Textile production by additive manufacturing and textile waste recycling: a review

Abstract

The rapid growth of textile industry and fast-fashion has led to the production of about 92 million ton of textile waste per year. Nearly 85% of textile waste is disposed of by landfill and incineration, causing serious environmental pollution and huge resource waste, calling for alternative textile production. Here we review the green production of textiles with focus on additive manufacturing, 3- and 4-dimension printing, recycling textile waste, and synthetic and natural fibers. Additive manufacturing technologies, particularly 4-dimension printing, is flexible, green, and allows on-demand manufacturing, which is one solution to the textile waste problem. 4-Dimension printing contributes to the development of intelligent materials, and can create structures that deform in response to external stimuli. Textile waste contains high-quality, low-cost materials that can be re-used and recycled. Applications include smart textiles, flexible electronics, soft robotics, human–computer interaction, and wearable devices.