Reducing the impact of textile products on the environment is becoming increasingly important for the textile industry. The main interest concerns biodegradable products and fibres from sustainable sources in consumer as well as in medical applications. Current research at the Hohenstein Institutes deals with the decay of sustainable products or their resistance to microorganisms in biologically active soil. To evaluate the biodegradation of textiles based on soil burial tests, a new assessment scheme was developed and made available to the industry. Some fibre types display a rapid degradation. Therefore, we present further research data on the production of alginate and chitosan, based on biotechnological fermentation. With this technology, we move towards a new sustainable textile industry: From micro-organisms via fibres up to textile end use.
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