By: Austin Marshalek
Sustainability is a hot word in fashion currently. Many brands use it to signal to customers that “they care” or that “they are doing what’s best for the planet”. Whether these brands are using sustainable textiles like organic cotton, recycled polyester, or non-blended natural materials; they are not addressing the main problem standing in the way of sustainable fashion. Fashion is one of the most wasteful industries on the planet. In each step of the manufacturing process, a plethora of materials are wasted and discarded in landfills or in local water sources. This includes, but is not limited to, dyes, fibers, fabrics, coatings, and even full garments. On top of that, production uses an excess of other materials such as water, electricity, and labor.
What is the solution to this problem? The quick and easy answer is to produce less clothing, but by doing that, millions will lose their jobs, companies will go bankrupt, and consumers will not have as plentiful of options as they once had (and the American consumer does not like a lack of options). So to counteract the downsides of cutting production, an intermediate response must be made to mitigate the pollution caused by the fashion industry. One solution can be to use waste that already exists to create the clothing that will be sold to consumers. Ideas like this already exist in the form of recycled polyester, recycled nylon, and reclaimed wool and cashmere. This is a great way to save the energy and resources used to create new versions of the same fabric but it has downsides as well. Fabric can only be recycled and reused if it is not blended with any other materials. The strengths of these recycled materials are typically weaker as a result of shorter fiber length, meaning that they typically have to be mixed with a new version of the material to be able to be worn.
This is where “New Waste '' can be used to create textiles for clothing and limit the amount of waste created by the industry. To define “New Waste”, the term “New” is being used to describe the fact that the material has not been used to create anything before, It exists in its original state. The term “waste” is being used to describe parts of, or whole products that are typically discarded from other industries.
When searching for industries that could provide “New Waste” material, farming seems to come to mind first. Many fibers that are used for textile production are crops that are harvested. Cotton, Linen, and hemp are just a few examples. So why not use other cellulose based material for our new waste. One of the largest sectors in industrial farming is corn because of its use in feeding livestock. Theoretically, the discarded corn husks and stalks can be beaten, separated and spun into yarn in a similar fashion to linen. Creating yarn this way would save on many natural resources that are used in growing fibers and theoretically any waste from the clothing manufacturing process could be composted or recycled to minimize the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
Corn based textiles
When focusing on corn waste, we can see that there is much more to be used than what meets the eye. Typically when corn is grown, it is grown as a cheap method to feed livestock and humans. The corn industry produces very little outside of human and animal consumption, but there is much to be explored. Like every industry, American corn farms and distributors produce waste. This can be waste such as corn stalks left to decompose in the field, corn husks, corn cobs, and even kernels. The opportunity for new life lies within the building blocks of corn itself.
Cellulose can be found in every part of corn. Like most other plants, corn relies on cellulose for protection and strength. It provides the rigidity to grow on skinny stalks, strength to be battered by weather, and protections against disease and pests. Cellulose is a substance that makes up the majority of the cell wall in most plant organisms. This means that it exists in all parts of the plant. This allows for the whole plant to be used in the fiber making process; everything from the roots to the cob. There are two different processes for developing corn fabrics to be used in fashion and furniture industries.
The first method of corn fiber creation is based on extracting cellulose from the plant. Cellulose can be extracted in different ways depending on which part of the plant it is being extracted from. Take for instance corn kernels themselves. To extract the cellulose from the kernels, the starch in the corn must be extracted from the body of it. Then the starch is fermented into lactic acid using different bacteria. This acid is then extruded into PLA (polylactic acid) strands, similar to how synthetic textiles are produced. These fibers then melt spun into the fibers that are used to create the fabric. A simple breakdown looks like this “Corn -> Starch -> Undefined Dextrose-> Fermentation-> Lactic acid-> Direct polymerization-> PLA Melt spinning-> PLA fiber” (Dhama, 155)
From there, the fibers can be used just like a standard textile. The fibers are spun into yarns, and can be spun with other materials to make stronger blends. The yarns are then knitted or woven into the fabric that will be used in manufacturing. Because corn is a cellulose based fiber, it can be dyed with the same dyes used in cotton manufacturing as it is also a cellulose based fiber.
The other method of making corn textiles and yarns is by using the long strands of cellulose from the corn stover. Corn stover is the leftover parts of the corn that are discarded after harvesting. This includes both corn stalks and corn husks. To make fabric from stover, “...fibers are extracted from the husk by alkali and enzymatic treatments. The raw material is treated in alkali solutions at high temperatures (85-90oC) for a particular time to extract fiber from husk”(Chaudhary, 2017). From there, the process is very similar to creating other types of cellulose based yarns like linen and cotton. The strands of fiber extracted in the alkali bath are spun into a fine thread that is then twisted with other threads to create a usable yarn for knitting, weaving, etc. This method of creating corn fabric does not chemically change the properties of the original fibers themselves. The alkali bath helps remove oils and waxes from the corn stover such as lignin and hemicellulose to create a better end product, but does not change the form of the cellulose unlike the PLA spinning method. This method creates a more natural feel compared to the PLA method as well and requires less energy to create(Yang, 2007).
When creating corn fabric using this method, it is also important to consider the type of stover during the process. Corn husks require less chemical and physical treatment due to their greater cellulose makeup. Corn husks typically create a more desirable fabric as well, but that does not mean that corn stalks cannot be used in textile production. Cornstalks can be used to make a cheaper, natural alternative to cornhusks, and will prevail as a blended fabric, especially when blended with other natural materials such as cotton, wool, flax, etc.(Yang, 2007) When referring to corn fabric, yarns, threads, and fiber manufacturing within the paper, it will be referring back to this manufacturing method unless otherwise stated.
This scientific talk is to help explain that a man made fiber like corn can be a stepping stone to having a greener world. According to Penn State University, in 2006 corn stalks and leaves amassed over 250 million tons, making it a third of all solid waste produced in the United States. 90% of the corn stover that is grown is not used and left to decompose between harvests. Here lies an answer for energy conscious fiber manufacturing. These stalks are grown for a purpose other than textile manufacturing, meaning that the difficult part of harvesting the raw material is done, and no extra energy is required to make a textile product.
Limited testing of corn clothing shows that it has great characteristics. These include softness, flame retardance, UV resistance, low odor retention, and some testing has shown that it is better than polyester with regards to activewear (Chaudhary, 2017).
With all of these positive reasons to start using corn in our day to day life, there is a question that looms. Why don't we wear it and how do we begin to wear it?
The first hurdle in creating corn based clothing is the availability of the fabrics and manufacturers that are willing to begin to produce it. Because it is a relatively new material that is not used in day to day life already, manufacturers do not want to spend lots of capital on buying and creating manufacturing tools capable of producing corn-based textiles and yarns. Not only does physical machines use lots of capital, but so does researching and developing techniques to ensure a consistent and quality product. This takes lots of time and experimenting that can take years and hundreds and thousands of dollars.
Some people have taken on the challenge such as professor Yiqi Yang from the University of Nebraska. As far back as 2004, professor Yang has been researching techniques for using different parts of corn to develop textiles and test the textile properties. In his patent filed in 2007, Yang explained that corn stalks and husks can be used to make yarn for textile creation and the possible benefits of corn based textiles in fashion.
Why Sustainable Fabrics?
Sustainability is one of the biggest selling points in today's economic landscape. Soap, sunscreen, food, and clothes are among the most popular products to look for a sustainable label. As scientists warn of climate change and microplastic consumption, consumers have begun using their money to purchase products that say they are better for the environment than others. Whether the claims are true or not, what is true is that 70% of consumers are affected by “eco-friendly” marketing (Nekmahmud, 22). Because of this, marketers look for ways to make and promote their products as sustainable. It is becoming a popular method of making a product stand out in a crowd of many others.
When it comes to fashion, sustainability is even more important. Fashion is the second most wasteful industry on the planet, right behind oil. 92 million tons of textile waste are produced each year with synthetic based fibers making up 60% of the waste (Ruiz, 2023). These plastic based products will take hundreds of years to decompose. As landfills grow larger and more numerous as the days go by, more and more consumers begin to notice.
As stated previously, the best way to solve the fashion waste problem is to cut the amount of production. Up to 100 billion new clothes are produced each year (Ruiz, 2023). That is over 12 new garments per person per year, many of which are thrown out by the end of the year. Companies will not look to cut production because it would mean a loss of profit year after year. Instead of looking at the beginning of the clothes life to find our solution, we will look at the end.
What happens to our clothes after we are done with them? Many people drop off unwanted clothes at thrift stores, re-sell their items online, or just throw them away outright. In the US alone, 10 million tons of clothing are sent to landfills each year. 3 million tons are incinerated, and only 2.5 million tons end up being recycled(Ruiz, 2023). When these clothes are placed in a landfill, many of them will not decompose and will shed micro-plastics into the local environment. “Every piece that ends up being burned produces greenhouse gasses, too. Incinerating clothes releases 2,988 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour, which is even more than burning coal (2,249 pounds per megawatt hour) and natural gas (1,135 pounds per megawatt hour)”(Segran, 2019). So how do we avoid producing clothes that will sit in landfills for hundreds of years.
Sustainable fabrics is a route to fix this problem. These textiles are made with the end of the product's life in mind. These fabrics can be recycled, composted, decomposed, reused, and more. Using fabrics such as recycled wool and hemp allow consumers to buy clothing without worrying about the fiber existing longer than their grandchildren. Using these fabrics also allows companies to market their products to the 55% of US consumers who are interested in buying eco-friendly fashion, many of whom are willing to pay extra to ensure sustainability(Ruiz, 2023).
Why New Fabrics?
Why do we need new sustainable fabrics in the first place? The current market seems to be flooded with options for sustainable clothing to purchase. For example, right now on target.com you can shop from a selection of recycled polyester jackets ranging from forty to seventy dollars. This can be said on almost any brand's website that has made a sustainability claim. Even on a site like hm.com, a brand known for its anti-ecological practices loves to show that their products are made from recycled materials.
Taking a look even closer at recycled polyester, two main problems can be identified. One, recycled polyester is replacing natural fibers like cotton and wool in a garment that does not need polyester. On H&M’s website, the “oversized turtleneck sweater” is listed at a retail price of $34.99 and is made of Polyester 64%, Acrylic 30%, and Wool 6%. Underneath the materials it explains that the polyester content is part recycled, making it more “eco-friendly”. A brand like H&M can cut costs by using Poly/Acrylic yarn to mimic the feeling of natural fiber sweaters for a fraction of the FOB, freight on board, price. Importing a sweater made of these materials receives the same tax as if it were made of natural fiber such as cotton, meaning there is no penalty for using this material. H&M is capitalizing on the idea that “Recycled Polyester” is sustainable to save money on manufacturing. To prove that a natural sweater can be made at this price-point, look at GAP’s version of an oversized turtleneck sweater. For a similar sweater, the GAP product will cost $39.99, only $5 more, and is made of 100% cotton. Nowhere on GAP’s page does it reference sustainability or imply that this product is “eco-friendly”. These sweaters both feature an oversized fit, side slit, turtle neck, a variety of colors, and a sub $40 price tag, but only one of them is marketed as sustainable with synthetic fibers.
This leads to the second problem, recycled polyester is not sustainable. At first glance, recycled polyester may look like a good alternative to polyester and other synthetic fibers. And to some people, it may look like a cheaper sustainable alternative to a cotton or wool sweater made with virgin material. When looking into the fiber, it is clear that “recycled” does not always mean good. Recycled polyester is typically much weaker than its virgin counterpart, meaning that it is almost always blended with virgin polyester to create a wearable and durable garment. This is because of the extensive heat cycles it goes through to be reformed into new filaments. Because of its weakened state, the filaments break down much easier, causing the rapid and excessive shedding of micro-plastic, almost 2.3 times more than virgin polyester, into the environment during every wash, dry, and wear (Sigaard, 2023).
Recycled polyester is not the only material that is guilty of false marketing. Fabrics like Organic Cotton have their downsides as well. This is due to the raw material consumption that is needed to produce it. Organic Cotton uses both more water and more land to yield similar amounts to traditional cotton (Sigaard, 2023). To promote the use of organic cotton without using more resources new sustainable materials must be used in tandem with cotton.
Why wear corn?
A development in the textile industry that isn't very new is using corn waste to create weavable and knittable yarn. The process was heavily researched and tested in the mid 2000s to early 2010s by Professor Yiqi Yang from the University of Nebraska. In processes that he began developing in 2004, Professor Yang has refined a process of making usable yarns from both corn husks and corn stalks. In this process, the corn is used for its cellulose, which forms the plant wall on many common plants, to create a strong interlocking twist of fibers.
Cellulosic fibers are not new to textile production. Cotton, one of the most used and most popular fibers in fashion is a cellulose based fiber. It contains the same building blocks as corn. Not only is cotton another example of a cellulose fiber, but so is linen/flax and hemp fibers. These cellulosic fibers are some of the most popular to use among environmentally conscious brands. Each fiber has its different usages and properties, but they all offer breathability and a soft hand which is popular among consumers. The downside to each of these fibers is the energy and resources needed to produce them. Cotton being one of the worst offenders, requires lots of land and water to produce, and even more if the cotton is certified organic. Growing these plants is done for one purpose, manufacturing textiles, and are mainly single use.
This is why corn fibers can become a popular addition to common plant based clothing across the world. Corn farming is already the largest produced crop in the United States, it is estimated that 250 million tons of corn stalks and leaves are left to rot and decompose every year. That makes up a third of the total solid waste produced in the US every year (Penn, 2006). The dead biomass does in turn fertilize the soil as it decomposes, but some of that waste can be used in other industries. These Stalks and husks can be separated into individual fibers and spun into usable yarn to make eco-friendly products. Manufacturing fibers this way eliminates the need for more resources to produce natural fabrics. Because the corn is grown for an alternative purpose (food, livestock feed, etc.), it means that corn fibers would require no excess resources. The yarns would essentially be made from waste. Using a process like this one would save money, water, agriculture land, labor, and electricity.
Manufacturing a new material out of waste would not only save resources, but it would also save money for both the consumers and the manufacturers. The average cost to buy corn stover including harvesting and shipping is around $106 per ton. Compare that price to cotton which FOB cost was $1,704 per ton in 2022(Cotton, 2023). This price gap is large, but it is typical to have only 30% of corn stover usable for fiber manufacturing, changing its price to closer to $312 per usable ton, albeit still cheaper than cotton (Tyner, 2014). This can provide a cheap, sustainable alternative to many of the synthetic fibers that are seen replacing cotton and linen in today's fashion world.
Public Opinion
Public perception is the key to creating new things in the modern world. A big reason that hemp fibers became so popular in clothing is because of the thousands of articles in recent years exclaiming how environmentally friendly it is. How it can replace cotton. How much water it saves. How you are a better person for buying clothing made of hemp. Now many of these articles may have been sponsored by brands that are using hemp in their clothing, but the fact of the matter is that these articles changed the idea that hemp was just slang for the drug marijuana, into a product that is sold in clothing stores around the world.
Gathering public opinion on corn fabric is an important step in making corn a viable option to put on store shelves. With sampling, tabling, and surveys, important data can be gathered to create a marketing plan and a viable route for production. The results of the data collection will give a good sample on potential customer age, customers' style, the consumer’s willingness to buy, and the consumer’s ability to buy at a higher price tag. To gain this information, I will send an online survey to a variety of people including friends, classmates, Fashion Institute of Technology students, and professionals.
The questions asked include the following.
Age?
Do you consider yourself a sustainable person?
Do you take into account sustainable fabrics when shopping for clothing?
Do you know what materials are in your items of clothing? (i.e. cotton, polyester, rayon, wool, etc.)
Have you purchased clothes made from sustainable materials such as Organic Cotton or Hemp before?
Do you prefer buying clothing made from natural materials? (i.e. cotton, wool, hemp, silk, etc.)
Are you willing to spend more money on an item if it is labeled as sustainable?
How much more likely are you to purchase an item of clothing if you know the story behind it. (i.e. Cotton grown in India then woven in Pakistan then Manufactured in Pakistan.)
Have you heard of corn based textiles in fashion?
Would you consider buying clothing made from corn (husks, stalks, or kernels) instead of cotton if you were told it was more environmentally friendly?
Would you consider buying clothing made from corn (husks, stalks, or kernels) instead of polyester if you were told it was more environmentally friendly?
42 people in total were surveyed from the ages of 18 to 50+. 52.4% of those surveyed declared themselves as a sustainable person, with the same amount saying that they consider sustainable fabrics while shopping. 76.2% know what the majority of their clothing is made of and 69% of people have purchased some type of sustainable material before. 78.6% of people prefer buying clothes made from natural materials, 69% are willing to spend more on sustainable clothing, and on a scale of 1-5, 85.7% choose 3 or higher when asked if they were more likely to purchase an item if they know the story behind it. 83.3% had not heard of corn based textiles, 73.8% would consider buying corn based clothing instead of cotton, and 85.7% would consider buying corn based clothing instead of polyester. (Marshalek, 2023)
Examining the results of the survey, it is evident that the majority of consumers questioned would consider purchasing corn based clothing, provided that the sustainability claims were true. This survey, although small in numbers, shows a high interest in new sustainable fabrics, especially fabrics that can replace other materials such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic. A fact and information based marketing strategy would work best with this customer because 85.7% of people saying that information/story of the product is important in buying a garment. This will help in determining how to market corn clothing and if it can be expected to sell in the competitive fashion market.
Expert Opinion
Speaking with professionals in an industry can lend itself to answers that are unfindable in journals and books. Professionals have opinions on topics that are not often expressed in literature because of its subjective nature. Speaking with Professor Arya from the Fashion Institute of Technology gave valuable insight into some problems faced in the textile manufacturing business. Much of Professor Arya’s knowledge lay in the field of PLA corn textiles.
PLA corn textiles can be a good alternative to a plain polyester fabric. The downsides of PLA corn are the reason for its little use in the fashion industry. Firstly, PLA filaments are more expensive to produce than its petroleum based counterpart. Polyester is often stronger as well, giving it the advantage over corn. A big part of polyester’s dominance in the textile industry comes from its ability to change its appearance. Polyester fabrics have been around for close to 100 years, meaning much research has been done with manufacturing methodologies and techniques. Because of this, polyester is able to take the shape of many other fabrics while cutting the manufacturing cost down. Mills have found ways to produce polyester that looks and feels like silk, wool, cotton, and many other more expensive fibers. The polyester duplicate of these fibers is often missing the qualities that the natural fibers have, but to the average consumer, the look and feel of the clothes is enough to buy it..
On top of that, the use of polyester is promoted by large oil companies because polyester production consumes 70 million barrels of oil each year. Professor Arya said “This isn’t two businesses taking on each other, it is a mafia pushing down a small business” in regards to boosting the use of PLA fabrics in fashion. These oil companies often fund campaigns against PLA plastic use. Unfortunately, it is not a competition that researchers and PLA manufactures are able to compete in.
How To Market New Fibers
To begin the process of manufacturing corn fibers, there must be a demand for the product at hand. A similar product has come to market recently with similar benefits to corn fabric and it has been succeeding. Hemp fibers have been a newsworthy fiber for a few years now. Back in 2015, hemp clothing existed, but not many people cared about buying a hemp and cotton blend t-shirt. News articles existed, but many were local/small journals and most articles about hemp were only focused on the drug instead of the fiber. A search for “hemp clothing” in 2023 now brings a plethora of clothing options, news articles from the largest magazines, and web pages dedicated to informing a customer about the benefits of hemp clothing. Some of the biggest fashion brands have begun to use hemp in their main clothing lines. Patagonia, Banana Republic, and Ralph Lauren are among the brands producing hemp clothing. It was a slow climb, but hemp is becoming a common fabric just as nylon and acrylic did 80 years ago.
Luckily, there is a previous guide on how to make a new sustainable fabric popular. One of the most successful methods in gaining public attention is marketing through many different sources. A quick google search for hemp clothing brings up articles from a variety of different sources. Forbes Magazine, “Why The Fashion Industry Needs To Turn On To Hemp”. The Times of India, “Trend of sustainable clothing booming in India”. WWD, “Why hemp Is the Fabric of the Future”. Hypebeast, “How Hemp's Industrialization Will Impact Fashion”. These articles provide just a small glimpse into the thousands of positive articles and videos promoting the use of hemp in clothing. There are also many local news broadcasts and reports on this subject, showing off hemp clothing to the average American consumer. On top of that, many TikTok and Instagram influencers have made videos about hemp clothing or where to buy it, marketing to the younger generations that do not typically scroll the recommended page on the New York Times app.
This subliminal advertising campaign is targeting everyone, young and old. No matter where they come from and no matter their income levels. To make corn a feasible option for fashion giants like H&M, GAP, and Ralph Lauren, this type of marketing needs to happen. The recent boom in hemp clothing is due to the legalization of hemp plant farming in the United States, but it still faces an uphill battle with people who have a negative opinion on weed/marjuana.
Sustainable marketing has been in effect for sometime now. The initial barrier, which is garnering support from common people, has already been broken. Multiple studies, including the one mentioned in the “Why sustainable Fabrics?” section, have shown that a majority of the public show interest in shopping sustainably. Even outside of the United States. A study from Oslo Metropolitan University in 2023 “...showed a strong preference for natural fibers among Norwegian consumers, which is the opposite of what is happening in the market, where synthetics are receiving increasingly high levels of attention from producers”(Sigaard, 2023). And with statistics backing up the use of natural and sustainable fibers, it can be assumed that large fashion companies are taking advantage of consumers when using synthetic fabrics. This is done by hiding the fabric contents on small tags inside the garment that the average consumer may not read, or by not making the contents easily accessible via the product page on the website.
This problem, on top of the many other problems in the fashion industry will persist until it becomes more economically viable to choose natural fibers over synthetics. Unfortunately there is no foreseeable time where synthetics will become more expensive to their natural counterpart without tariff and supply regulations changes. Corn based fibers may be able to force a change. Even the highest estimated price of usable corn stover is lower than the price of raw cotton by about 82%. Contrary to that, the cost of corn fabric at the moment of writing this paper is anywhere between $8-$14 per meter on zsfabrics.com. In comparison, the price of cotton is similar, but often has more options for large bulk order discounts because it is readily available. This price is for PLA corn fabrics, or corn fabric made of corn kernels, not corn stover. Meaning there are more expensive and technological steps in making the filaments and fabrics. If the popularity of corn fabrics made from stover begins to rise, we can expect to see a sharp decline in price due to production volume.
The rise of hemp clothing proves that there is a market for sustainability sourced fibers in fashion that are different from those that are already popular such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. Corn fibers possess properties that would make it a popular choice among consumers. It has a soft hand, meaning that it is soft to the touch; is antibacterial, making it a good choice for active-wear; low odor retention; and a high color-fastness, meaning that it can hold dyes without fading quickly(Reddy, 2005). Many of these properties are similar to cotton, making it a valuable option for cotton blended clothing. Corn’s anti-bacterial and low odor retention properties allow it to be a contender for sustainable activewear. Much of the activewear on today's market is made with either polyester or a cotton-polyester blend. These clothing items will exist for generations after they are discarded compared to clothes made of natural fibers. Because corn shares fiber properties similar to those of polyester and cotton, it can be said that it may make a good alternative to synthetic based activewear that is common in clothing today. This would require more testing, leading back to the problem of a lack of funding.
Rebuttal to Corn Fabrics
Creating a new anything comes with a push and pull of positives and negatives. Typically, no matter the circumstance, creating something new is unsustainable. Although corn fabric can be made from the waste of other industries in both methods, it often has to go through intense heat and chemical cycles that require new energy to create.
One critique of the process of making PLA style corn fabric comes from an article on an environmental textiles website. The article is titled “Say No to Genetically Modified Corn Clothing”. The article has a few critiques of the PLA corn textile manufacturing process. One of the critiques is that the majority of the corn produced in the United states comes from GMO corn that is manufactured by Montaso. This is the same company who created Round-Up, a glyphosate based weed killer. Their corn seeds are resistant to glyphosate, meaning that the entire field is sprayed with glyphosate to kill weeds and pests, but it will not kill the corn. This leaves Round-Up residue on the corn that may still exist as it is spun into usable yarns.
Another critique that comes from the article is the extensive chemical and physical alterations made to the corn when converting it into a PLA filament. The article states that the process uses “many of the worst chemicals known on earth!”. It also compares the PLA production process to that of viscose which has an non-environmentally friendly manufacturing process which has led to the decline of the manufacturing of viscose in recent years.
Although the article raises somewhat valid concerns about corn fiber manufacturing, it does not provide any scientific or fact-based information to support the authors claim. The article does not provide a list of chemicals used, amount of energy needed for the PLA process, and does not mention that GMO fruits and vegetables are used all over the world.
To address the first claim of using Monsanto Corn for fiber manufacturing, further considerations need to be taken into consideration when thinking about how all of our natural textiles are made. Unless a cotton garment is made of certified organic cotton, there is a strong chance that the cotton was grown using “Round-Up Ready” cotton seeds. Meaning that it was grown in the same way that most corn is grown. Organic cotton makes up only 1-2% of the cotton produced world wide, meaning that most likely, the cotton is produced with pesticides similar to round up. This is obviously not ideal, as organic textile production should be the end goal for all cotton textiles, but steps must be taken one at a time to reach that goal. Because Corn based textiles are not the primary use of corn, especially when creating it out of stover, it can be said that corn based textiles have a smaller environmental impact than non-organic cotton and other non-organic cellulose textiles.
To the author's second point of using harmful chemicals in PLA production; what chemicals are being used? First, the corn is soaked in water to pre-treat it. Then it is submerged in a protease, a chemical that exists in all animals, to break down the proteins. Corn slurry is produced and separated into its individual components using heat and mesh screens (Ramirez, 2009). This produces sugars that will be used to make the fibers. After that the sugars are fermented with bacteria, similar to alcohol. The lactic acid that is formed from fermentation is then converted into lactide using a metal catalyst, which speeds up the process without affecting the product. This is then melted using heat and air (Ramirez, 2009).
The overall process is not much different from sugar manufacturing that is used to make must sugars found in the grocery store. There is no evidence that “the worst chemicals known” are used in this process, and the PLA polymers can be used to create more than textiles. This process uses 65% less energy than PET plastics production (Royte, 2006), meaning that it is a more energy conscious and biodegradable substitution for polyester in modern clothing production.
Possible Problems
When developing new products such as those mentioned in this paper, unforeseen problems may exist that prevent the product from coming to fruition. There has been plenty of research stating that the use of corn products in fabric manufacturing can, and will work. This is evident from the availability of PLA corn fabric to average consumers online. But the proposition from this paper that is making corn textiles from corn stover and other farming byproducts is not currently happening, and there may be a reason behind that.
One problem that may be experienced during the making of corn based textiles is that the usable stover may be much less than 30%. Although most sources agree that on the top end of production 30% may be used, some sources indicate that the amount of usable stover may be 10% or lower per batch of stover(Chaudhary, 2017). This would create an issue with manufacturing because it will require more meticulous sorting of the raw material as well as a price hike, and would require more space to store the unused stover. All of this comes with increased costs in shipping, human labor, and usable space. This problem alone would turn away many manufacturers. Too many changes would have to be made in their current system and it may not be financially viable.
Another issue that may arise with a new fabric is the quality of the fabric itself. As mentioned before, limited testing has been done with corn based fabrics made from both methods, but actual human wear and tear may report findings contrary to the laboratory testing. The fabric may tear easily, it may stain or discolor easily, and it may be uncomfortable for the wearer. Data from Dr. Yiqi Yang’s experiments show that corn based fabric excels in all of these categories, but it will never be known for certain until the consumer is able to wear it themselves.
How to reach a new audience
As previously mentioned, the majority of consumers show a concern for sustainability. Labeling a product as sustainable only gives the consumer so much information. Because of the rise in popularity of environmental consciousness words like “Sustainable”, “Organic”, and “Eco-Friendly” can get lost in a sea of larger competitors using the same words and phrases to sell to customers. Not to mention, that these words can become meaningless as 53% of marketers have been found to partially lie about green marketing claims, a fact that consumers are becoming more aware of.(Factsheet, 2023)
Profit is the ultimate goal for companies selling products to consumers. Sustainability is used as a tool to make more profits in the face of climate change and pollution concerns. Corporations have learned that products can sell at a higher price tag when labeled with sustainable slogans and packaged with sustainable packaging. This typically comes with a higher cost to manufacture, but when keystoning, or marking up the cost 2x, the profit is higher. Take for example an organic cotton t-shirt. Say the cost to manufacture the t-shirt and send it to the warehouse is $15 USD, most likely, the retail price for the shirt will be $30 USD, meaning the net profit is $15 USD per t-shirt sold. Now say a non-organic cotton t-shirt cost $10 USD to manufacture and send to the warehouse. This means the retail price will be $20 USD and the net profit is $10 USD. This extra $5 creates lots of profit because the manufacture quantity is typically 10,000+ for larger companies. This translates to $50,000+ of extra profit that would not be made if they did not create the organic cotton t-shirt. These numbers and quantities are made up, but the concept stands as the International Trade Center estimates that organic cotton costs 20-30% more than traditional cotton. And according to vogue, the industry standard for clothing mark-up is 2.2x - 2.5x. The math looks different for every company and every product, but in general, increased profit is the reason for more brands promoting sustainability.
How does this apply to corn based textiles? In theory, corn textiles can be produced for a low cost due to the low cost of stover. In practice, the price to manufacture corn textiles will be similar to cotton because of a lower manufacturing quantity and a need for extra money for research and development. The price should eventually lower if corn is found to be useful and profitable for companies across the fashion industry.
Say a t-shirt made of a cotton/corn blended yarn costs less to produce than a 100% cotton t-shirt. The lower cost is due to the lower cost of raw materials. This t-shirt can be sold at a similar price as the 100% organic cotton t-shirt because the market dictates that eco-friendly clothing options tend to cost more than their standard counterparts. Consumers correlate higher price-tags with sustainable options, so a consumer will be more likely to pay more for a “Eco-Friendly Corn T-Shirt” than their usual cotton t-shirt because of the environmental impact. The mark-up will be on the higher end of 2.5x because of the lower production price and higher market price. This product can bridge the price gap between organic and standard cotton products while making a similar net profit to the organic product.
This potential profit cannot happen without proper marketing to consumers. As mentioned previously, hemp based textile products have been recent environmentally friendly products to make an impact on the clothing market. The way that hemp has been able to sell well is due to its marketing strategies. Hemp products are obviously marked as containing hemp, they state the environmental impact on the website and hang-tags, editorials and magazines have write-ups on hemp products, and social-media influencers post short marketing videos about the benefits of hemp clothing. This method of marketing focuses on giving the consumer more information about the product so they can make an educated decision on what to buy. This method builds trust with the consumer and helps alleviate the fear that they are being subject to green-washing and malicious sustainable marketing practices.
Conclusion
The fashion industry is in need of something new to help solve its waste problem. With many reasons why the industry has resisted this change, including but not limited to profits, cost cutting, ease of materials, and consumer habits, it is in need of a new product that can act as a stepping stone in an eco-conscious direction. Industrial corn farming is the largest agriculture sector in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Using the waste from corn farming, new fabrics can be made with low material cost, low carbon emissions, and low environmental footprint. Data shows that the majority of consumers want to buy sustainably, and corn can be the bridge to sustainable shopping in the fashion industry. With the success of other sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton and hemp, it is proven that marketing a sustainable material with conspicuous labels and easy to retain information can be profitable and sustainable. In conclusion, due to a high sustainability consumer demand, and a waste problem, corn fabrics can be a environmentally friendly and profitable alternative in the fashion industry
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