Bio-Textile Engineering: The Future of Sustainable Textiles
Sayeada Tayeaba Ruhi
Chittagong Textile Engineering College, Zorarganj.
Abstract
Currently the textile sector is expanding very rapidly. It’s production process much improved than before but these processes are leading contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, microplastic pollution and toxic water. In bio-textile engineering, the main tools are enzyme-assisted processing, microbial fibers and protein-based materials, which help lower chemical load without removing performance targets. Fortunately, modern science has research and find out possible way to convert textile fiber that support a sustainable circular materials economy are within reach. Bio-engineering of fibers at the Nano, micro and macroscale provides several avenues to improve both the environmental impacts and technical performance of textile materials. Bio based technology like enzyme engineering to save our environment from being polluted. In textile mills, the most practical first step is often enzyme-assisted pretreatment, because it can reduce harsh chemical use without requiring a complete line change. Finally, it will be said that, biotechnology gives us sustainable bio textile production and also gift us a healthy environment.
Keywords: Environment, ecology, DNA, pollution, cellulose, ETP, SDG.
Introduction to Bio-Textile Engineering
Bio-fabrication of materials will play an important role in simplify the transition form an environmentally destructive linear economy to a circular economy.[1] In textile mills, that usually means using less water, fewer harsh auxiliaries and more selective chemistry. It depends on nature cycling, using ecologically being process to close and minimize materials. Bio-based technology through enzyme engineering using recombinant DNA technology can be used textile industries, especially for wet processing, finishing and wastewater load reduction. It became decrease our environmental pollution. These technologies participate in finishing process. Microbial enzymes can be participated the process of resizing, bleaching, scouring, bio-finishing and waste water treatment in every sector of the textile industry. Common examples are amylase for desizing, pectinase for cotton scouring, cellulase for bio-polishing and catalase for peroxide removal. In generally uses of textile fiber such as nylon, elastane is non-renewable and non-recyclable. That is why bio-based alternatives are also being explored in sportswear, medical textiles and specialty coatings. These materials have bad impact in our environment. On the other side, the natural fiber such as cotton and degradable polymer fiber (polylactic acid) are renewable. The current textile industry contributes to around 2% to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to UNEP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation[2] and about 20% of global industrial wastewater, according to the World Bank[3]. As a result, the global warming increases gradually and water being polluted. Besides biodegradable products are non-toxic to microorganism in the environment. In practice, the blend and finish matter as much as the base polymer, so compostable claims still need testing. 
For example, collagen fibers can be produced in genetically modified microbes to bio-fabricate leather and bio utilization of rapidly renewable biopolymers such as fungal mycelium can create alternative leathers and fabrics. These materials are now being tested for footwear, accessories and nonwoven panels, although scale-up and durability still need work. Various bio-fabrication technologies provide significant opportunities for bio-textile with minimal waste in the production phase. It also impacts the climate change mitigation potential of bio-fabrication process and bio-material products. Combined treatment with different enzyme in a same reactor will save time, water and other element along with reduction cost. In practice, pH, temperature and dwell time still need close control, because enzymes lose activity outside their working range. It provides also clean environment in industry. This step is often underestimated in practice, but it can cut repeat rinsing and lower effluent load.
Applications of Bio-Textile Engineering
Protein engineering is very important for orthopedic and surgical application. For textile engineers, the same biology can support wound dressings and other medical textiles where biocompatibility matters as much as strength. In the use of bio-technology, it makes naturally dyed fabrics, waterproof dress, without the environmental impact the toxic dyes, finishing agents and Petro-chemical feedstocks. Synthetic biology and bio-fabrication way to a circular textile economy. Bio-textiles produces the product without environment impact, toxic dyes, finishing agent and petrochemical feedstock.
Medical Textiles and Surgical Uses
It has features for medical devices such as;
- Manufactured with a validated process.
- High degree of radial and tensile strength.
- Extremely flexible to aid in surgery and successfully integrated with the body.
- This textile is thin and light wave. That low bulk helps when a product must stay flexible under repeated movement.
Natural Dyes and Protein Fibers
‘Coral’ produces naturally dyed fabrics. Natural dyes still need wash-fastness and light-fastness testing, otherwise color can shift too quickly in use. Spider silk can bear ampullated spidroin and it produces Kevlar β-casein is exist in cow’s milk. β-casein help to make rain jacket. The attraction of these protein fibers is their mix of strength, flexibility and low-temperature processing, even though commercial scale-up remains difficult. The majority of engineered protein products have been designed for biomedical or pharmaceutical applications. Textile-grade versions need different spinning, finishing and durability targets, so the transfer from lab to apparel is not automatic. Uses of enzyme in textile industries, it reduces environmental pollution waste of water and save cost and time. For many mills, enzymatic desizing or scouring is the easiest entry point because it fits existing wet-processing lines with only small adjustments. These nanoscale engineering efforts have enabled the corporation of red ‘dye’ in bacterial nanocellulose fibers in the form of heterologous expressed RFP and the synthetic production of protein fibers with the tenacity and ductility of spider silk. It removes pectin and other impurities from the primary cell wall of the cotton fibers without degradation of cellulose and thus has no negative effect on strength properties of the fabric. Plant Cells have been engineered to produce cultural cotton; yeast strains have been developed to ferment collagen and spider silk. Gluconacetobacter has been engineered to improve the production of bacterial nanocellulose.[5]
Benefits of Bio-Textile Engineering
- Bio-based technology in textiles area will be very efficient to reduce the environmental pollution.[6] A practical way to track progress is by COD, BOD, rinse count and energy use per kilogram of fabric.
- It makes sure a sustainable development within the country’s economy.
- If we use enzymes instead of toxic chemicals will make the enzyme most promising tools for textile industries. That is why enzyme systems are now widely studied for pretreatment and finishing. Bio-technology is blessing for good health, save money and time, energy, water in the industrial sector.
- It helps to get cleaner industrial products.
- It works to establish a bio-based technique as effluent treatment plant (ETP). Used with a conventional ETP, it can reduce the pollutant load before treatment. This Process will be help to make sure green textile.
- It also fills up Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The strongest links are to SDG 6, SDG 9 and SDG 12, because the process touches water, industrial innovation and responsible production.
Limitations of Bio-Textile Engineering
- Enzymes can be high cost to produce. They also need tight control of pH, temperature and bath time, so process stability is a real issue on the shop floor.
- Have to feed microbes properly.[6] If the feed is inconsistent, performance and yield can drop quickly.
Conclusion
In textile industry, chemicals are used in this manufacturing process are extremely uses which is a serious threat to the environment. Bio-technology will be work to solve this problem. The fastest way to test the idea is a single-process pilot, usually on pretreatment or bio-polishing. Since, textiles will be lost as long as the earth; there is no substitute for bio-textiles to make the earth a pollution free environment. To use Bio-technology in textile sector also help to progress economic condition. Finally, it will be said that biodegradable products are blessing for human. For most mills, the practical starting point is a small pilot on desizing, scouring or bio-polishing before full-scale adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is bio textile engineering?
Ans: Bio textile engineering uses enzymes, microbes and bio-based fibers to reduce chemical use in textile processing. It covers pretreatment, finishing, medical textiles and new fiber development.
Q2. Which enzymes are used in textile processing?
Ans: Common enzymes include amylase for desizing, pectinase for scouring, cellulase for bio-polishing and catalase for peroxide removal. The exact choice depends on the fiber, the process step and the bath conditions.
Q3. Are bio textiles biodegradable?
Ans: Some bio-textiles are biodegradable, but not all of them break down at the same speed or in the same environment. Natural protein fibers, bacterial cellulose and PLA are often discussed as biodegradable options, while blends may need separate recycling routes.
Q4. What are the advantages of bio textiles?
Ans: They can lower chemical load, water use and effluent pollution in textile manufacturing. They also support circular textile design and can improve sustainability claims when the process is properly controlled.
Q5. What are the disadvantages of bio-textiles?
Ans: The main limits are higher enzyme cost, tight process control and scale-up difficulty. Some bio-based materials also need more testing for durability, wash fastness and commercial consistency.
References:
[1]. MacArthur, E., 2013. Towards the circular economy. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2(1), pp.23-44. https://www.werktrends.nl/app/uploads/2015/06/Rapport_McKinsey-Towards_A_Circular_Economy.pdf
[2] Chrobot, P., Faist, M., Gustavus, L., Martin, A., Stamm, A., Zollinger, M. and Zah, R., 2018. Measuring fashion: Environmental impact of the global apparel and footwear industries study. Full report and methodological considerations.https://quantis.com/report/measuring-fashion-report/
[3] Weltbank, 2014. The Bangladesh Responsible Sourcing Initiative: A New Model for Green Growth.https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/614901468768707543/the-bangladesh-responsible-sourcing-initiative-a-new-model-for-green-growth
[4] Qian, Z.G., Pan, F. and Xia, X.X., 2020. Synthetic biology for protein-based materials. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 65, pp.197-204.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0958166920300537
[5] Chien, L.J., Chen, H.T., Yang, P.F. and Lee, C.K., 2006. Enhancement of cellulose pellicle production by constitutively expressing Vitreoscilla hemoglobin in Acetobacter xylinum. Biotechnology progress, 22(6), pp.1598-1603.https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33845503485&origin=inward&txGid=a8cdf41101c7f3485b33661b5bc3c3bd
[6] F. T.Johra, Md.N. U. Titu,2020. Enzyme Engineering for Developing a Sustainable Bio Based Textile to Be a Green alternative to Chemicals in Textiles. https://www.biodesign-conference.com/2020/biodesign_upload/20201130051712_4143_6535.pdf
