13 - Coffee fibres from coffee waste

Abstract

The textile industry is one of the major employment generation sectors and a major pollution contributor across other types of industries. The demand for garments is consistently increasing over years with the consistent improvement of the economic conditions of the consumers. The rising demand for textile goods also drives the manifold increase in polyester fibre production. The huge demand for this synthetic fibre is causing severe environmental impact due to its non-biodegradable nature. The recycled polyester (rPET) is becoming an alternative for garment manufacturers instead of virgin polyester. This rPET is mostly produced from discarded plastic bottles. Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages and leaves huge waste generation at every stage of the production. The coffee husk, pulp and silver skin are the major waste during the processing of coffee, whereas the spent coffee ground waste is produced at the brewing stage. The coffee husk and the spent coffee ground are a valuable waste as they can be utilized for specific purposes. The coffee fibre is created by embedding the spent coffee grounds in the rPET. The coffee fibre has excellent antibacterial properties due to the presence of phenolic compounds in the spent coffee ground. The coffee fibres can be used for different specific applications like active sportswear, membranes, shoes, etc. The spent coffee ground can also be used as a natural dye as it contains significant pigments. The coffee husk can be used as a natural reinforcement for the formation of composites. The rPET, coffee fibre and its products are more sustainable and eco-friendly.