White Paper: The Role of Odor Control Technology in Extending Product Lifespan and Reducing Environmental Lifetime Impact from Excessive Washing

Executive Summary

The apparel industry is notorious for being one of the largest polluters and consumers of water and energy. Every stage of a garment's life cycle - from sourcing of raw materials, its production and transportation, its use to its ultimate disposal - has a significant environmental impact. With the rise of fast fashion, characterized by rapid production cycles and disposable clothing, the environmental strain has intensified in recent years.

Washing clothes exacerbates the environmental impact of textiles during the use phase; these include high water and energy consumption, increased detergent and microplastics pollution, and a shortened lifespan and early disposal of textiles.

This white paper explores how refreshing clothes differently and washing less frequently by wearing them longer can contribute to significant benefits for both the environment and consumers. Technological innovations such as odor control treatments offer a promising avenue to support these efforts. However, they often come with their own set of limitations related to environmental, safety and performance concerns.

Finally, this white paper introduces Livinguard AO as a future-proof, biocide-free, metal-free, safer and more performant odor control solution to mitigate the impact of the apparel industry.

Introduction

The apparel industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation, driven by factors related to production and transport, but also due to regular washing of clothes during their use and the disposal of used garments. This whitepaper explores the substantial ecological impact of textiles over the course of their lifetime, outlines best practices for consumers to mitigate the footprint from excessive washing and early disposal and proposes a technological solution to reduce environmental lifetime impact of garments. Specifically, it examines how the adoption of environmentally friendly odor control technologies such as Livinguard AO can reduce the frequency of washing cycles, extend the lifespan of apparel, and contribute to a more sustainable future for the industry.

Environmental Impact of Apparel Production

The global apparel industry with a value of USD 1.3 trillion in 2023 and employing over 300 million people along the value chain contributes significantly to many economies around the world. Global fiber production has almost doubled from 58 million tons in 2000 to 116 million tons in 2022 and is expected to continue growing to 147 million tons in 2030.

While especially the fast fashion sector is booming, increasing attention has been brought to the numerous negative environmental impacts that the apparel industry is responsible for.

Water consumption: The fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water with the production of a single cotton t-shirt requiring up to 2,700 liters of water. Each year, the textile value chain uses 215 trillion liters of water – with fiber production having the highest impact on freshwater withdrawal due to cotton cultivation.

Water pollution: The textile industry is responsible for 20% of global industrial wastewater and contributes significantly to chemical pollution. Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally, contributing to severe ecological impacts particularly in water-scarce regions.?

Energy consumption and carbon footprint: Energy use and resulting carbon emissions of the fashion sector are substantial. The sector accounts for 2-8% of global carbon emissions driven by energy-intense manufacturing processes and transportation in globalized supply chains.?This figure supersedes emissions from the aviation and shipping industries combined and could rise to 26% by 2050 if current trends continue.?Textile purchases in the EU on average caused a carbon footprint of 270kg per person.

Waste from overproduction: Between 10-40% of produced garments are not sold and end up as waste without ever having been worn even once.

Deforestation: Around 70 million trees are cut down annually to produce fabrics like rayon and viscose exacerbating the industry’s impact on global warming even further.?

Environmental Impact of Apparel from Excessive Washing

Besides textile’s production, frequent washing of clothes during their use by consumers has a significant environmental impact encompassing water consumption and pollution, energy use and resulting carbon footprint, as well as microplastic pollution. For example, over the course of the lifetime of a pair of blue jeans, 23% of the total water consumption and 37% of the carbon emissions can be attributed to washing and drying by the consumer. Excessive washing also contributes to a shortened lifetime and increased waste generation from accelerated wear and tear.

Water Consumption

Running washing machines is water intensive. On average, a single load of laundry consumes about 80 liters of water (EU consumption between 40-60 liters, US consumption between 50 to 110 liters). The average household runs about 200 to 300 loads per year, leading to an annual water consumption of approximately 8,000 to 18,000 liters (about 4,750 gal) per household.

Water Pollution

Chemical pollution from detergents is another critical issue related to household laundries. Conventional detergents contain phosphates and other harmful chemicals that, when discharged into water systems, can lead to eutrophication and harm aquatic life.?Additionally, the fragrances and dyes in these detergents release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which are classified as carcinogens.

Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint

Washing machines and dryers are among the most energy-intensive appliances in households. The average washing machine uses around 0.3 to 2 kWh per load – 90% of energy consumption is attributed to heating. This energy use translates to a carbon footprint, with each load washed in hot water and tumble-dried emitting approximately 3.3 kg of CO2.?Over a year, this can amount to 51-159 kg of CO2 per household.

Microplastic Pollution

Microplastic pollution from home laundry is a growing concern as particularly synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon shed microplastics during washing. Each load can release over 700,000 microplastic fibers into the water, contributing to ocean pollution. An estimated 35% of all microplastics in oceans are coming from synthetic textiles. 500,000 tons of microfibers are released into the ocean from washing clothes every year — the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. This challenge is expected to become even more substantial as it is expected that the share of synthetic fibers will increase further from today’s 60%.

The majority of microplastics from textiles are released during the first few washes. Fast fashion exasperates this problem as the business model focused on low-cost, high-turnover encourages consumers to buy more frequently and consequently promotes many first washes.

Waste Generation

Nowadays over 100 billion items of clothing are sold worldwide every year.?While people bought over 60% more garments in 2014 compared to 2000, they only kept the clothes for half as long. Annually, around 92 million tons of textile waste is generated, with a significant portion ending up in landfills. On average Europeans use nearly 26 kg of textiles and discard about 11 kg of them every year. Used clothes can be exported and repurposed, but in practice over 85% of textile waste is incinerated or landfilled. The equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second. Less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments, resulting in a loss of over $100 billion in material value annually.

Textiles can take more than 200 years to decompose, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and leaching toxic chemicals as well as dyes into the soil and groundwater. The decomposition process not only contributes to climate change but also poses severe health risks to communities near landfill sites due to the release of hazardous substances.

Excessive washing accelerates the wear and tear of fabrics, leading to issues like fading, shrinkage, and loss of shape, which cause clothes to be discarded prematurely. Studies indicate that 90% of clothes are thrown away due to such irreparable damage, long before they reach the end of their potential lifespan.

The rise of fast fashion has intensified the waste issue, as the production of inexpensive, non-durable clothing leads to more frequent disposal and increased waste. On average, nowadays clothes are worn only 7 times before being discarded.

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Levers to address the Impact from Washing

By adopting more sustainable laundry habits, individuals can significantly extend the useful life of their clothes and contribute to environmental conservation.

Refreshing Textiles Differently

Practices such as spot cleaning, airing out clothes, and using cold water as well as eco-friendly detergents can reduce the environmental footprint of refreshing textiles. Furthermore, products designed to refresh clothes without washing, such as fabric sprays, can be effective.

Washing Less Frequently

To mitigate the impact of excessive washing, reducing the frequency of washing has been identified as one of the most critical levers. Washing clothes less often conserves water and energy, reduces the release of microplastics, and minimizes chemical pollution. It also helps to preserve the quality and longevity of garments, delaying their entry into the waste stream.

Cutting back by just one load of laundry per week would save in an average household almost 4,500 liters of water annually. Less frequent washing also yields lower electricity consumption. For instance, reducing the number of loads by 25% could save up to 320 kWh per household annually reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with these processes.

Application of Odor Control Technologies

Odor control technologies integrated into textiles can play a crucial role in extending the time between wash cycles. These advanced technologies work by incorporating odor-absorbing and neutralizing treatments that inhibit the build-up of odor in textiles. This means that even after multiple wears, clothes remain fresh and pleasant to wear reducing the need for frequent washing. This not only conserves water and energy but also lessens the wear and tear on garments, extending their useful life translating into fewer replacements and less waste.

Odor control treatments are durable and can withstand numerous washes, ensuring long-lasting freshness over the entire life of the garment. This approach not only reduces the ecological footprint but also saves time and effort in laundry care, making it a win-win for consumers and the planet.

Challenges of Odor Control Technologies

There are three main types of odor control technologies: antimicrobial technologies that inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi, odor-capture technologies that adsorb or neutralize odor molecules like isovaleric acid, acetic acid, nonenol, ammonia etc, and odor-masking technologies that overpower odor molecules with a pleasing fragrance.

The initial cost of odor control treatments may be higher, potentially limiting their adoption, especially in lower-income markets. However, the long-term savings from reduced washing and extended garment life can offset these costs. Even with these benefits, it’s imperative that the choice of odor control treatment is made carefully. Using technologies that have their own set of environmental, safety and performance concerns could create new problems.

Antimicrobial-based odor control technologies are biocidal and largely silver based, which leaches over time to be effective. Thus, they are reported to have environmental and safety concerns after extended use. When silver-containing products degrade or are disposed of in landfills, silver can leach into the soil. This contamination can adversely affect soil microorganisms that are essential for nutrient cycling and plant growth. Prolonged exposure to silver can lead to a reduction in soil fertility and negatively impact agricultural productivity. Some individuals may experience allergic reactions to silver, ranging from mild skin irritation to more severe responses such as contact dermatitis. These reactions can limit the use of silver-containing products for sensitive populations, including those with pre-existing skin conditions. While alternative silver-based technologies have not yet been banned, brands and manufacturers should prepare for a potential future without silver and/or metal-based technologies and start evaluating alternatives.

While silver remains a popular choice for odor control applications due to its potent antimicrobial properties, it is not actually required for efficient odor management. Its adverse environmental, health, and economic impacts should not be ignored. Unfortunately, odor-masking technologies lose their effectiveness over time, making it a poor alternative.

Fortunately, there has been an increase in odor-absorbing and/or neutralizing technologies around the world, which address the root cause of odor itself, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making it an attractive option for odor control. One such example is Livinguard AO.

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Livinguard AO: A highly performant, sustainable and safer Odor Control Technology

Livinguard Technologies has launched Livinguard AO, a highly innovative and sustainable odor neutralization technology. This solution works by creating a permanent positive charge on the textile surface and provides nonstop freshness with unparalleled odor control performance on a broad range of textiles like cotton, wool, nylon, spandex, and especially polyester - where other odor control technologies often-times fall short, and odor build up remains a constant concern.

Livinguard AO targets and neutralizes odor molecules directly beyond the scope of antimicrobial silver-based technologies. The solution has been extensively tested by independent laboratories based on ISO 17299-3 (Determination of Deodorant Property on Textiles Part 3: Gas Chromatography Method) and has shown odor reduction of up to 99% for isovaleric acid, noneal and acetic acid – even after 40 household washes. Furthermore, the biocide-free and heavy-metal free technology used in the product provides an environmentally friendly and safer solution that enables manufacturers and brands quicker time-to-market & operational efficiency via global market access without any regulatory restrictions.

Conclusion

Textile’s environmental footprint during the consumption phase from washing and disposal is substantial. The adoption of innovative and environmentally friendly odor control technologies presents a viable path towards reduction by decreasing the frequency of washing, extending the lifespan of garments, and promoting more sustainable consumption patterns. Brand-led awareness of these savings can influence consumer adoption, which will generate demand for such technologies. Today, consumers often choose to buy more sustainable products and demand for sustainable apparel solutions is on the rise.

Livinguard Technologies has been a thought-leader and pioneer tackling the environmental impact of the textile industry by launching Livinguard AO a future-proof, performant, environmentally friendly and safer technology based on functionalizing textile surfaces through a positive charge. The use of Livinguard AO in the apparel industry can not only make a difference to the environmental impact of garments themselves, but also keep the safety of the wearer at the forefront without compromising on odor-control performance.