Textiles Industry has many working procedures which form flow processes. Each process makes various influences on the environment and human health.Therefore, many eco-friendly fibers have been invented which do not require the use of any pesticides or chemicals

1. Steps taken to go green in appareal industry
Abstract :
Whatis eco friendly fibres?
Textiles Industry has many working
procedures which form flow processes. Each
process makes various influences on the
environment and human health.Therefore,
many eco-friendly fibers have been invented
which do not require the use of any
pesticides or chemicals
Why Go Organic or EcoFriendly?
 Social responsibility:Chemicals and
pesticides invade drinking water and
groundwater, polluting its fish and even
reaching human consumption. Organic
and eco fibers grow without any
pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

2.  Biodegradable:Eco and organic fabric
biodegrade naturally over time. Synthetic
fibers eventually become waste and let off
harmful toxins when they degrade.
 Health:Many people are allergic or
dislike wearing synthetic textiles.Eco
fabrics have all the properties of the new
synthetic breathablefibers with added
softness and drape. They feel better
against the skin.
 Absorption:Not only do its chemicals
reach the groundwater, conventional
clothing is worn next to the most porous
organskin.Organic and ecofibers are
natural and do not contain irritating
chemicals. Many of them are also
considered
hypoallergenic and naturally anti-
bacterial.

3.  Popularity:Organic foods have been
around for awhile and it is a natural
evolution that organic and eco-friendly
fabrics will also gain popularity. Eco and
Organic fabrics once considered an
alternative is now entering into the
mainstream.

4. Reasonsto usenatural fibres?
1. Naturalfibres arecomfortableto wear
Natural fibres'breathe',keeping
you comfortablein hot weather by absorbing
perspiration and releasing it into the air.
Synthetic fibrescannot 'breathe'in the same
way because they are more compact.
Polyester clothing, for example, can make you
feel clammy and sweaty in warm weather.
2.They are greatinsulators :
Wool is an excellent insulator against both
heat and cold.wool fibre has a natural
crimp,which is the technical name for the
little waves along the length of the fibre.
3.natural fibres aregood forsensitive skin :

5. Peoplewithsensitiveskinare less likely to get
allergies orrashesif they wearclothesmade
withnatural fibres.organic natural fibres are
even betteras they arenot treated with
chemicals thatcause allergic reaction.
4.natural fibres aretrendy :
Natural fibres are fashionableand the fibre of
choice for many young designers who want
to produce ethical clothing.
5. Naturalfibres area renewableresource:
The source of natural fibres can be
replenished with the passage of time, unlike
synthetic fibres. Plants that produce fibres
can be grown and harvested again and again.
Flax and jute are grown as annuals, while
sisal plants are harvested for about 10 years,
and kapok trees can produce fibre for 60
years or more.
6. Naturalfibres arebiodegradable:

6. Natural fibres decompose naturally through
the action of fungi and bacteria, not adding to
waste mountains.Most synthetic fibres, on
the other hand, are difficult to dispose of.
Recycling them requires sorting and when
they are incinerated they produce pollutants.
Even plastic bags that claim to be
biodegradablejust break down into smaller
bits of plastic that can get into the food chain.
7. Choiceof naturalfibresources :
By using natural fibres you have more
control over where your textiles come from.
You can choose between helping farmers in
developing countries, using fibre produced in
your local area, or even growing your own. In
the UK you can either keep a fibre animal
(angora rabbit, alpaca, or sheep) or grow flax
in an allotment or small holding. If you don’t
have the space or time to do that, you can

7. look for local fibre grown by farmers near
you.
Some of naturalfibres :
Classifaction :
 Plant fibre
 Animal fibre
 Mineral fibre
Plant fibres
Plant fibresinclude seedhairs, such as cotton;
stem (orbast)fibres, suchas flaxand
hemp;leaffibres, suchas sisal;and huskfibres,
suchas coconut.
 Abacafibre:
That is completely sustainable and readily
available in few parts of the world only. The

8. history of banana fabric involves creating a
textile which has unique properties and good
value for money especially in countries
within Southeast Asia.
Abaca Banana fabric is created using raw
materials which are generally discarded after
a banana harvest. These raw materials
usually come in the form of fibers which are
taken from the stems of each banana and
discarded from the trees. products which are
created specifically using banana fabric due
to its resiliency.
 Coir fibre :
The word ‘coir’ comes from the Malayalam
word ‘Kayar’. Since times immemorial, coir
has been used by sailors around the world.
Coir fiber is an extract of coconut husk found
between the hard internal shell and outer
coat of coconuts. Coir fibers are of two
varieties: Brown coir is made from ripe

9. coconut whereas, the white coir fiber is
harvested from unripe coconuts. India and
Sri Lanka are the two major producers of coir
fibers, producing 90% of the global
production. Pollachi in Tamilnadu and
coastal Kerala in India produce about 60% of
white coir fiber whereas, Sri Lanka produces
36% of brown coir.
Hemp is quite an environmentally-friendly
fiber that is often confused with ‘marijuana’
herb; just so because it grows easily. It has
been cultivated around the world for over
1,200 years. Hemp grows pretty fast to a
height of 4 meters without agrochemical
inputs and captures large quantities of
carbon. The sapling is usually planted
between March and May in the Northern
Hemisphere and between September and
November in the Southern Hemisphere. The
plant stem matures within 3-4 months time,
which is then cut 2 to 3cm above the soil and
left on the ground to dry.

10.  Flax :
Flax, recognized as the foundation crop of
modern civilization, is a food and fiber crop
mostly grown in cooler regions of the world.
The length of flax ranges from 90 cm up to an
average 10-12 microns in diameter. Like
hemp, flax is also known to be extremely eco-
friendly as it grows quickly and consumes
less irrigation, pesticides and herbicides,
which in turn help to stabilize and protect
local water sources.
Flax has special properties which are, soft,
lustrous, flexible, and are also stronger than
cotton fiber though its elasticity is less
comparatively. Flax fiber being a cellulose
polymer has a more crystalline structure,
making it stronger, crisper and stiffer to
handle but get easily wrinkled. Flax also
consumes very little energy in the process of

11. producing linen fabrics, which can be
recycled into paper and insulation materials
for the car industry.
 Ramie :
The ramie plant has been cultivated in
eastern Asia for fibre since prehistoric
times. Ramie fabric was used in ancient
Egypt and was known in Europe during the
Middle Ages. Ramie fibre, also known
as China grass, and ramie fabric, variously
known as grass linen, grass cloth, or China
linen, have been exported from East Asia to
the Western Hemisphere since early in the
18th century, but commercial production of
ramie products did not achieve importance in
the West until the 1930s. Because of its
desirable properties, including strength and

12. durability, ramie has frequently been
promoted as a textile fibre of great potential.
 Alpaca fibre :
Alpacafleeceis the natural fiber harvested
from an alpaca. It is light or heavy in weight,
depending on how it is spun. It is a soft,
durable, luxurious and silky naturalfiber.
While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer,
not prickly, and has no lanolin, which makes
it hypoallergenic.Alpaca fiber is naturally
water-repellentand difficult to ignite.
 Angora wool
is an extraordinarily soft fiber produced
from the fur of theAngora rabbit. Angora
fibers are hollow, which gives them loft and a
characteristic `floating' feel. They're

13. exceptionally
softand possess the highest heat
retention (two and a half
times warmer than
sheep's wool), and best moisture-
wickingpropertiesof any natural fiber.Pure
angora fibers are rarely woven into
fabric because the fibers are so fine and
fragile. Rather, they are blended
withotherwools to increase warmth and
enhance softness. Angora wool can be worn
outside in very cold condition and
immediately worn inside
without overheating.
 Camel :
Camel hair,animal fibre obtained from
the camel and belonging to the group called
specialty hair fibres. The most
satisfactory textilefibre is gathered from
camels of the Bactrian type. Such camels have

14. protective outer coats of coarse fibre that
may grow as long as 15 inches (40 cm).
 Mohair :
Mohair is grown by Angora goats. Mohair is
considered a luxury fiber and should not be
confused with Angora fiber which comes
from rabbits. Mohair is as warm as wool
although it is much lighterin weight making
it ideal for traveling. Mohair is also desirable
due to its warmth, durability and beauty.
Because of this mohair has been used to
make garments for kings, sultans and as part
of the tabernacle in the bible.
 Silk : (silkworm )

15. Silk has a smooth,soft texturethat is not
slippery, unlike many synthetic fibers. Silk is
one of the strongest natural fibers, but it
loses up to 20% of its strengthwhen wet. It
has a good moistureregain of 11%.
Its elasticityis moderate to poor: if elongated
even a small amount, it remains stretched.
 Spider silk:
Spidersilkis a protein fibre spun by spiders.
Spiders use their silk to make webs or other
structures, which function as sticky nets to
catch other animals, or as nests or cocoons to
protect their offspring, or to wrap up prey.
They can also use their silk to suspend
themselves,to float through the air, or to
glide away from predators. Most spiders vary
the thickness and stickiness of their silk for
different uses.

16. Industrialuseof naturalfibers
After World War II, there was an enormous
rise in the production of synthetic fibers, and
the use of natural fibers significantly
decreased. France remains the greatest
European hemp fiber producer with 50,000
tons yearly (EU 100,000 tons). France also
produces the largest range of industrial seeds
worldwide. China and Russia are also
important producers, but statistics in that
field are not available.
The use of natural fibers at the industrial
level improves the environmental
sustainabilityof the parts being constructed,
especially within the automotive market.
Within the building industry, the interest in
natural fibers is mostly economical and
technical; natural fibers allow insulation
properties higher than current materials.
The future of natural fibres :

17. Increased customer demand for sustainable
textiles and advances in technology may well
increase the amount of natural fibres used.
Fibres that in the past were not considered
suitable for clothing can now be used.
Treating jute with caustic soda, for example,
improves its crimp and softness, which
allows it to be spun with wool. Modern
processing systems allow jute to be
successfully blended with cotton.
Technological developments make it possible
to spin a yarn which is 3 parts kapok and 2
parts cotton and there are now techniques
available to make kapok non-flammable.
Geo-textiles are another area with an
increased demand for natural fibres. Geo-
textiles are used to protect soil from erosion

18. and strengthen earthworks, encouraging the
growth of plants.
However, it is unlikely that synthetic fibres
will ever be completely replaced by natural
fibres. Synthetic fibres can be produced
cheaply and in large amounts. They are easy
to customise and can be made in any length,
crimp or diameter. And many consumers find
it more important that the clothes they wear
are cheap and easy to care for rather than
comfortable and sustainable.
THANK YOU

19. REFERENCE :
http://www.teonline.com/articles/2009/03
/all-about-eco-friendly-fibers-a-gift-for-
environment-lovers.html
https://www.textileschool.com/154/eco-
friendly-fibers/