HealthTextiles leads the way for a more environmentally friendly textile industry with a focus on sustainability.
Sustainability is no longer a dystopian future vision but our everyday reality. In this light, innovations that can protect our planet appear not only welcome but necessary. This is where HealthTextiles and their groundbreaking TorTex™ fabric step onto the stage – not only as a player in women’s health and the textile market, but as a potential turning point in the pursuit of a more sustainable and responsible way to produce and consume textiles.
Tomas Persson, founder and chairman of HealthTextiles, shares his insights on the company’s latest advancements in sustainable development. By maintaining a focus on sustainability from the outset of product development, HealthTextiles’ patented TorTex fabric offers a range of environmental benefits compared to alternatives on the market.
-Our ambition has always been to lead the way towards a more sustainable textile industry, and with TorTex™, we have taken a giant leap in the right direction,” says Tomas Persson. “It’s not just about causing less harm to the environment, but also actively contributing to a better world,” Tomas continues. “For example, together with Monthly of Sweden, we are soon launching a unique series of panties panties that promise to change women’s experience of comfort and hygiene during menstruation.
The TorTex™ fabric is a sophisticated blend of natural cellulose from industrial hemp and cotton, combined with 37.5© polyester. This unique combination has not only resulted in a material that is naturally antibacterial after 100 washes without the use of silver, durable, and comfortable, but also one that has a positive impact on our planet. Industrial hemp, one of the main ingredients, is known for its ability to sequester CO2, and when the by-products from hemp cultivation are used in the production of hempcrete, this offers a double environmental benefit in carbon storage.
Hemp can capture atmospheric carbon twice as efficiently as forests while providing carbon-negative biomaterials for architects and designers,” according to Cambridge University researcher Darshil Shah. ”A number of studies estimate that hemp is one of the best converters of carbon dioxide into biomass,” said Shah, who is a senior researcher at the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at Cambridge.
According to Cambridge researcher Darshil Shah, ”It’s even more effective than trees.” ”Industrial hemp absorbs between 8 to 15 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare of cultivation.” ”In comparison, forests typically capture 2 to 6 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year, depending on the number of years of growth, climate region, tree species, etc.”
-We see the issues even with traditional polyester, which takes hundreds of years to break down in nature. Our response to this is not only TorTex™ but also a commitment to continuous innovation and improvement, including the licensing of 37.5© polyester in our TorTex fabric. HealthTextiles has chosen to license 37.5© polyester, which offers improved biodegradability. This means that 37.5© polyester breaks down into soil within decades rather than centuries, as is the case with current polyester,” says Tomas.
As societal awareness of environmental issues increases, consumers increasingly demand that companies take responsibility for the planet. This is where HealthTextiles and their innovation TorTex™ come into the picture as a pioneering solution. Through careful studies, they demonstrate that the patented fabric not only stands strong in competition when it comes to quality and sustainability but also leads the way towards a greener future with natural antibacterial properties after 100 washes compared to the use of silver in garments.
According to Svenskt Vatten, silver is used in garments such as sportswear due to its antibacterial properties. What many of us may not know is that silver is classified as a biocide, meaning, a toxin. In the long run, the silver present in the water cycle can pose a significant threat to life in the sediments of our lakes and seas. Organisms living in the sediments play a crucial role in the biological networks created by nature. A major issue with silver in sportswear is that it leaches out when the garments are washed. In other words, the silver ”escapes,” ending up in wastewater and eventually in the water cycle. Companies marketing odor-reducing treatments sometimes claim that no leakage occurs during washing. However, Svenskt Vatten has conducted washes in a laboratory environment and can demonstrate that leakage occurs in all silver treatments on sportswear. Between 31 and 90 percent, with a median value of 72 percent, silver had leaked out after ten washes.”
The TorTex™ fabric contributes to both a sustainable and circular economy through the use of industrial hemp. This powerful plant not only sequesters CO2 but its by-products can be used to create hempcrete, a sustainable alternative to cement which currently accounts for a significant portion of global CO2 emissions. Industrial hemp also contributes to biodiversity as bees are fond of industrial hemp, and it extends the lifespan of honeybees, according to a recent study.
”Industrial hemp seeds can be used both as food – Urban Deli recently launched a hemp sausage – and to help save the oceans from overfishing, where the fish are turned into fishmeal for fish farms (such as the herring depleted in the Baltic Sea, which is turned into fishmeal and then fish feed in fish farms). Rare Earth Global, growers of industrial hemp for a range of sustainable products, has received £50,000 funding from the UK Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) to explore how hemp seeds can be integrated into the diet of farmed salmon in Scotland.
BMW also uses industrial hemp in their electric car, the i3. BMW Group states that they also utilize biobased plastics and plastics reinforced with natural fibers such as hemp, reducing the use of oil-based primary plastics. The goal is to use thermoplastics with an average of 40 percent recycled material by 2030.
-Our ambition is to lead the way towards a more sustainable future for the textile industry. By embracing initiatives like Axfoundation’s and the farmers on Gotland who are beginning to cultivate industrial hemp again, we demonstrate that we are open to collaborations that accelerate our industry’s transition to sustainability.
HealthTextiles and the TorTex™ fabric represent more than just an innovation within the textile industry; they are part of the solution to today’s most pressing environmental challenges. By choosing TorTex™, consumers, customers, and investors contribute not only to reduced climate impact but also to a sustainable future where design and functionality go hand in hand with environmental responsibility.
For further information, please contact:
Tomas Persson
Founder and owner
HealthTextiles
www.healthtextiles.com
info@healthtextiles.com
+46 (0)727-302081
About HealthTextiles
HealthTextiles is a leading Swedish manufacturer with a mission to save lives and reduce costs for the healthcare sector by developing innovative new medical uniforms and textiles. The company is also committed to improving the quality of life for women through innovative products such as menstrual panties through an exclusive agreement with Monthly of Sweden, a market leader in menstrual cups in Sweden. HealthTextiles works closely with its partners and investors to drive the industry forward and create positive change.
Translated to English supported by AI, Chat GHP.
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