Sol Jihn
Chris Kennedy
Sustainable Systems Spring 2019
10 May 2019
Systems Map Paper
My final project consisted of three posters that discussed the past, present, and future of polyester. Polyester is synthetic fiber created by binding petroleum polymers together. However, because the material is made of plastic, it is non biodegradable and incredibly damaging to the environment. In the systems map I created, I inputted electricity, manufacturing, disperse dyes, labor, and petroleum as the main sources that would require successful production of polyester textiles. In the output table, I put microplastic pollution, overfilled landfills, gas emissions, and improper dye disposal. The inputs create the negative impacts of the outputs towards the environment and dirties the reputation of the fashion industry.
The biggest problem surrounding polyester is the fact that it is not biodegradable because it is made out of petroleum. According to Auburn University (http://schwartz.eng.auburn.edu/polyester/history.html), polyester was first created in 1939 when W.H Carothers realized that alcohols and carboxylic acids could be integrated together to form a fiber. However, polyester was hid in the closet due to the recent trend of nylon. Polyester was introduced as a “magical fabric” that could be worn for 68 days straight without wrinkle or any signs of wear. When it first hit the American textile market in 1959, polyester became popular in both haute couture and fast fashion alike due to its versatility. However, polyester requires large quantities of heat and production requires a large amounts of electricity and energy. When polyester is successfully formed, it will take at least 20-200 years to show any potential signs of decomposition. This means that polyester has no clear answer on when it completely decomposes, and the two century time frame doesn’t guarantee that the textile will return to its natural state. Also, because polyester is made of plastic, it releases microplastics as well. When polyester is washed in a machine, the fabric releases microscopic microplastics that are about one fifth of a millimeter in size, and ends up floating in the laundry water. The same laundry water has the potential to end up in the ocean which leads to a growing problem with ocean pollution–the exponential growth of microplastics. The microplastics accumulate and bundle which end up in waterways, which ultimately leads to the destruction of habitats and wild marine life. Polyester is popular because it is quick and easy to make, but the cost it has on the only Earth we live in is nearly impossible to repay.
However, designers are utilizing biomimicry and natural resources to find competitive substitutes to unsustainable textiles. According to fashionista.com, (https://fashionista.com/2017/10/fashion-design-technology-sustainable-textiles-2017), textiles are being easily replicated because designers are able to research parallels between plants and fabrics. Disperse dyes, dyes that are required to successfully color polyester, is often made under unethical conditions in third world countries. Excess or used dye is almost never disposed of properly, leading to oil pollution in bodies of water. To solve this issue, designers are looking towards creating bacteria cured dyes because it takes up less water and does not create nearly as much waste as disperse dyes. Kelp textiles are being slowly experimented with by integrating technology and biomimicry, and there are a multitude of ways to create faux leather. Examples include kombucha leather, fruit leather, and lab grown leather. Sustainability seemed like an unreachable goal before, but with technology to our advantage, we can truly become designers of the future.
