what is the difference between cloth and plastic ?
Answers
PLASTIC & CLOTHING
It’s no secret that too many of the plastic products we use end up in the ocean. But you might not be aware of one major source of that pollution: our clothes.
New studies indicate that the fibers in our clothes are poisoning our waterways and food chain on a massive scale. Microfibers – tiny threads shed from synthetic fabric – have been found in abundance on shorelines where wastewater is released.
Demand for polyester has grown faster than demand for wool, cotton and other fibers for at least 20 years, according to industry journal Textile World. And, by 2030 synthetics are expected to account for 75 percent of global apparel fiber production, or 107 million tons.
WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC FIBERS?
To begin with, let’s have a look what are synthetic fibers and how are they made.
Synthetic fibers are man-made textile fibers that some are usually made from natural materials (such as rayon and acetate from cellulose or regenerated protein fibers from zein or casein) as well as fully synthetic fibers (such as nylon or acrylic fibers)
Man-made fully synthetic fibers are produced by reactions of oil-based products that produce polymer pellets (plastic). These pellets are purchased from the pellet manufacturers (such as ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, etc.) by the fiber manufacturer. The polymer pellets are then heated to transform the polymer into a liquid or fluid state.
Some of the most used synthetic fibers are;
Nylon: Nylon clothes and similar products are made from strands of plastic yarn. They are made by melting nylon chips that once liquify, are forced through the fine holes of a nozzle called a spinneret. As the liquid emerges from the holes, it is cooled down so that it solidifies to form tiny threads. These threads are woven together to make fabric.
Rayon: Rayon is one of the most peculiar fabrics in commercial use to date. It is not 100% artificial because it is extracted from naturally occurring cellulose. It is not, however, a natural fabric, because cellulose requires extensive processing to become rayon. It is usually classified as a manufactured fiber and considered a regenerated type of cellulose.
Polyester: There are many variations of polyesters, but the most popular is polyethylene terephthalate or PET. To turn polyester into fibers, the plastic is heated and forced through spinnerets. The fibers are stretched to five times their length, typically combined into yarn, and then knitted or weaved into polyester fabrics. Polyester is one of the most popular types of synthetic fabrics because of its profound durability. It retains its shape, is resistant to most chemicals, rarely suffers from stretching, shrinking and wrinkling, and is mildew and abrasion resistant. It is also hydrophobic in nature which makes it easy to wash and dry.
Spandex: Spandex is a lightweight, synthetic fabric with unique properties that make it suitable for sports apparel. The fabric can expand up to 600% and spring back without losing its integrity. Over time, the fibers do tend to become exhausted due to heavy wear and tear. Unlike many other synthetic fabrics, spandex is a polyurethane, which is responsible for its peculiarly elastic qualities.
Acrylic: Wool is a type of natural fiber resourced from sheep shearings. However, as time progresses, many have been less keen on wearing an animal behind their backs to keep warm. Acrylic, on the other hand, is purely synthetic and closely resembles the characteristics of wool. Acrylic fiber consists of acrylonitrile and a comonomer. The comonomer is added to improve its dyeability and textile processability.
Acetate: Acetate is often a replacement for shiny, soft, and luxurious fabrics. It is commonly used to make drapes, curtains, and other home decor items, along with being used for clothing and furniture linings.
ARE OUR CLOTHES POLLUTING THE OCEAN?
A report from the National Center of Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, California on the Earth Island report, states that every time a synthetic garment — that is, anything made from the synthetic fiber mentioned above– goes through the spin and rinse cycle in a washing machine, it sheds a large number of plastic fibers. In another report, published in Environmental Science & Technology is stating that one single synthetic garment can produce more than 1,900 microfibres per wash.
A single polyester fleece jacket could shed as many as 1,900 of these tiny fibers each time it was washed.
Most washing machines don’t have filters to trap these miniscule microfibers, and neither do sewage plants that are responsible for removing contaminants. So every time the water drains from a washing machine, plastic filaments are swept through the sewers and eventually end up in the ocean.
In a groundbreaking 2011 paper, Mark Browne, a senior research associate at the University of New South Wales, Australia, found that microfibers made up 85% of human-made debris on shorelines around the w
Answer:
1:- cloth is biodegradable & plastic is
non biodegradable.
2:-A cloth may be woolen,fiber or silk but
plastic is an organic compound formed by
the process of polymerization of ethene.
3:- cloth cause no harm to environment
but plastic has many harmful effects.
Explanation:
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