Circular economy for fashion industry: Use of waste from the food industry for the production of biotextiles

In the context of current environmental, social and economic issues, it is imperative to perform more in-depth studies on waste management and the life cycle of a product. Thus, the concept of circular economy, aimed at transforming traditional patterns of production and economic growth, is extremely important. One way to mitigate negative environmental impacts that is consistent with a circular economic system is to encourage interdisciplinarity between sectors, that is, one production sector can provide a function for waste from another. In this context, this article gathers scientific information on two sectors relevant to the global economy (textiles and food), with the aim of reusing waste from the food industry to manufacture a new textile product with added value. Specifically, the focus is on the use of bacterial cellulose from the probiotic drinks from kombucha, for the manufacture of biotextiles for fashion industry. A discussion is also presented, relating the circular economy concept to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in order to understand which goals can be achieved with this approach.

Automated summary

This article emphasizes the importance of conducting in-depth studies on waste management and product life cycles in the current context of environmental, social, and economic issues. The concept of circular economy advocated can promote industrial transformation and reduce negative environmental impacts. Interdisciplinary collaboration can utilize waste, and this article explores the reuse of waste from kombucha drinks to manufacture new textile products with added value.