Sustainable material use within the textile industry is less than ideal, especially for footwear, but one enterprising college student is aiming to change that.
Zoe Newman, a graduate student from North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, has been researching the use of hemp fiber in knit footwear and has concluded it's time for the textile industry to take heed.
Unlike synthetic yarns, natural yarns such as hemp degrade directly into the environment. Industrial hemp fiber has many of the same qualities as cotton, yet growing it requires less water, it grows more quickly and it requires fewer pesticides and herbicides.
Newman’s research concluded that:
- A combination of appropriate knit structures and natural fibers
allow for important properties to be achieved in the footwear industry.- Hemp has excellent air permeability and moisture regain attributes.
- Waste can be further reduced through the integration of natural fibers in footwear.
- Integration of natural yarns into footwear will greatly benefit the environment.
Read the full article at www.ifai.com