Ahmedabad start-up makes sustainable fibre from agriculture, plant residue

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], September 11 (ANI): An Ahmedabad based start-up is converting agricultural and plant residue into natural fibres through circular technology.
Speaking to ANI, the founder of the start-up Shikha Shah said that in the world today, humans use 111 million tonnes of fibres for making clothes and these fibres basically consist of polyester, cotton and man-made cellulose.
"Polyester is basically plastic and a source of microplastic which is hazardous to environment and health both and while cotton is a beautiful fabric, the new genetically modified seeds require a lot of water, which is about 10,000 litres of water for two pairs of denim," she stated.
"The man-made cellulose, that includes rayon, causes deforestation and chemical processing is also harmful to the environment. So, our textile industry is demanding an alternative material that can bring down the environmental footprints of this industry by a high margin," she added.
Shah claimed that the material made by them is not only environment friendly but also solves the problem of disposal of agricultural waste as they use the leftover biomass to transform it into a fibre.
"There are certain types of biomass that work well with our proprietary technology. We source this biomass globally and we pay for it. This also creates an extra source of income for the farmers. So, holistically it is sustainable and geared towards a healthy environment," she added.
On being asked about the cost and feel of this fabric, Shah said that the fabric costs almost the same as linen and has a luxurious and natural touch. "It is skin-friendly, has anti-bacterial properties and is able to fight sweat and smells much better," she stated.
Shah further said that their company that started at a pilot scale is now moving towards commercial scale with the set up of a factory and in the next three to five years, they plan to set up their production lines closer to different agriculture and textile hubs.
"We are working closely with some existing textile chain players, so you will soon see some global brands using this material," she added. (ANI)