By
Dr. Gwendolyn Hustvedt-Professor of Textiles Texas State University and
Coral Rose, Founder Eco-Innovations Sustainable Textile Strategies
Biobased:
Biobased
processes use naturally occurring organisms or enzymes. Biobased manufacturing
processes generate by-products that are not hazardous, and that can be reused
and/or are disposed of through biodegradable methods.
Biobased
Fiber: Fiber
that is derived from plants and processed using naturally occurring organisms
or enzymes. Biobased manufacturing processes generate by-products that are not
hazardous, and that can be reused and/or are disposed of through biodegradable
methods.
Certified
Humane:
The Certified Humane
Raised and Handled® program is a certification and labeling
program that is the only animal welfare label requiring the humane treatment of
farm animals from birth through slaughter. The goal of the program is to
improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and
more responsible farm animal practices. These animals are allowed to engage in
their natural behaviors; raised with sufficient space, shelter and gentle
handling to limit stress, given ample fresh water and a healthy diet without
added antibiotics or hormones. Note: Not
all "humane" label claims are regulated.
Conventionally
Produced: An
agricultural product that is not certified as having been produced using
organic or sustainable methods. Potentially toxic chemicals such as herbicides,
pesticides and fertilizers are commonly used in the agricultural processes.
Dyes
(Low Impact): Dyes
that contain no metals, low salt, and are AZO & dioxazines compound free.
Low impact dyes require significantly less water for the dyeing process so
there is less polluted runoff than from the conventional dye process. Organic
cotton and most other fabrics can be successfully colored with fiber-reactive low impact dyes or all natural dyes such as-insects, clay,
vegetables, berries, indigo, and other plant extracts.
Dyes
(Fiber-Reactive): A
color producing compound which has a molecular group capable of forming a
covalent bond with atoms on the textile polymers. This bond is very strong
which creates good colorfastness and reduces dye run-off during processing or
care.
Ethical
Trading: Ethical
Trading (or sourcing) is a business model that aims to ensure that acceptable
minimum labor standards are met in the supply chains of the whole range of companies
products. This process ensures the basic labor rights of the employees are
respected.
Fair
Trade: Fairtrade
certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over
one million farmers and farm workers in over fifty developing countries.
Fairtrade
Mark: A
product that is produced and traded under Fair Trade conditions as defined by
Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) and certified by FLO or one of its member
National Initiatives. The Fair Trade Mark certifies individual products and not whole companies.
Fair
Trade Principles: Fair Trade Principles
Include;
Fair Prices, Fair Labor Conditions, Direct Trade, Democratic and Transparent
Organizations, Community Development and Environmental Sustainability.
Genetically
Modified Organism (GMO): The terms
genetically modified (GM) and genetically engineered (GE) are used interchangeably
by the industry, concurrently referring to genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA
technology. GMO’s are
genetically modified
organisms, i.e. organisms whose DNA has undergone gene
insertion. They are also called GEO’s,
for genetically
engineered organisms. If a GMO is used for food or to produce
GM proteins used in food, the ingested product is called GM food. The term Bioengineering is also
used to describe genetic engineering.
Integrated
Pest Management (IPM): A pest management strategy that focuses on methods that
are least injurious to the environment. Pesticides are applied in such a way
that they pose the least possible hazard, and are used as a 'last resort' when
other controls are inadequate.
Man-Made
Fiber: Man
made fibers are fibers that have been created by man using building blocks
provided by nature e.g. proteins or cellulose as opposed to fibers made
entirely by nature e.g. cotton. Man-Made
Fibers include; rayon, modal, cupro etc.
Mercerization:
A
finishing process of treating a cotton yarn or fabric, in which the fabric or
yarn is immersed in a caustic soda solution (sodium hydroxide) and later
neutralized in acid. The process causes a permanent swelling of the fiber,
resulting in an increased luster on the surface of the fabric, an increased
affinity for dyes, increased strength and decreased shrinkage.
Naturally
grown/all-natural: USDA
guidelines state that "natural" meat and poultry products can only
undergo minimal processing and cannot contain artificial colors, artificial
flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. The claim
"natural" is otherwise unregulated.
Organically
Produced Fiber: The
raw fiber ingredients, such as cotton, flax or wool, have been certified as
"Organic" by a USDA accredited certifying agent in accordance with
the National Organic Program (NOP) Standards.
Plant-Based
Fibers: Plant
fibers are produced by plants, and are a product of agriculture. Cotton, Flax
and Hemp are examples of Natural
fibers grown in nature.
Pre-Consumer
Recycled Content: Materials
generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings
and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.
Post-Consumer
Recycled Content: Post-consumer
material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item
and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post-consumer
materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling
programs, such as office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.
Predator
Friendly: A
farming system that seeks coexistence with native predators rather than their
elimination. Ranchers who seek certification as predator friendly agree to
minimize contact between stock and predators and use non-lethal control methods
for dealing with predators.
Recycled
Content: The
amount of material by weight collected, separated or otherwise recovered from
the solid waste stream for use in the form of raw materials, in the manufacture
or assembly of a new package or product. Alternative Definition: An item that
contains recovered materials. Recovered materials are wastes that have been
diverted from conventional disposal such as landfills for another use.
Recovered materials include both pre-consumer
and post-consumer wastes.
Regenerated:
Regenerated
means fiber obtained from natural materials that involve a chemical process to
convert the natural material e.g. wood into fiber e.g. viscose. Often referred
to as man-made as opposed to synthetic.
Transitional
Farming Practices: According
to the USDA/NOP standards, farmers must
practice organic methods for a ‘transitional time period” of three years on a
given piece of land prior to receiving organic certification. "Transitional"
means that the farmland is in the 'interim' period of that transition period
towards organic certification. During that time all practices are certified organic
by certifiers accredited by the National Organic Program.
Synthetics:
Fabrics
that are not from a renewable resource or natural origins. Synthetics include
manmade polyesters and polyvinyl fiber derivatives such as Acrylic, Nylon and
Spandex that have been synthesized from petroleum and carbon derivatives.
Fiber Glossary
Abaca (Manila):
A
vegetable leaf fiber derived from the Musa textiles plant, which is resistant
to damage from salt water.
Acetate:
A
manufactured fiber formed by a compound of cellulose, refined from cotton,
linens and/or wood.
Acrylic:
A
synthetic fiber derived from polyacrylonitrile.
Alpaca:
A
hair fiber from the Alpaca animal, a member of the llama family of the South
American Andes Mountains.
Alpaca
(organic): Free
roaming, pasture rotation, distribution of the Alpaca’s manure as fertilizer,
fed no hormones, no chemical dipping for ticks and parasites, no chemical
ingredients are permitted on the land or animals.
Angora:
The
hair of the Angora rabbit. The clipped fiber from the Angora rabbit is the
softest of rabbit hairs.
Acetate:
A
manufactured fiber formed by a compound of cellulose, refined from cotton,
linens and/or wood.
Bamboo: As one of the
fastest growing plants in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in
about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years. It spreads rapidly
across large areas. Because of relatively quick growing time and the ability to
be grown without fertilizers or pesticides, the fiber is currently being
marketed as an ‘eco-green-sustainable fiber.’ There are also claims that
viscose or rayon from bamboo is biodegradable and anti-microbial. There are
potential risks associated with using bamboo as a polymer source for rayon
since there is currently a lack of transparency in the supply chain. It is not
always clear which type of bamboo is used for fiber, where it is grown, how it
is cultivated, harvested etc. To date there are no known organic certification
of bamboo.
Linen
from Bamboo: A
mechanical way of producing bamboo by crushing the woody parts of the bamboo
plant and then using natural enzymes to break the bamboo walls into a mushy
mass so that the natural fibers can be mechanically combed out and spun into
yarn. Very little linen from bamboo is currently manufactured for clothing
because it is more labor intensive and costly.
Rayon
from Bamboo: The
process to make viscose or rayon fiber from bamboo is the same process used to
produce viscose/ rayon from any other plant source. The cellulose is extracted
from the bamboo, and then the cellulose is mixed with chemicals to convert the
plant pulp into textile quality fiber. This process can be very polluting
unless it is carefully controlled, which can be influenced by the age and
condition of the equipment as well as whether there is any by-product recycling
or effluent treatment.
Bamboo is not, in and
of itself, recognized as a fiber in the US or EU. What is referred to as
bamboo fiber in the market is actually viscose/rayon.
Note: All viscose or rayon fiber from Bamboo (as a source) that
is imported into the US must carry a legal fiber content label declaration of
viscose or rayon. All bamboo imported into the EU must use of the legal content
declaration viscose; the EU does not permit the use of the word rayon. According
to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) you must label your garments; "Rayon
from Bamboo"
Bast
fiber: Strong,
soft, woody fibers such as flax, jute, hemp, ramie, and bamboo (if the bamboo
is a linen fabric) that is obtained from the inner bark of the stems of certain
plants. Linen from Bamboo fabric may
fall into this category of Bast fiber.
Cinchilla:
A
cotton, wool, and even synthetic fabric of sateen or twill construction with
extra fillings for long floats.
Cupro: Cuprammonium rayon (Cupro or Cupra) is a
regenerated cellulosic fiber made from a cellulose source such as cotton linters (waste fibers too small
to spin) using a solution including copper sulfate and aqueous ammonia. A fine lustrous
fiber that is stronger than Viscose rayon, Cupro is sometimes trademarked
Bemberg and is no longer produced in the US.
Eco-fleece:
A nubby,
soft fabric made from (PET) recycled soda bottles.
Flax: The Linum
usitaatissimum plant, used to produce linen.
Hemp: A bast fiber obtained
from the stalk of Cannabis sativa that is very hardy and requires minimal
agricultural inputs. It can be grown easily without the use of pesticides. Hemp
needs fertilizer and may be grown organically.
Jusi
Banana Fabric: A
fabric that is generally derived from banana leaves, but may also come from
silk worm cocoons.
Jute
and Burlap: Fiber
used in textiles for interiors, consisting of bundles of fiber held together by
gummy pectinaceous substances.
Kapok: A short, lightweight,
cotton-like, vegetable fiber found in the seed pods of the Bombocaceae tree,
commonly used in cushions, mattresses, and life jackets.
Kenaf: A bast fiber obtained
from the Hibiscus cannabinus plant, used as a substitute for Jute. Kenaf is
also suitable for non-wovens.
Lambswool:
Wool
that is taken from sheep before they reach the age of 7 months.
Latex: Elastic material
derived from the Castilla elastica tree, used to provide stretch to fabrics.
Synthetic latex is derived from petrochemicals. Natural latex needs the
addition of cross linking agents to render it durable and usable in products.
Lenzing
Fibers: There
is only one case of manufacturing a regenerated cellulose fiber-where the
chemicals used in the process are completely recycled with a recovery
rate of 99.5%, this is known as a closed loop system. The fiber made using this
closed looped process is Lenzings TENCEL ® Lyocell. More accurately described
Lyocell is a solvent spun fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved
keeping the cellulose much closer to that found in nature. TENCEL® Lyocell also
carries the Oeko Tex 100 certification and FSC certification (http://www.fsc.org/en/) currently organic
standards are not in place for certifying regenerated fibers using trees as a
source e.g. Eucalyptus, or Beechwood. FSC certification for TENCEL®
Lyocell is for the forest and for the pulp, they also have been awarded the
European-Eco flower label. (www.Lenzing.com)
Latex
(blended): Also
know as Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR), is produced with petrochemicals and
doesn't not have the resilience properties that 100% natural latex has. In
Europe, anything that has at least 20% natural latex is considered natural.
Linen: A fiber derived from
the inside the woody stem of the flax plant.
Lycra: A DuPont trademark
for its spandex fiber.
Mohair:
The
fiber from the Angora goat, mohair is mainly produced in South Africa and
Texas. The long strong, lustrous fibers are clipped annually and are excellent
for use in upholstery and carpeting due to their resilience.
Modal: A regenerated
cellulosic fiber derived from beechwood.
Nylon: The first completely
synthetic fiber, nylon was developed
in 1938.
Nytril:
A
synthetic fiber, most often used in sweaters or pile fabrics.
PLA
(Poly Lactic Acid polymer): taken from lactic acid produced by fermenting
a sugar source such as corn.
Polyester:
A
petroleum-based, synthesized fiber introduced and widely used in the early
1950s, often spun with cotton.
Polypropylene
(also known as polyolefin and Olefin): A synthetic fiber characterized by its light
weight, strength, and abrasion resistance, used in activewear apparel, rope,
indoor-outdoor carpets, lawn furniture, and upholstery.
Ramie: A woody fiber derived
from the stalk of Boehmeria species, grown mainly in China.Raime is naturally
white, but also brittle.
Rayon: A manufactured fiber
composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or
bamboo vegetable matter.
Silk: A fiber produced by
the silkworm Bombyx mori, also known as the mulberry silkworm, with which the
worm weaves its cocoon. Cultivated silk comes from silkworms raised in
production facilities and the worms are killed before leaving the cocoons as
moths in order to prevent damage to the cocoons.
"Peace
Silk"
is silk that is produced from the fibers of a cocoon cut by the adult silkworms
as it exists alive, and is considered a more humane option. "Tussah Silk" known for its tan
color, is made from cocoons that are harvested in the wild, often after the
moths have left the cocoons.
Sisal: A bast fiber derived
from the leaves of the Agave plant, which is found in the West Indies, Central
America, and Africa.
Soy
Fiber: A fiber with a silky feel, the soy fiber is correctly
termed "Azlon from Soy"; these protein fibers are produced using the
proteins from soy beans. Azlons can also be made with milk proteins or even
chicken feathers.
Soy
Sunn: A
bast fiber derived from the Crotalaria juncea plant.
Synthetic
fibers: Are
those in which man has produced the entire operation of the fiber production
without allowing nature to manufacture the fiber forming substance (called
polymers.). Usually synthetics are made from chemicals derived from
non-renewable resources such as coal or oil. The most widely recognized
synthetics are polyester and nylon.
Tencel®:
A registered
trademark of the Lenzing Fibers Group for Lyocell. More accurately described
Lyocell is a solvent spun fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved
keeping the cellulose much closer to that found in nature. The source of the
cellulose is Eucalyptus.
Tri-acetate:
A
manufactured fiber, which, like acetate, is made by modifying cellulose.
Wool: A protein fiber
usually derived from the fleece of sheep or lambs. The term wool can also be
generically applied to all animal hair fibers, including the hair of the
Cashmere or Angora goat or the specialty hair fibers of the camel, alpaca,
llama, or vicuna.
Viscose: Viscose rayon is the
oldest and most commonly produced type of rayon. The fiber labeled
"rayon" in the US, but however will likely be labeled
"viscose" in Europe. Viscose rayon is absorbent but also has poor wet
strength and often requires dry cleaning to retain integrity. Other methods of
producing rayon include High Wet Modulus (Modal) which improves wet strength
and Cupro.
© Copyright: 2007 Coral Rose, Eco Innovations, may not be used without written authorization from co-author Coral Rose.
