Reviews on Biosynthetic Sustainable Polymers

Abstract

Textile and clothing sectors are now in pressing need of sustainable materials to thwart the un-sustainability, which has originated from large scale disposal of certain contemporary fibre based products. Biosynthetic degradable polymers obtained from renewable materials have emerged to cater the demand for sustainable textiles. Biological products, such as starch and cellulose based polymers, have been in use for more than thousands of years as food, home furnishings and for Apparel. However, with improved understanding of science, technology and processing of biological products have experienced resurgence, with substantial industrial production. Continuous development in the production technology had enhanced the properties of natural polymers,
such as heat resistant polylactic acid, enabling a wider range of applications. The sustainable disposal of synthetic fibres has been considered to be the principal driving force in stimulating the growth of biodegradable synthetic fibres. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Poly-butayrate, Poly-caprolactone, Polylactic acid, Polytrimethylene terephthalate, Soyabean protein fibre, Casein and Chitin and Chitosan are some of the recently developed biopolymers promoting the sustainability. These biopolymers are becoming increasingly accepted for their attractive properties and their potential diverse applications. This article presents a critical review on existing natural renewable resources for the production of sustainable biosynthetic materials for textile application.