Technow and the innovative Sustek Project
With a view to a production that is truly eco-sustainable and ethical, TECHNOW, thanks to the “Sustek Project”, has developed a synthetic fabric with accelerated biodegradability.
Natural fabrics that are of animal or vegetable origin such as cotton, silk, wool or hemp, are commonly among the most sustainable textile fibers thanks to their biodegradability.
But what happens when it comes to synthetic fabrics?
Fabrics based on polyester or polyamide (ie nylon) make up the majority of the world’s textile needs and unfortunately take more than 200 years to decompose, creating an overload for waste disposal plants and serious damage to the environment if they are not properly managed.
In this regard, the need to strengthen the collection, sorting and recycling facilities for textile waste is increasingly evident, with particular attention to these synthetic fibers. Suffice it to say that today over 70% of this waste is dumped in landfills, polluting, or is incinerated without any possibility of being reused in compliance with a circular economy that is able to return the materials used to those who manufactured them, to make new use or return the biodegradable parts to the environment.
To tackle this problem, Technow has implemented the SUSTECK project, revolutionizing the way of thinking about biodegradability.
Starting from a careful selection of technical yarns, Technow has developed a collection of synthetic fabrics capable of decomposing in less than 5 years (ASTM D5511 standard). Thanks to specific additives, SUSTECK fabrics are able to dissolve much faster than normal polyester and polyamide fibers, without releasing toxic substances during the degradation process and thus reducing the strong environmental impact due to their disposal.
The biodegradation process of these tissues is activated only in the absence of light and oxygen, therefore, they can safely be kept intact until the disposal process begins.
Technow has also decided to locate the production of the SUSTECK line in two different production areas, one in Italy for the European market and one in China for the Asian area.
The goal is in fact precisely to collaborate within the local production chains for the production of 100% biodegradable textile products, so that sustainability is complete and effective at 360 degrees, identifying those partners who can collaborate on this project.
For the production of the fabric, Technow procures and collaborates with Fulgar, a well-known international leader in the production of OEKO-TEX® certified high-tech yarns.
Photo: copyright Technow
