Challenges in Sustainable Wet Processing of Textiles

Abstract

Textile wet processing is an important step in textile production as it adds maximum value to the textiles by improving its aesthetics, comfort and functional properties. However, as the name indicates, a large amount of water is used as the medium which during the processing operations gets contaminated with unfixed dyes, chemicals and auxiliaries and is discharged in the end as effluent. The cocktail of chemicals present in this effluent makes it difficult to treat or biodegrade. It creates pollution problems and leads to further demand for good-quality water for processing. Natural textile fibres such as cotton need water and agrochemicals for growing, and petroleum resources are utilized for the manufacture of synthetic fibres. Energy is also needed at various steps of textile manufacturing process. Textile industry is thus water-, chemical- and energy-intensive industry and puts a lot of strain on global resources. Textiles now no longer just fulfil the basic human need of clothing; they have rather become a fashion statement. Rising income levels across the globe have led to manifold increase in world’s textile production and consumption in recent years. Average per capita world fibre consumption in the year 2014 was 11.4 kg and estimated that it may increase further in forthcoming years. Present times are therefore very challenging for textile processing industry as the quantum of textiles to be processed has greatly increased and the environmental regulations are getting stricter. As the economies of the countries improve, they move out of the textile processing activities, which then shift to lesser developed nations. This has resulted in lack of serious efforts on improving the sustainability of textile wet processing and poorer adoption of the available methods. The present status of textile wet processing technologies, various developments to tackle the sustainability issues and future prospects would be discussed in this chapter.