being taken for production purposes.

Production Process

Solution of hot N-Methyl morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), a cyclic amine oxide that has proved to be an
excellent solvent for cellulose, is used to dissolve wood pulp. The viscous solution, after filtering, is spun
into a coagulation bath of aqueous solution of the amine oxide.

The process gives the advantages of a reduced number of processing stages, almost 99% solvent
recovery, and fiber properties unattainable by the classic production processes. Only very small amounts
of NMMO remain in the wastewater, which is further treated biologically.

Although Lyocell is categorized as a subcategory of rayon, and rayon is considered as a harmful textile.
The process of making Lyocell was proven to be sustainable, it requires less water and less energy.
Lyocell is also considered as Closed Loop Manufacturing as it doesn’t create harmful by-products and
waste.

Lyocell Quality

Lyocell is a highly breathable fabric, it has a smooth texture and tends to not stasy wrinkly. Lyocell is
hypoallergenic which is great for people with sensitive skin and skin conditions such as, eczema and
dermatitis. It has antibacterial properties due to its capacity to handle moisture.
Disadvantages

To produce Lyocell you need specific technology, which makes the manufacturing process quite
expensive. Therefore, Lyocell ends up costing more to buyers, in comparison to traditional fibers like
cotton. This costing is the reason fast fashion brand tend to use synthetic textiles such as polyester and
acrylic.

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that Lyocell is a sustainable fabric, from its manufacturing process to the consumers.
Despite the costing, Lyocell proves as a long-lasting fabric that is durable which can make the costing
justifiable. Lyocell as a good product to invest on, and see to it that our clothes, cushions, window
covers and other fabric-based products, can last longer. Hopefully technology in the future can help us
lower this costing to make it accessible to other people.

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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