Composites derived from biodegradable Textile wastes: A pathway to the future

There is a real need for research and development to address the issues around waste generation by one of the largest polluters, the fashion and textile industries. Sustainable textile materials have become one of the most discussed topics in the industry for a variety of reasons such as customer awareness, waste generation, environmental impact, life cycle analysis and climate emergency. The chapter discusses the aspect of waste generation pathways from poorly designed components, material choices and the challenges that arise from the current model of product manufacture. In addition, it proposes how the biodegradability aspect of plant-based post-consumer waste could be utilised for novel applications in composites fabrication. Cellulose-based fibres are discussed in relation to their suitability to be used as composite components. Finally, the chapter provides a framework for how to achieve the objectives to overcome the challenges with biodegradable textile waste in the near future.