Digital fabric technology can have a wide-reaching effect on the industry’s environmental impact.
To produce one tonne of fabric, textile mills use 200 tons of water. 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are from the production of clothing and footwear. According to research published by the World Economic Forum, 85% of all textiles end up in landfills around the world.
The industry is working with governments, environmental agencies and private sector organisations to drastically reduce its environmental impact. As an example of this success, a programme called Clean By Design developed guidelines that helped 33 Chinese textile mills decrease their waste and emissions, saving 3 million tons of water.
Looking at these statistics, it's easy to see why the textile industry is working hard and searching for solutions to become more sustainable. A sustainable approach that cares for people, planet and profit ultimately leads to improved performance and a healthier natural environment. The key for industries adopting sustainable business practices is to focus on issues strategically important to them and, for textiles, it’s reducing waste and creating a much healthier life cycle for products.
Building the circular economy
As a future-driven industry, there’s a lot that textiles can learn from tech. Innovation leads to solutions for sustainability challenges but there is some inertia in certain parts of the world where the textile industry has been slow to adopt technology or develop solutions tailored to their strategies. Of course, circular economies work most effectively when there is technology in place that reduces inefficiencies as well as waste.
So, what does Twinbru contribute to a circular economy that is innovative, reduces waste and boosts sustainability? 3D fabric textures. It may seem like a small thing but digitising fabrics plays a big role in making designing, prototyping, marketing and selling more sustainable while also increasing the scope of product development and market reach.
Give the people what they want
In a Harvard Business School article, it was shown that a 2019 study found 73% of global consumers are willing to change their consumption habits to lessen their negative impact on the environment, and sustainable product sales have grown by nearly 20% since 2014. Research from The Economist Intelligence Unit, commissioned by WWF, shows a staggering 71% rise in online searches for sustainable goods globally over the past five years.
Empowered consumer buying decisions are increasingly built upon their burgeoning desire to contribute positively to their community in conjunction with their growing consciousness about the environment. Research conducted by Forrester revealed 68% of highly empowered consumers plan to step up their efforts to identify brands that reduce environmental impact, 61% look for energy-efficient labels when shopping and 47% regularly buy organic products.
These statistics are evidence of a collective mindset shift towards a greener lifestyle, actively reflecting upon one’s personal environmental impact, and searching for products and solutions that are aligned with individual sustainable lifestyle goals. If consumers are making these changes, businesses will have to meet them halfway in order to maintain a good relationship with their target market and prove that they too are not only focused on profit, but people and the planet as well.
3D fabric textures
As the name indicates, a 3D fabric texture is the digital replica of a physical fabric. These can be utilised as 3D models or as a 2D render but the digital replica will always show the true colour and texture of the fabric. These 3D fabric textures have a variety of applications for different businesses.
A growing problem at the design stage of any type of manufacturing where textiles are required is unregulated levels of textile waste from off-cut fabrics. Additionally, fabric samples sent to and fro in the prototype phase also eventually end up in landfills. By using digital twin fabrics, waste is drastically reduced by complementing digital design and prototyping processes with high quality, photorealistic digital representations of the fabric, thus eliminating the need for samples.
Transport contributes to the carbon footprint of the industry. When minimal samples are created and the need for shipping is cut down because of digital twins, the carbon footprint reduces as well. Another advantage of going digital is being able to improve the accuracy of calculations for material required
Saving time and money
Every business wants to be as efficient as possible to maximise their returns. With 3D fabric textures, saving time and money can also directly improve sustainability.
In the design stage, address errors in a digital mock-up for faster resolutions without expense. Reduce the need and budget spent on photoshoots when you can digitally create marketing material that can live online and be sent via digital channels instead of printing. This can also be repurposed time and again, effectively changing the marketing spend so, funds can be allocated to new projects or channels.
Where fabric wholesalers or retailers still rely heavily on sample books, a digital catalogue with digital twin fabrics opens up their market reach with online communication and e-commerce opportunities. By working with digital prototypes, time is saved on physically creating pieces of furniture to assess the viability of a new or custom design and clients are able to view the creation when it may not yet exist on a showroom floor.
Interior designers and architects can keep digital samples of materials for creation of schemes and mood boards for client projects. This allows them to quickly and effectively communicate designs, saving on time in meetings, transport, sample storage and also reducing the minor expenses associated with presentation.
All these benefits can be aligned to a business’s overall sustainability targets and better position the enterprise to fulfill its green initiatives. Then, whether it’s a small or large business, industries as a collective can operate more sustainably and promote eco-consciousness.
Sustainability is for everyone
For businesses, sustainability is the effect the business has on society and the environment. It addresses issues such as climate change, fair working conditions, income inequality and prejudice. This means that whether you’re a small business of just one designer or a large business of multiple fabric warehouses with many employees, sustainability is everyone’s responsibility.
Innovations like 3D fabric texture technology can and will enhance your sustainability strategies. Whether you adopt it to improve your operational systems, or improve your bottom line or you simply want to expand into international markets, there are obvious business performance advantages. There are also many benefits of joining a global consciousness movement of operating in a way that helps our planet and preserves the natural environment for generations to follow.
Sure, it’s business but it's business working smarter and sustainably. Partner with us and be part of future-driven change.