A Renewed Future:
The Transition to Regenerative Textiles
The textile industry has historically evolved into production practices that have a high impact on the balance of the planet, but a new approach is emerging with a focus on repairing the damage of the past and renewing hope for the future.
Regenerative techniques, such as regenerative agriculture, the use of renewable and clean energy, and fair and inclusive social practices, are restoring an industry that has an enormous environmental and economic burden on the planet and people. While this transition requires investment, companies that choose this approach are discovering that sustainability and profitability can coexist and even reinforce each other.
When innovation is chosen instead of stagnation, the company opens up to new inspirations, business models and cost reduction. Furthermore, it satisfies the growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally friendly products.
What are Regenerative Textiles?
Regenerative business practices aim to restore and regenerate the natural systems that support life on Earth, recognizing that business depends on the health of ecosystems and incorporating sustainability principles to support biodiversity, nutrient cycles, and climate resilience.
In practical terms, companies that adopt regenerative practices seek to maximize the use of renewable resources, minimize waste and pollution, and restore land and water. In the textile industry this approach may include strategies such as:
use of locally grown natural fibers in a regenerative way.
implementation of the circular economy through the application of the principles of rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling throughout the entire supply chain.
Investment in renewable energy and low-carbon transport.
Paying suppliers and farmers fair prices that enable regenerative practices.
Many brands have already adopted regenerative practices to build circular and sustainable solutions for the industry. Brands such as Eileen Fisher, Patagonia and Cotopaxi are already opting for regenerative raw materials, thus reducing waste generated and supporting local communities at the same time.
The transition to regenerative practices requires investment and innovation across the entire textile chain and by incorporating sustainability principles into its business models, the textile industry can play a key role in creating a regenerative future.
Environmental Benefits of a Regenerative Approach
A regenerative approach to the textile industry can bring numerous environmental benefits.
Regenerative agriculture and natural fibers grown with regenerative practices can regenerate soils, sequester carbon, increase biodiversity in the soil and subsoil, support other ecosystem services, and contribute to local economies.
The natural fibers most adopted for a sustainable fashion industry are those that we have used for thousands of years, such as cotton, wool, linen, hemp and ramie.
Research and development to improve management practices at scale is necessary for this new approach and more studies are needed that quantify the value of regenerative agriculture.
New materials are also needed that fill some performance gaps in natural fibers and that can offer the same elasticity, durability, water repellency and other characteristics that are only found in synthetic petroleum-based products.
In this regard, innovation focusing on common performance needs such as coloring and water repellency has already begun, and fermentation is also beginning to show good results, with numerous companies well on their way to providing alternatives to petrochemical-based dyes.
It is anticipated that all performance needs can be met with bio-based raw materials, so it is important that critical attention and definition be given to synthetic biology and nanomaterials as alternatives of the future.
Reduce Waste
The textile and clothing industry generates a huge amount of waste, which represents a significant opportunity to improve its sustainability. Around 15% of total textile production, equivalent to 60 billion square meters per year, ends up as waste even before reaching the consumer. Fortunately, many people and organizations are already working to minimize waste in these two sectors.
It is therefore necessary to adopt new fiber production technologies, aligned with the cycles of nature, in an ethical and sustainable way, which include fermentation and pyrolysis, as well as new spinning technologies capable of processing these new fibers without compromising quality.
Lastly, by reducing waste, the amount of land needed to produce bio-based textiles will decrease. For this point, it is important that efforts are concentrated on waste from both the food industry and the textile industry, as both systems are intrinsically linked, depending on agricultural and forestry lands for production and, generally, contributing to humanity exceeding planetary limits year after year.
Approximately one-third of all food intended for human consumption is wasted, while the fashion industry produces a huge amount of pre-consumer waste due to excess stocks that are never sold.
Decentralized production is now possible and does not mean that the entire industry must be locally limited in terms of output, but rather that inputs into the industry are limited by the carrying capacity of specific ecological zones and clothing is produced locally where appropriate.
Mitigating Problems
To adequately address existing pollution in the textile industry, transitional technologies must be adopted that can help remedy the environmental damage already caused, while simultaneously enabling a shift to regenerative and restorative practices.
Methanotrophic Bacteria
Methanotrophic bacteria feed on the byproducts of decomposition, such as methane and carbon dioxide. These bacteria can be used to decompose non-biodegradable materials such as polyester. Although still in the early stages of research and development, methanotrophic biodegradation holds promise for eliminating persistent pollutants from the textile and fashion supply chain.
Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis uses high temperatures to convert materials into their main chemical elements. The resulting components can then be recombined into new materials, which allows currently non-recyclable materials to be broken down and transformed into new textiles. The heat and gaseous by-products of the process can also be captured and used to produce energy. Pyrolysis technology is still limited by cost and scale, but existing projects are demonstrating its viability for dealing with problematic waste streams.
Gasification
Gasification is a thermal process that transforms plastics and biomass into Syngas (synthesis gas) and CO2, which can later be used.
Dissolution
Dissolution is a process in which a solvent is used to separate polymers, or plastic waste, from other waste. Worthless additives, pigments and polymers are removed from the solution because they do not dissolve. After dissolution, a coagulant is added to precipitate the desired polymer, which can be removed directly, without the need for an additional chemical reaction.
Solvolysis
Solvolysis is most commonly used in advanced PET recycling, but is similar to dissolution because in this process the polymer breaks down into its constituent monomers. After “depolymerization”, other elements, such as additives, fillers and others, must be removed from the process.
Enzymolysis
Enzymolysis is a technology that is still on a fully laboratory scale and uses various types of biocatalysts to “depolymerize” the material, producing new monomers. This is one of the most promising technologies, as it uses biological solutions.
Alternative Fiber Production
New technologies for producing textile fibers through fermentation, cellulose regeneration and other bio-based methods are emerging as more sustainable alternatives. For example, companies are developing ways to create fabrics from food waste, algae and agricultural byproducts that would otherwise go to landfills or incineration. These alternative production methods reduce pollution resulting from the cultivation and processing of conventional fibers like cotton. Supporting the development and expansion of green fiber technologies will be critical to the sector’s transition.
Ease the Transition
Investing in Regenerative Agriculture at Scale
The transition to regenerative agriculture is critical to producing sustainable fibers at scale. However, regenerative practices require an initial investment and a transition period of several years. More research is needed to quantify the economic value and job creation potential of regenerative agriculture for textile production in order to accelerate its adoption.
Encourage the Development of New Biomaterials
When natural fibers cannot meet performance needs, innovation in bio-based materials is necessary. Companies are developing plant-based dyes and other alternatives to petrochemicals, but more work is still needed for materials like elastane. Public and private investment in Research & Development (R&D) for bio-based high-performance textiles would help bridge this gap.
Restore Degraded Land
Restoring degraded agricultural land has significant potential for fiber production and economic growth. Investing in restoring land for fiber production can generate financial returns, creating jobs and raw materials at the same time.
Aggregate Research Efforts
Fiber research is often conducted in isolation, separate from fuels, polymers and other sectors that could benefit from the same materials. The formation of circular economy consortia to aggregate research into fibers, dyes and other bio-based materials across industries could accelerate the development of sustainable textile solutions.
Educate and Encourage Consumer Demand
While sustainable textile production is key, consumer demand for eco-friendly clothing is also necessary to drive change. Educating consumers about the environmental impact of textiles and encouraging the purchase of sustainable clothing through marketing and benefits can help create demand that matches an improved supply.
Investments and New Business Models
To transition the textile industry to regenerative practices, investments in new business models and partnerships will be necessary. As brands look to replace synthetic and unsustainable materials with natural fibers and circular solutions, initial costs will be higher, even as long-term savings and benefits increase.
We highlight several investment approaches here that are promising to enable this transition.
Conservation Funding
Existing studies to date demonstrate that regenerative agriculture can generate economic value through ecosystem services. Brands and investors can provide initial funding to farmers to transition land to organic and regenerative practices, then share the profits and benefits over time. This model reduces risks for farmers, while accelerating the availability of organic materials.
Biological R&D
Brands and research institutions must increase funding for the development of bio-based and bioinspired materials to replace synthetics. Harnessing nature’s solutions can produce new fibers and production methods that reduce waste and pollution. Partnerships between disciplines such as green chemistry, biomimicry and agricultural sciences are therefore fundamental.
Pilot Programs
Brands willing to pioneer the adoption of sustainable materials and production methods face higher costs and risks. This is where partnerships and impact investments in pilot programs can help share these initial costs, while demonstrating viability for the broader industry. Successful programs can then be scaled up to achieve greater global impact.
Customer Education
While brands must drive change, customers also shape the market. Educational campaigns about the environmental impact of fashion and the advantages of eco-friendly materials can influence purchasing habits and create a demand for sustainable options. This helps justify investments, demonstrating the potential for long-term change in the sector.
Natural Regenerative Raw Materials
For natural fibers such as cotton, wool and fibers of plant origin, regenerative agriculture is fundamental. These practices result in higher quality fibers with additional benefits, such as greater resistance to drought and greater water retention in soils.
Investing in transitioning more cotton and wool farmers to regenerative methods could meet a significant portion of the demand for natural fibers.
Cellulosic fibers from agricultural waste, such as rice straw, sugar cane alcohol and pineapple leaves, constitute other natural and biodegradable raw materials. This waste alone could potentially satisfy two and a half times the current global demand for fiber. Extracting fiber from these waste streams provides an opportunity to generate income for farmers, reduce waste and pollution associated with burning, and produce fiber with a smaller environmental footprint.
Diversifying fiber sources through growing a wider range of natural fibers and developing new bio-based fibers can help reduce dependence on cotton and polyester.
The Future has Arrived
In order to enable a large-scale regenerative transition, companies must rethink linear business models based on a “take, make, dispose” approach. Adopting circular business models that maximize the use of materials and extend the useful life of products through repair, reuse and recycling can significantly reduce waste and environmental impact.
Leading companies in the fashion sector are already implementing new service-based models such as clothing rental, resale platforms and fiber-to-fiber recycling. Expanding these circular strategies across the entire sector should be a priority.
As the textile industry continues its transition to sustainable and regenerative practices, it has an opportunity to be at the forefront of positive change.
While the path forward requires concerted efforts and diligent work, each step toward renewing and restoring ecosystems creates a better future for communities and the planet. With commitments to continuous improvement and a desire to forge new partnerships, the textile industry can weave a story of hope, valuing both ethics and the economy, dispelling a negative image that has accompanied it in recent decades.
NITextile can support your company in the transition to a regenerative business model.
Contact us and find out how.
www.nitextile.pt