Design Life-Cycle

Israel Martinez

Professor Christina Cogdell

DES 40A

May 28, 2024

From Seed to Seam: The Raw Materials of the SULTANE Lotus Silk Jacket

The Sofia Vera Sultane 100% Lotus Jacket, is a garment that is celebrated for its embodiment of sustainable luxury. It stands as a beacon to the intricate weave between nature, craftsmanship, and ethical consumerism. The true marvel of the Sultane jacket lies in the meticulous selection and ethical sourcing of the raw materials throughout its lifecycle. From a seed growing in the nutrient-rich soil to the garment's eventual return to the earth through various means, each stage embodies a conscious choice of materials that aim to minimize environmental impact and help promote a circular economy.

The Sofia Vera Sultane 100% Lotus Jacket owes its luxurious texture and sustainability to the Nelumbo Nucifera, a lotus species renowned for its delicate yet resilient fibers with various other benefits. Sofia Vera emphasizes and advertises that its lotus silk is sourced 100% ethically from plants cultivated in the nutrient-rich lakes of Siem Reap and Battambang, Cambodia. These regions are celebrated for their fertile soil deposits ("Sultane 100% lotus jacket - Natural Beige"). This lotus thrives in nutrient-rich mud, suggesting that the cultivation process prioritizes soil health, thus eliminating the need for artificial fertilizers or pesticides (Dissanayake and Kumar). The plant's natural durability and adaptability to diverse environments help further reduce the need for external resource-intensive interventions (Sultana, Haque, and Begum), allowing the plant to be organically farmed.

As claimed on their website, the fibers are exclusively hand harvested using a labor-intensive process that prevents the use of energy-intensive machinery that helps preserve the integrity of the delicate stems ("Sultane 100% lotus jacket - Natural Beige"). This approach also extends to the cleaning process where Sofia Vera also claims to only use natural cleaning agents, to avoid chemicals that could contaminate the water sources of the lakes. While the specific cleaning agents used to remain undisclosed through Sofia Vera, traditional lotus silk production often uses plant-based soaps or mild detergents (Dissanayake and Kumar).

The following spinning and weaving processes use traditional non-mechanized wooden hand looms to further reduce the environmental impact of the production stage ("Sultane 100% lotus jacket - Natural Beige"). This entire process is a completely non-mechanized process that instead focuses on handcrafts that enable stronger quality control of the garment, which ultimately maximizes its longevity (Sultana, Haque, and Begum). The jacket does contain 100% organic cotton lining which is derived from the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified suppliers, which guarantees various social, environmental, and ethical standards such as wastewater management and optical working conditions for workers (Bocken and Short). More notably, Sofia Vera also claims to use only natural or Oekotex-certified dyes, preventing any harmful substances or chemicals in both the lotus silk and the cotton lining. The dies they use are made out of plants or trees, availability depending on the season. For instance, to make the color yellow, the Bror Hut tree is used. For red lac stick is used, but for the jacket no dyes are used as the jacket uses the lotus silk’s natural beige color ("Sultane 100% lotus jacket - Natural Beige").

The jacket's construction involves a combination of both natural and refined materials. The primary material is lotus silk, which is derived from the lotus plant's stems. Its cultivation and processing as described earlier have very little to no environmental impact. The organic cotton lining is certified by GOTS, which aligns with the jacket's sustainability ethos by prioritizing organic farming practices and fair labor conditions (Bocken and Short). The jacket also contains gold-plated buttons, adding luxury and introducing a non-biodegradable element to the jacket. After being in communication with Sofia Vera, It was found that the gold buttons aren't completely made out of gold but are made out of metal and appear to be plated with gold. Though the type of metal use itself wasn't explicitly said. The gold plating process of the buttons involves the use of chemicals and metals, including gold and potentially cyanide solutions, which can have environmental consequences (Hilson and Murck).

The global journey of a jacket from factory to consumer involves a complex network of transportation and packaging, each step reliant on specific raw materials. Shipping containers, often made of steel or aluminum, are the backbone of international freight. Steel, primarily derived from iron ore, undergoes a smelting process to remove impurities, while aluminum is extracted from bauxite ore through the Bayer and Hall-Héroult processes (Ashby). Both materials are highly recyclable, reducing the demand for virgin resources. Companies like DHL and Chronopost employ these containers for intermodal transportation, transferring them between ships, trains, and trucks.

Packaging and materials used to protect the jacket during transit can vary (even within companies due to regional shipping) but often include cardboard and plastics. Though not used commonly, recycled cardboard, made from recovered paper fibers, is a newer type of shipping packaging that offers a more sustainable option than cardboard. Biodegradable plastics derived from renewable resources like cornstarch or sugarcane are also employed to reduce the environmental impact compared to traditional petroleum-based plastics (Song et al.). However, the actual biodegradability of the packaging depends on specific conditions and the material (s) that the packaging is constructed from. 

For the final part of the delivery process, Sofia Vera explicitly uses Colissimo, DHL, and Chronopost, which all use electric or combustion engine vehicles. While new electric vehicles rely on electricity generated from various sources, combustion engines primarily consume fossil fuels like diesel or gasoline. For international shipments where air freight is often necessary, airplanes use kerosene-based jet fuel. Sustainable alternatives like biofuels derived from plant or animal matter are being explored by these companies to reduce the environmental impact of transportation fuels. (Elgowainy et al.).

When the jacket starts nearing the end of its life cycle, the 100% lotus silk fabric presents a unique biodegradability advantage. Since lotus silk is derived from the stems of lotus flowers, it's a natural fiber known for its biodegradability under very few conditions. Studies show that lotus fibers can decompose fully in as little as a few weeks in the needed composting environments. This ultimately leaves no harmful residues (Dissanayake and Kumar). Correspondingly, the 100% organic cotton used in the jacket's lining is also biodegradable, though its decomposition rate is slower than lotus silk due to the presence of cellulose in the cotton. In contrast, the gold-plated metal buttons on the jacket pose a challenge for biodegradability due to their metallic composition.

The recycling potential of the jacket is complex due to its mixed material composition. While the lotus silk and organic cotton components can be separated and thus recycled into new textile fibers and garments, the process is not widely available. The gold-plated buttons have the ability to be removed, and the metal recycled, but the quantity and quality of the buttons might not be economically viable for most recycling facilities due to regulations. Upcycling the jacket into new products offers a great alternative to recycling. The lotus silk and organic cotton could be repurposed into smaller items like bags or accessories, or even a Jouch (a jean couch) extending the life cycle of the materials and reducing wastage.

When it comes to composting the lotus silk and organic cotton components, it is possible under the right conditions. Typically it requires adequate moisture, aeration, and the presence of microorganisms for successful composting (Epstein). However, the gold-plated buttons would need to be removed beforehand as they are not compostable.

The lotus silk jacket, from its inception as lotus flowers to its final resting place whether that be composted, recycled, or even upcycled, encapsulates the intricate journey of raw materials in sustainable fashion. Every element, from the lotus silk and cotton in the fabric of the jacket to the refined metals in the buttons, speaks to the interconnectedness of nature and craftsmanship that the SULTANE Lotus Silk Jacket accentuates. This journey highlights the importance of considering the environmental impact of each material throughout a garment's lifespan and whether both the consumer and companies are doing the best they can to ensure a closed life cycle. The lotus silk jacket serves as a beacon for the potential for luxury fashion to prioritize sustainability, reminding us that even the most exquisite creations can be rooted in respect for the earth's resources and a commitment to responsible production and disposal.

Bibliography

Ashby, Michael F. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design. 4th ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, 2010.

Bocken, Nancy M. P., and Sarah Short. "Towards a sufficiency economy: Principles for a sustainable society." Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 185, 2022, 106430.

Dissanayake, D. M. N. S. W., and K. Kumar. "Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn.) stem fibers: A potential sustainable raw material for textile applications." Industrial Crops and Products, vol. 137, 2019, 366-376.

Elgowainy, A., et al. Well-to-Wheels Analysis of Future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains in the European Context. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, 2010.

Epstein, Eliot. Industrial Composting: Environmental Engineering and Facilities Management. CRC Press, 2011.

Hilson, Gavin, and Barbara Murck. "Sustainable development in the mining industry: clarifying the corporate perspective." Resources Policy, vol. 31, no. 2, 2006, 79-88.

Nguyen, Minh Duc. "The art of making silk from lotus stem." VnExpress International, 25 July 2021, e.vnexpress.net/news/life/trend/the-art-of-making-silk-from-lotus-stem-4306959.html.

Song, Jianhua, et al. "Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, vol. 364, no. 1526, 2009, 2127-2139.

Sperling, Daniel, and Deborah Gordon. Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Sultana, Nazma, M. Mominul Haque, and Feroza Begum. "Extraction and Characterization of Lotus Fiber for Textile Application." Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, vol. 9, no. 1, 2014, 1-10.

"Sultane 100% lotus jacket - Natural Beige." Sofia Vera, https://sofia-vera.com/en/jackets/171-sultane-100-lotus-jacket-natural-beige.html. Accessed 28 May 2024.

 Brandon Mammon

Des 40A

Professor Cogdell

Spring 2024

Sultane Lotus Silk Jacket Embodied Energy

With a rise in global living standards and wages, there has also been a rise in consumerism and production, namely within the fashion industry. The number of garments produced annually has doubled since 2000, with more than 150 billion garments produced each year globally (Fashion United). Contributing to this rise in production, social media and fast fashion have perpetuated the speed of the trend cycle, causing garments to be bought and discarded at alarming rates. Consumers buy cheap clothing for the season and then as the trends shift, they dispose of the garments that are “no longer in style.” This model of consumerism contributes greatly to the estimated 92 million tons of textile waste created each year by the fashion industry (Fashion Revolution). With the greed of big fast fashion brands like Shein, H&M, and Forever 21 for example, focusing on profits and not doing their part to reduce the waste they have created, it is up to the smaller brands and consumers to move towards a more sustainable approach to fashion. 

The clothing brand Sofia Vera, based out of France, puts sustainability at the forefront of its brand identity, appealing to the conscious consumer and the idea of slow fashion. The brand’s founder and designer, Sophie Redhon, utilizes luxurious and eco-friendly materials to produce all of their clothing. In fact, Sofia Vera is centered around their unique and sustainable fabric choice of Lotus silk, which is a zero-waste and zero-impact fabric (Sofia Vera). While this particular fabric does not require electricity, pesticides, or an abundance of water in its production process, it is not to say that a finished garment is completely zero-waste and zero-impact. By taking a closer look at the life cycle of a specific Sofia Vera garment, we will be able to deduce the environmental impact as it relates to the energy use of the garment’s production. This paper will focus on one specific garment, the “Sultane 100% Lotus Jacket.” The Sultane Jacket aims to create a sustainable garment through its use of natural fibers and organic materials. Though the main fabric production process uses no electricity, there is still energy used in the raw material acquisition, manufacturing process, distribution, maintenance, recycling, and waste management of the garment’s overall life. 

The Sultane Jacket is sparse in its use of material. The jacket is comprised of undyed 100% lotus silk for the main fabric, undyed 100% organic cotton for the lining, 8 metal buttons (likely stainless steel), and 1 invisible zipper (Sofia Vera). Lotus silk is derived from the fibers in the stem of the lotus flower. Of the numerous variations of the flower, Sofia Vera uses the “Nelumbo Nucifera” which can be found on the lakes of Siem Reap & Battambang in Cambodia (Sofia Vera). These plants grow within the lakes free from pesticides and thrive in a warmer climate, needing at least 5-6 hours of sunlight for 3-4 weeks (The Lotus Flower Fiber and Sustainable Luxury). The production process of this fabric solely utilizes human energy from the harvest to the weaving of the fabric, meaning that there are zero emissions and fuels used during this process. The production starts with the harvest and fiber extraction. The stems are harvested in the morning and extracted the same day. The stems are cut, revealing thin fibers that are then rolled together to create a single strand of yarn. From here, the yarn can be woven into the fabric using a traditional Cambodian frame loom. (The Lotus Flower Fiber and Sustainable Luxury). The stem fibers must be woven within 24 hours to prevent deterioration. This requires a team of people working in tandem to ensure the fibers are spun and woven in time. It takes about 15-25 women extracting fibers to keep up with one weaver. Since only human labor is used, this means that the production process of this fabric is very time-consuming and laborious. Producing one yard of lotus silk requires approximately 32,000 lotus stems and a minimum of two weeks of work (The Lotus Flower Fiber and Sustainable Luxury). Estimating that the Sultane jacket uses about 3 yards of this fabric, that means it requires about 96,000 stems to be harvested, spun, and woven, taking roughly 6 or more weeks between about 20-30 workers outputting on average 100 watts of energy a day, roughly 105,000 watts total of human energy, to produce the fabric needed for one jacket.

In addition to lotus silk, the Sultan Jacket uses 100% organic cotton. Sofia Vera sources their organic cotton from a certified GOTS supplier. For cotton to receive the “organic” label, it has to be certified by a third party, ensuring that the growing process utilizes certified organic seeds, and is free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides (Attra). The process of growing organic cotton eliminates the need for pesticides while using less water and energy than regular cotton, due to the use of cultural practices and biological controls. Some of these practices include cover cropping, strip cropping, trap cropping, and crop rotation. These practices help minimize the impact of pests and plant diseases while helping to retain water in the soil. Organic cotton is always hand-picked, reducing the need for energy and fuels from machinery (Star Seeds). Even though the harvesting process does not require the use of fuels, the process of turning the cotton into a woven fabric is reliant on the use of machinery. After the cotton is picked, it is put in a ginning machine to clean and convert the cotton balls into fibers and then into large bales. The amount of electrical energy a ginning machine uses varies depending on the model of the machine. Machines can use up to 80 kWh (kilowatt hour), while the single-chamber two-cylinder gin’s electrical consumption can be as low as 37.53 kWh (Calculation Energy of Efficiency New Ginning Machine). Once in cotton bales, the fibers are spun into large reels of yarn using a spinning machine. This process uses about 3.24-3.47 kWh/kg of electric energy. From here, the yarn can be woven into fabric with the help of multiple machines. This process relies primarily on electric energy with 85% of its total energy consumption being electrical energy. (Consumption of Electric Energy in the Production of Cotton Textiles and Garments).

The Sultan Jacket also makes use of metal buttons and an invisible zipper. The Sofia Vera website lists these buttons as gold, but after contacting their company through email, we were able to determine that the buttons were not real gold. Other than that, the company did not provide us with any other information about the buttons. Based on the values of the brand and their emphasis on hypoallergenic material, it is assumed that they would use a hypoallergenic material for their buttons. Assuming they use stainless steel, a common metal with hypoallergenic properties, the embodied energy from the primary production process is about 77-85 MJ/kg (energy modeling and eco-impact). The materials in zippers can vary based on the type and style of the zipper. The Sultane jacket makes use of an invisible zipper, which likely uses polyester tape and nylon teeth. To produce one KG of polyester fiber and weave it into cloth requires 217 MJ/kg and 342 MJ/kg for Nylon (O Ecotextiles).

The overall garment is rather simple in its construction and uses human as well as electrical energy to sew the garment. The jacket is comprised of roughly 30 seams and could be sewn in a single day using about 100 watts of human energy. To sew the garment numerous machines are required, such as a sewing machine, overlock machine, and presses/iron. In the clothing production stage, the electrical energy consumption is about 0.065 - 0.195 kWh/kg (Consumption of Electric Energy in the Production of Cotton Textiles and Garments).

After the garment has been produced it is ready to be shipped to the customer. Sofia Vera specifically uses DHL and ships worldwide from their location in France. Using DHL’s carbon calculator to estimate the emissions and energy consumption from shipping a single garment from France to the Bay Area, it was determined that the Tank-to-Wake was 9.17 Total kg CO2eTtW, and the Well-to-Wake was 11.19 total kg CO2e WtW in traveling 9,141.28 km. Tank-to-Wake describes all direct emissions from energy usage in the vehicle’s travel (DHL). Well-to-Wake describes the energy consumption and indirect emissions from fuel production including any loss during the production of the energy sources (DHL).

Once the product has been shipped, it is up to the customer to maintain the jacket. Maintenance of the jacket is rather simple and uses zero electrical energy. As outlined on the Sofia Vera website, it is recommended to hand-wash the garment with a gentle soup and to let the jacket air dry in the sun. With this cleaning method, only mechanical energy from the human hand and solar/thermal energy are used to maintain the garment.

If the jacket has been worn to its fullest potential, the natural fibers that make up the main body of the garment can be composted or upcycled into something new. Both lotus silk and organic cotton can biodegrade to become a nutrient-rich fertilizer. In a proper compost, cotton can decompose in about 1 week to 5 months (Close the Loop). Since both fabrics are produced naturally, they can biodegrade without releasing toxic chemicals into the environment. This process doesn’t require outside energy sources, making use of mechanical and chemical energy to break down the fibers. For the buttons and the zipper, which are made out of metals and synthetic materials, it is much harder to decompose. Using mechanical energy, these materials could be repurposed in the construction of another garment. 

To avoid waste and an excess of clothing, Sofia Vera works on a made-to-order system. This means that there are no premade garments. Each jacket is made and supplied as the order comes. This helps to reduce the amount of wasted fabric that can arise when garments are made but not sold. With this system, waste is avoided, requiring no extra energy. In addition to this business model, the lotus silk production makes use of all other aspects of the lotus flower. The flowers, leaves, seeds, and rhizomes can be used for ornamental, edible, and medical purposes, leaving no aspect of the flower to waste (Sustainable Luxury Natural Fibers).

Even though Sofia Vera centers their Sultan Jacket around a zero-waste and zero-impact fabric, the life cycle of the jacket is not completely zero-impact. There are still fossil fuels and high amounts of energy used in the garment's overall lifecycle, mostly pertaining to raw material acquisition, manufacturing, and distribution. A majority of the jacket's embodied energy comes from the raw material acquisition and distribution. A lot of energy is used in manufacturing synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon in the zipper, with these processes using 217 MJ/kg and 342 MJ/kg, respectively (O Ecotextiles). Cotton production also uses a lot of energy with 85% of its total energy consumption being electrical due to the multitude of machinery required in the production process. The ginning machine uses up to 80 kWh (kilowatt hour) and the spinning machine uses about 3.24-3.47 kWh/kg of electric energy. Another big contributor to the jacket’s embodied energy is the distribution process. Shipping the product worldwide uses fossil fuels and releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. The Tank-to-Wake for shipping one garment is 9.17 Total kg CO2eTtW and 11.19 total kg CO2e WtW for the Well-to-Wake. With these processes in the jacket's lifecycle making up for the majority of the embodied energy, the lotus silk production, maintenance, recycling, and waste management of the garment tries to make up for it by using no energy derived from non-renewable sources. These processes make use of human and thermal energy with a great amount of energy deriving solely from human labor. The Sofia Vera brand puts sustainability at its core by emphasizing less waste and less energy consumption through their fabric selection and business model, making the Sultan jacket a step towards sustainability in fashion.

Bibliography

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direct metal laser sintering hybrid milling.” Heliyon vol. 6,1 e03168. 16 Jan. 2020, doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03168

“Air Freight Gogreen Plus Video: DHL Global Forwarding |.” DHL, www.dhl.com/global-en/home/our-divisions/global-forwarding/forwarding-insights/air-freight-gogreen-plus-video.html. Accessed 1 May 2024. 

“All You Need to Know about Organic Cotton.” STARSEEDS, starseeds.eco/pages/all-you-need-to-know-about-organic-cotton#:~:text=This%20is%20in%20large%20part,in%20long%2C%20strong%20fibres%20that. Accessed 1 May 2024. 

Azizov, S. (2022) Calculation Energy of Efficiency New Ginning Machine. Engineering, 14, 

163-172. doi: 10.4236/eng.2022.144016.

Dean, Christina. “Waste – Is It ‘Really’ in Fashion?” Waste – Is It “really” in Fashion? : Fashion 

Revolution, 2020, www.fashionrevolution.org/waste-is-it-really-in-fashion/#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20garments%20produced,is%20landfilled%20or%20burned%20globally. 

Delate, Kathleen, Ben Heller, and Jessica Shade. “Organic Cotton Production May Alleviate the 

Environmental Impacts of Intensive Conventional Cotton Production.” Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 36.4 (2021): 405–412. Web.

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“Farm to Fabric: How Organic Cotton Clothing Is Made.” León & Bird, 4 Sept. 2021, 

www.leonandbird.com.au/blogs/news/farm-to-fabric-how-organic-cotton-clothing-is-made

Gardetti, M.A., Muthu, S.S. (2015). The Lotus Flower Fiber and Sustainable Luxury. In: 

Gardetti, M., Muthu, S. (eds) Handbook of Sustainable Luxury Textiles and Fashion. Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-633-1_1

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Jasmine Rios Santos

Professor Cogdell

DES 40A - Energy, Materials & Design Across Time

June 5, 2024

Sultane Lotus Silk Jacket: Waste Produced During its Life Cycle

The lotus silk is a lightweight fabric made from lotus flowers that is used for to weave monastic robes as an offering to Buddha images or Buddhist monks but is now also used for a variety of clothing types, including scarves and hats and this 100% lotus jacket from Sofia Vera. It’s a very eco-friendly material made from the stem of the lotus flower. It can provide the environment when it’s in the making and it prevent less emissions in the atmosphere while it can be produced in 3-4 weeks and can emit less waste by its decomposition and less emissions through sustainable eco-friendly process. The waste and emissions can provide a sustainable production process and it can be very biodegradable, and it has a minimal carbon footprint. With the process of the lotus fiber, it can possibly have a degrading amount of waste, emission, greenhouse gases and CO2 with its raw materials, manufacturing, distribution and transportation, the use and reuse, recycle, and with its waste management.

Nature uses a handful of common elements and a wide range of biochemical processes to achieve ends without any pollution. (Dauncey) From its raw material and manufacturing, it can involve a minimal waste due to the sustainable harvesting and efficient use of lotus stems and the environmentally friendly manual extraction process, which prevents less CO2 emissions. The lotus harvesting prevents a significant number of emissions and fossil duels and can be planted everywhere without hurting the environment. From this source, it states, “The stems of the lotus flowers are gathered by younger women in the mornings. Stems of the lotus plants are collected, cut, snapped, and twisted to expose its fibers. These stems are cut with shallow knife and 5-6 stems are snapped at one time, which reveals 20-30 fine white filaments of fiber.” (Anonymous) This can debrief the lotus fiber extraction and the process of making it. Without any machinery production and manufacturing involved, it cuts off most amount of CO2 emissions comparing to other types of textiles. When its woven, it’s made with a machine that is contained with manual labor, “The fabric is woven in 100-yard batches, and it takes about a month and a half to complete one batch. It’s estimated that around 32,000 lotus stems are required to make just 1.09 yards of fabric and 120,000 stems are required for one outfit, making the textile extremely exclusive.” (Anonymous) This explains on how uncommon it is to make the fabric of the lotus flower due to the amount of time that it takes up for the making. However, the only downside of this fiber is that it must be woven without 24 hours to prevent the deterioration.

The distribution/transportation/delivery produces some waste, primarily from packaging materials with cardboard and fuel CO2 emissions with the companies of DHL. “Orders are dispatched after receipt of payment when the production of your new piece is complete. Orders are shipped internationally using DHL with tracking, or Colissimo with tracking within Europe.” (Vera) This evidence provides us with information regarding that any piece of clothing that’s eco-friendly or not, will always cause CO2 emissions for transportation. The usual process for this is either shipping across the ocean, flying across the oceans, or driving across the land. The usual outcome for all of this, it created more greenhouse gas production, and it can harm the environment. In this article, “Textile production is the world’s second most polluting industry second to the oil industry accounting for approximately 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions (more than for international flights and maritime shipping combined)” (Chen, et al.) Regardless to the healthy textile production for the lotus flower, it can still emit enough greenhouse gas emissions, and still one of the sources that takes a big part of climate change. With enough fuel waste and enough greenhouse gases being emitted, there will be nothing but wasting less energy while emitting more waste. If the transportation was by foot however, there will still be vehicles involved and they also emit enough CO2 gases.

The use and the recycle of the lotus silk jacket can come from different ways depending on how the customer uses it. It can be inspired by the always immaculate lotus leaf, researchers have developed a self-cleaning bioplastic that is sturdy, sustainable, and compostable. (RMIT University). With the other side of recycling with creativity and sustainability, you can make a new textile with the recycling of the lotus silk. This source states, “With so much fabric being produced, textile recycling can help give a piece of fabric — clothing or not — another life, and limit new fabrics from being produced.” (WeForum) This exemplifies that with the different types of recycling, it can create a new textile that can also make new garments of clothing, but it can always be reused and donated to whoever the customer chooses. However, based on this study, “the lotus fiber consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, fat waxy, lignin, ash, pectin, hydrotrope, and amino acids; being cellulose is the main ingredient. The lotus fiber that shows a ribbon spiral revolving structure vertically has clearly imperceptible cross striation, and it is a bundle fiber composed of many monofils.” (Gardetti) This demonstrates the ingredients of the lotus fiber and how it can be contributed as long-lasting. While its being known to be “long-lasting”, there wouldn’t be any waste or emissions in production when its being reused or used by the original the next customer. Therefore, when the lotus fiber is being used/reused it cannot make any emissions and when its being recycled, it cannot produce any waste. Although, it’s all in the fate and decisions of the customer.

The customer decides what to do with the lotus silk jacket, but some decide to make other garments with the silk, allowed it to be reused but it can also be dumped as well. Globally, around 10% of textile gets reused and the rest goes to landfills. This creates an enormous ripple effect on the environment, with a rise in landfills, emission of greenhouse gases, and climate change. (NDVT) On the other hand, since its biodegradable, it can be composted at the end of its life. When it isn’t recycled it can cause a huge waste and can ruin the ecosystem. The fashion and clothing industry generates massive amounts of waste — and emits pollution in the process. (Domenitz, et. Al) This can explain of regardless of what kind of textile and how sustainable it is, it will all lead in the waste and dump in foreign counties. For example, “when consumers throw away clothing in the garbage, not only does it waste money and resources, but it can take 200+ years for the materials to decompose in a landfill. During the decomposition process, textiles generate greenhouse methane gas and leach toxic chemicals and dyes into the groundwater and our soil.” (Roadrunner) This explains the downside when it isn’t recycled and since its being dumped into the international places, it can cause a huge number of emissions that can disturb them and their resources. Since it disturbs their resources, it can be a harm in their environment and it can limit their number of resources, and unhealthy environmental location.

All in all, the lotus flower can make silk and fiber that is biodegradable and eco-friendly with its minimal carbon footprint, and Sofia Vera decided to make a 100% lotus silk jacket. When the lotus silk is made, the biodegradability ensures that it won’t harm the pollution levels and make it long-term. Because of this, it can slow down the process of global warming, help the climate and prevent less greenhouse gas emissions. From its raw materials and manufacturing, it can emit less or no gases because of its manual labor. With its use/reuse and recycling, it can depend on the customer. Lastly for waste, it can depend on the customer but overall it’ll end up dumped in a foreign country. The lotus silk can demonstrate an attractive factor of how nature can inspire innovations without causing any harm to the environment. With the positive attributes that it requires from other products, it can prevent negative environmental impact and give an eco-friendly piece towards the different textiles. As the fashion industry makes pieces that can harm the environment from plants to animals, the lotus silk can demonstrate the start of making more eco-friendly fashion pieces without any harm towards the health of the environment while demonstrating the beauty of sustainability.

Bibliography

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