Green chemistry and the textile industry

In contrast to non-sustainable, non-renewable fossil-fuel-based conventional chemical processes, so-called green reactions are sustainable, highly-efficient (fewer steps, fewer resources, less waste) and stable under ambient conditions and much more eco-friendly (achieved by the use of non-hazardous solvents and less-hazardous, minimized waste). They are assessed by 12 principles established by Anastas and Warner [Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998]. Recently steps have been taken to make textile materials and processing more environmentally friendly (or ‘greener’), including fibre production, dyes and auxiliaries, solvents, optimized and efficient processing with recycling of water and chemicals, bio-processing, the elimination of hazardous chemicals and the recycling of textile materials, and whilst it is acknowledged that mechanical aspects of textile processing also contribute to achievement of sustainability, this review focuses on the chemistry deployed.