Bras worth burying: Australia to set first global standard for textile composting
Australians could be the first in the world to confidently compost their used clothes, thanks to a campaign led by a lingerie entrepreneur.
Over the past 18 months, Stephanie Devine of Very Good Bra has worked with sustainability experts, academics and industry to create a proposal for Standards Australia: a technical specification for compostable textiles.
On March 21, after a public comment period, the proposal was accepted by Standards Australia's Production Management Group.
Adam Stingemore of Standards Australia said: "Although there are standards for compostability, we don't know of any. specifically for compostable textiles, so we believe this is a world first.
< p class="dcr-8zipgp">Covering everything from Allen key size and electrical wiring installation to food safety and country currency codes, standards are the rules, collectively agreed specifications and procedures that ensure things work the way they are supposed to. They can be set at state, national or international level.Brooke Summers of Cotton Australia, who backed Devine's campaign, said a standard textile composting "means a lot to us".
"The scalability is just phenomenal," Summers said. Cotton Australia, the peak body representing Australian cotton growers, was working separately on projects that reuse cotton garments in agriculture. Australians send nearly 227,000 tonnes of textiles to landfill every year, but Summers said at a farm: "Two and a half tonnes [of cotton waste] doesn't go far at all."
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Devine's own attempts to make compostable bras and underwear led her to lead the proposal. Its products met the basic parameters of textile compostability: made from 100% natural fibers, including yarns and labels; with certified organic dyes; natural rubber elastic and easily removable metal clasps.
But when Devine tried to take the clothes to commercial composters, they refused to accept them. There was no official standard to prove that the clothes would compost safely.
Without an accepted standard, putting clothes in the compost could be dangerous, said Oliver Knox, Associate Professor of Soil Systems. from the University of New England, who worked on the proposal. "We don't really want poly-cotton or polyester labels or yarn in the compost," he said. "Even if they make their way through the system, they will end up essentially creating contaminants, microplastics and the like."
Certain dyes and waterproof or non-flammable coatings flame retardants can also release toxins into the soil, he said.
Summers said a standard is essential because "if we're going to do this at scale , we need some guard rails".
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Standards Australia will now enter a development phase, to determine the criteria that garments will need to meet for mulch quality to be not affected.
Cotton Australia will be involved in this process, Summers said.
Devine said the only way to achieve a stream of compostable clothing is that brands...
Australians could be the first in the world to confidently compost their used clothes, thanks to a campaign led by a lingerie entrepreneur.
Over the past 18 months, Stephanie Devine of Very Good Bra has worked with sustainability experts, academics and industry to create a proposal for Standards Australia: a technical specification for compostable textiles.
On March 21, after a public comment period, the proposal was accepted by Standards Australia's Production Management Group.
Adam Stingemore of Standards Australia said: "Although there are standards for compostability, we don't know of any. specifically for compostable textiles, so we believe this is a world first.
< p class="dcr-8zipgp">Covering everything from Allen key size and electrical wiring installation to food safety and country currency codes, standards are the rules, collectively agreed specifications and procedures that ensure things work the way they are supposed to. They can be set at state, national or international level.Brooke Summers of Cotton Australia, who backed Devine's campaign, said a standard textile composting "means a lot to us".
"The scalability is just phenomenal," Summers said. Cotton Australia, the peak body representing Australian cotton growers, was working separately on projects that reuse cotton garments in agriculture. Australians send nearly 227,000 tonnes of textiles to landfill every year, but Summers said at a farm: "Two and a half tonnes [of cotton waste] doesn't go far at all."
Sign up for the fun stuff with our roundup of must reads, pop culture and weekend tips, every Saturday morning
Devine's own attempts to make compostable bras and underwear led her to lead the proposal. Its products met the basic parameters of textile compostability: made from 100% natural fibers, including yarns and labels; with certified organic dyes; natural rubber elastic and easily removable metal clasps.
But when Devine tried to take the clothes to commercial composters, they refused to accept them. There was no official standard to prove that the clothes would compost safely.
Without an accepted standard, putting clothes in the compost could be dangerous, said Oliver Knox, Associate Professor of Soil Systems. from the University of New England, who worked on the proposal. "We don't really want poly-cotton or polyester labels or yarn in the compost," he said. "Even if they make their way through the system, they will end up essentially creating contaminants, microplastics and the like."
Certain dyes and waterproof or non-flammable coatings flame retardants can also release toxins into the soil, he said.
Summers said a standard is essential because "if we're going to do this at scale , we need some guard rails".
after newsletter promotion
Standards Australia will now enter a development phase, to determine the criteria that garments will need to meet for mulch quality to be not affected.
Cotton Australia will be involved in this process, Summers said.
Devine said the only way to achieve a stream of compostable clothing is that brands...
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