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ΕλληνικάBio based materials
Biobased materials are biopolymers chemically synthesized from renewable resources and they can be another alternative to polyester and synthetical fibres.
Fibres can be made out of bioplastics or partially bio-based plastics; bioplastics are derived from renewable biomass such as potatoes or maize. They can have similar properties as petroleum-derived plastics but use 20 to 30% less energy to produce. As emerging technologies, they have great potential for the future but currently do not offer the versatility of petroleum-derived plastics. We also must take into account the source of the biomass, indeed, the impact of growing this mass may outweigh the benefits, for example increased food prices or deforestation.
In recent years, many new fibres have been developed that now provide an alternative to traditional ones. One of these is Sorona, a material developed by Dupont, the company that created nylon in 1935, an excellent alternative to polyester, as it is similar to it in performance but composed of PTT, a substance obtained by fermenting glucose and processing maize seeds. This material has been declined in different variants: for swimwear, for down jackets, for technical-sportswear and for more sophisticated clothing, mixed with silks, cottons and linens. Orange Fiber, on the other hand, is a Sicilian company that uses citrus fruit waste, that which cannot be used to produce fruit juice. From this they extract cellulose, which is used to produce a fabric, which can be pure in composition or mixed with other fibres. Lately, many innovative projects are launching similar fibres. These include Mylo, an imitation leather made from mycelium (mushroom root), Pinatex, a leatherette derived from pineapple leaves, Wineleather, a material similar to leather in its mechanical and aesthetic characteristics produced from wine production waste, and Lanital, now renamed Qmilk, a fibre similar to wool derived from milk, invented in 1935 and recently made a comeback for its sustainable characteristics. Lightweight, hypoallergenic, breathable, and antibacterial, it is a soft-touch fibre that retains heat well and is characterized by a reduced water footprint, 2 l per 1 kg of material, as opposed to the 10,000 needed for the same amount of cotton.
