South Africa to grow grass for recyclable textiles

An initiative is launching this month in
South Africa to grow a new type of grass
that can be used to create zero-waste
recyclable textiles.

Miscanthus is a new fully recyclable man made

Cellulose Fibre based on Miscanthus Grass

The project has been initiated by
sustainable textile and fashion company
Dutch aWEARness, which specialises in the
closed loop supply chain. The new Miscanthus (elephant grass) developed by the University of
Wageningen in the Netherlands contains a
high amount of cellulose, which can be
used to create viscose rayon - a sustainable
alternative to natural materials for textiles. After use, it can be converted back to cellulose.
In addition, the material is said to have a very limited impact on the environment, is easy to grow in a variety of climates, and can be recycled over and over again.
The 'Grass for Sustainable Growth' will kick off in Johannesburg, South Africa this month, with the planting of 1500 hectares of Miscanthus in South Africa's Eastern Cape.The project fits within the "Black Economic Empowerment” initiative of the South African government and is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The INGCA consortium – comprising Dutch aWEARness and the South African companies Ekcon and AlternaFruit – is behind the planting, and provides additional employment and good working conditions for the local farmers. The profits are entirely reinvested in the region. Dr Precious Mioloy-Motsepe, chairman of African Fashion International, will be invited to become the ambassador of the project.
culled


So imagine an outfit made from Grass.. Would you wear it?