sustainable-textiles
Sustainable textiles research explores how plant-derived fibers—such as cotton, hemp, flax, and emerging alternatives—can be cultivated and processed with reduced environmental impact. For plant scientists, this field drives investigation into crop genetics, agronomic practices, and biochemical pathways that influence fiber quality, yield, and resource efficiency. Understanding how plants produce and accumulate cellulose and other structural compounds is central to developing textile crops that minimize water use, pesticide dependence, and carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-16
Synthetic clothing fibers from the textile industry account for up to 70% of microplastics entering global wastewater, and this review finds that bacteria and fungi offer a promising, low-waste solution for breaking them down before they reach soils and oceans.
The textile industry is responsible for 49–70% of microplastic pollution in global wastewater, primarily from polyester, nylon, and acrylic fibers.
Microplastics from textiles bioaccumulate through food chains, posing risks to marine ecosystems, terrestrial environments, and human health.
Microbial biodegradation using bacteria and fungi — alone or in consortia — is identified as a sustainable alternative to energy-intensive physicochemical removal methods.