Materials science · Sustainable textilesAbout Aijek
A Singapore relaunch that bans polyester blends and centres Balinese cutwork shows sustainability as design constraint — and labour proximity.
PressMaterials science · Sustainable textilesAbout Aijek
After a long pause, a Singapore label rebuilds on biodegradable naturals and Balinese kerawang — scale chosen, not performed.
Sweden built the world's first commercial-scale plant to turn worn-out cotton clothes into pulp for new fibre, and then watched its owner go bankrupt.
Dyeing fabric is one of the dirtiest steps in making clothes, using large amounts of water, energy and chemicals that often end up in rivers.
Every year the clothing industry throws away huge amounts of cotton scraps and worn-out garments, while cutting down trees to make new fibre.
India's garment factories throw away vast amounts of cotton cuttings, and its wardrobes produce even more waste.
Most wood-based textile fibres, such as viscose and lyocell, are made by dissolving cellulose in chemicals and then regenerating it.
