Natural vs. Synthetic
Does natural = sustainable?
People have been using natural materials to make textile products since time began. As technology began to rapidly develop, people have found new ways to make textile products. According to Sustainable Commercial Interiors, over 70,000 synthetic chemicals and materials have been developed in the twentieth century. Synthetic products are being produced so rapidly however, that very few of them are actually tested for their effects on human health. Although, a benefit to rapidly developing technology is that it has also contributed to the development of cleaner production processes. This type of duality is referred to as a trade-off. When considering natural materials versus synthetic, it is important to consider all of the possible trade-offs associated with that decision.
Natural fibers are typically thought to be more sustainable than synthetic fibers. Consider all of the factors that go into producing a crop of natural cotton, such as extensive labor, constant weeding, composting and defoliation, high water usage, and soil depletion. Even though there are no chemicals being used in this process, there are still detrimental impacts to the environment.
Another argument for natural materials is the end-of-life issue. Natural materials can bio-degrade, since they came from the ground. There has been some development of plant-based synthetic fibers derived from agricultural products, but they require the consumption of a food source, such as corn, rice or beets. Instead of focusing on just biodegradability in end-of-life assessment, we can also look to recyclability. Synthetic products, if designed properly, can be recycled endlessly, without quality loss. This means that a synthetic t-shirt can be deconstructed and recycled into a different product, which could also be recycled into a different product, and maybe eventually back into a t-shirt.
Durability can play a large role in the sustainability of a product. For example, when selecting a carpet in a commercial space, a natural fiber such as cotton would not be able to withstand the greater traffic demands of a commercial space. The carpet would have to be replaced more frequently, resulting in greater usage of resources. However, a synthetic material could be engineered to withstand the greater traffic and require replacing less frequently. In addition, the synthetic fibers could be recycled afterwards so that it does not end up sitting in a landfill.
The bottom line is that product application plays a huge role in determining the most sustainable product. The “most sustainable” decision may vary from project to project. You should not specify the same product everywhere just because it is assumed to be sustainable. Consider all of the factors going into that project and use life-cycle analysis to determine the most sustainable options for each different project. Natural materials, especially in commercial interiors, are rarely durable enough (without some sort of chemical treatment) to be a sustainable option. When selecting synthetic materials, there are ways to tell if that particular product is manufactured sustainably, and if it can be recycled easily.
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ReplyDeleteWow Beth, I feel very educated on the interior aspect of the use of materials now! I am confused on how to recycle a synthetic carpet into other uses, does it request more energy to trasform it or do you simply just cut pieces from the previous use and transform it? I can understand that the use of carpet is needed to be stronger to withstand the way we treat it and use it and I like how you specified that we have better ways to clean up the chemical usage, makes looking at sythetic usage better in my eyes. In the video, Charline Ducas specified that we need to be environmentally better and find eco-effcient ways to produce and provide products, but I can see your point on producing some interior products sythetically as long as we can recycle them and not cause more harm to our earth since organic materials could biodegrade
ReplyDeleteGreat question, Maegen! I was curious about that myself, so I did a little research on carpet recycling. There are several different methods for recycling carpet. It can be recycled as-is, by donating a used carpet that still has some life left in it to a charity such as Habitat for Humanity, the carpet can continue its life in a new place, prolonging its useful life-cycle. If a carpet is past its useful life-cycle, it can be sent to a carpet recycling facility, where they can separate the face fibers (usually nylon) from the backing. The nylon can then be reused and made into either more carpet, or it can be down-cycled and used in products such as auto parts, carpet padding, or plastic lumber. If the carpet absolutely cannot be recycled into a new product, a last-resort can be sending the carpet to a waste-to-energy plant, where it is combusted and the ashes are used to generate electricity for power. This last method is the least desirable use, but it still prevents the carpet from going to a landfill.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to where I found the carpet recycling information in case you want to read more:
http://www.greenyour.com/home/furnishings/carpet-and-rugs/tips/recycle-carpet-rugs-and-padding
Thanks Beth, that's interesting to know and good to hear since the landfills are getting so full!
DeleteBeth, even though I am an apparel student, I find interior very interesting. I have done many projects where I recovered old furniture with used fabrics, scraps, and carpet. And the carpet store will actually sell you scraps of carpet old carpet that people have sold back to them for cheap. Which is another way the carpet can be recycled. I actually made a foot rest out of old scraps of carpet because people like to put their feet up when they sit down on the couch or in a chair. I would rather them get old carpet foot rest dirty than getting my nice foot rest dirty. Like you said for this instance, the synthetic fibers have more durability and I find this true with carpet and also the micro fibers and polyester fibers I have covered some chairs with. Ducas provides us with six trends that are being discussed sustainably and gives us a few points on how to use our natural fibers. I feel as if you have just proven that these synthetic fibers, like carpet, can be just as sustainable, if not more sustainable than natural fibers.
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