Biodegradable Nonwove Fabric

Non-woven fabric is a new green and clean eco product for 21st century. It is made from natural and biodegradable materials like cotton, jute and flax fibres. The material is also breathable and soft on skin. It is also durable and has a good drape. This material is reusable and biodegradable, which means it can be used over again without losing its properties. It is also hypoallergenic and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, which makes it ideal for anyone who has sensitive skin. This type of fabric is very popular among people who use reusable grocery bags and want to do their part in saving the environment.

The process of turning polypropylene and polyester polymers into nonwoven fabric isn’t as bad as the processing of synthetic plastics, but it still uses a lot of energy. The production of non-woven fabrics requires heat, pressure and other machinery, all of which generates greenhouse gases that are not as friendly to the environment as organic raw materials. This is why many manufacturers of these types of fabrics have started using environmentally friendly polymers that are derived from renewable resources instead of petroleum-based raw materials.

Some biodegradable polymers are based on naturally occurring or petrochemical-based polysaccharides, thermoset polymers from vegetable oils, or synthetic polymers with additives responsible for photo-, oxo- and biodegradation (Farrington et al., 2005). During degradation, long chain polymers are hydrolyzed into lower molecular weight oligomers by the action of microorganisms in the presence of water and oxygen. The reaction is accelerated by the addition of acid or alcali and by the effect of temperature and humidity.

Biologically degradable polymers are usually not contaminated by the soil in which they are buried or composted. However, they may contaminate the soil with carbon dioxide, methane, water and humus (Farrington et al., 2007).

Agrotextiles made of these biodegradable materials can be used in a variety of applications. They can be used to protect the soil from erosion, to retain moisture and nutrients in the field and to suppress weed growth. Some of these agrotextiles can even help increase crop yields by reducing the need for fertilizer.

The biodegradability of agrotextiles is dependent on their cellulose content, crystallinity and temperature. The best agrotextiles to be used for erosion control are those with high cellulose content and low crystallinity. The agrotextiles should be soaked in water for about two hours to ensure that they are fully saturated before testing for biodegradability.

The biodegradability of the nonwoven sanitary mats, which were stitched with jute and hemp fibres, was tested. The results showed that the biodegradability of these sanitary mats was satisfactory based on sensory evaluation and tensile strength analysis. The sanitary mats that had the highest level of biodegradability were those with a high percentage of short fibers. The sanitary mats that had the lowest biodegradability were those with the largest concentration of long fibers. This is because the longer fibers have a more pronounced resistance to microbial degradation than short fibers.