Eco-Friendly Textile Chemical Processing Methods

Abstract

This research focuses on the hazardous chemicals and auxiliaries used in the traditional textile wet processing including pretreatment, dyeing, printing and finishing processes. Such processes results in the contamination of soil, air, water and also affects all species in the eco-system. The harmful chemicals also have a serious impact on health of workers leading to diseases such as cancer, skin and respiratory related issues. Subsequently, in garments manufactured using the finishes fabrics treated with specific conventional wet processes causes adverse effects on the overall health of the consumers in multiple ways. Therefore, it is crucial to replace the conventional textile processing with sustainable alternatives, though these processes demand more investment and are costlier. The use of ecological, sustainable and biodegradable natural raw materials has increased as compared to synthetic raw materials in textile industry. Various eco-friendly processes such as enzymatic treatments, application of plasma technology for natural and synthetic fibers, application of ozone gas in textile wet processes and membrane filtration technology and facilitate to reduce the hazardous effects of conventional processing methods. This study focuses on recent developments in some environment friendly production methods in textile wet processing industry.