Soon on the catwalk: clothes made from agricultural waste

For example, rice straw or banana stems can soon be found in clothing. By using these raw materials, the textile industry can become more sustainable. Today, 60% of all clothing is still made from fibres derived from fossil fuels. That needs to change. The Laudes Foundation asked Wageningen University & Research (together with the Institute for Sustainable Communities and the World Resources Institute) to research an alternative.? They looked at whether there are useful residual streams (waste) in agriculture in South and Southeast Asia that can be used to produce natural fibres. They also looked at the technology needed to do this.? The research shows that there are definitely possibilities. For example, waste streams from rice, maize, bananas, pineapples and sugar cane can be used as raw materials for clothing fibres. The key is to work together. In the?research report ?Spinning Future Threads?, the researchers have therefore included a roadmap for cooperation and innovation in the fashion and food industries.