Biodegradable Fibre-Based Composites as Alternative Materials for Sustainable Packaging Design

Abstract

In recent times we have seen an emerging growth of petroleum-based materials in the packaging sector. The overuse of petroleum materials poses challenges to environmental sustainability due to its unplanned disposal at the end of its life. Plastic manufacturing is energy-intensive as it has a significant share in energy consumption. It also emits greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which harm the environment and atmosphere to some extent. They also contribute heavily to global warming by trapping carbon dioxide. Such problems can be addressed if biodegradable materials from renewable resources are used for packaging. In recently reported research, renewable and biodegradable materials have drawn much attention in the packaging domain due to their eco-friendly nature. For sustainable packaging, the material should be bio-based, and its constituents should be biodegradable. Sustainable textile materials have the potential to satisfy both conditions. Apart from environmental benefits, bio-based textile materials can be economically advantageous in packaging applications. This paper focuses on reviewing prior work done to identify sustainable packaging materials based on biodegradable fiber composites. It also considers studying the characteristics of various biodegradable textile materials and their potential usage in sustainable packaging design.