Cotton: a sustainable raw material for value-added nonwoven textiles

Authors: Sawhney, Amar; Reynolds, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/22/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sustainability of the materials and services we use today and protection of our environment are very strong initiatives, worldwide. Cotton is an annually renewable cash crop that is critically important to national economies of many countries, including the United States which is the 3rd largest producer of cotton and the largest, per capita, consumer of all textiles. Since the advent of geo-synthetic and other manufactured fibers in the early 20th century, cotton has lost, by weight, its global market share from ~65% to now only ~35% of all textile fibers. However, cotton still retains ~65% of the global market in the apparel and household products. This clearly indicates that cotton’s excellent attributes, especially its unique absorbency characteristics, strongly appeal to the consumers of cotton fabrics. However, it seems that, in the long run, the existing methods or processes involved in producing traditional woven fabrics from yarns may not be as efficient and economical as those involved in producing modern nonwoven fabrics. This research-based presentation discusses cotton as raw material for nonwovens.