Team Members:
Georgina Kelly
Keywords
- SUSTAINABILITY
- DURABILITY
- RENEWABILITY
Summary
This report evaluates the sustainability of bast fibres in woven textiles, considering key factors such as water usage, processing impacts and durability. Bast fibres including flax, hemp and nettle are considered as more sustainable alternatives to conventional materials, due to their renewable nature. However, this report critically examines these claims, highlighting how processing methods and fibre blends can complicate their environmental performance. The report also focuses on the fibre’s durability, opening the question of whether long-lasting fibres inherently lead to greater sustainability. The report adopts a holistic approach, assessing the full lifecycle impact including disposal impacts and overall resource efficiency.