The non-profit H&M Foundation of the fashion group H&M and the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) have presented cotton garments that can absorb CO2 from the air and release it as food for plants.
The two organizations’ “Planet First” program says the “Carbon Looper” project could be a “game changer” in tackling global carbon emissions. Cotton clothing treated with a solution containing amines can allow the fabric surface to absorb carbon dioxide from the surrounding air.
The carbon dioxide can then be released from the tissues by reaching a temperature of 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, in a greenhouse for example, where it can be naturally taken up by the plants during photosynthesis. The amount of CO2 absorbed by a piece of clothing per day is about a third of the amount absorbed by a tree per day, according to the H&M Foundation. In addition, after only three “cycles”, the garment has carbon-neutralized itself and is beginning to have a positive impact on the climate.
The Carbon Looper project will be tested in the form of an apron worn by the staff at the Fotografiska Stockholm restaurant. It was chosen because there is a hydroponic garden in the basement which is great for releasing CO2.
H&M Foundation tests cotton clothing that absorbs CO2
“We want to find new solutions that enable the fashion industry to positively change the planet. And because the change needs to happen now, we are focusing on rapid research approaches to develop breakthrough and scalable solutions with rapid strides,” said Christiane Dolva, chief strategy officer at H&M Foundation, in a statement.
“Our Planet First program with HKRITA is a perfect example of how we inspire industry-wide change through the open sharing of proofs of concept. We don’t have time for the traditional and the slow, so we don’t strive for perfection, but want to get the solutions out of the lab as quickly as possible, to test and improve them, and to inspire others and encourage collaboration that ultimately leads to one may lead to greater proliferation and adoption,” Dolva added.
“Everything we do in the lab is only useful when it leaves the lab. The Carbon Looper is one of a series of projects we are doing to see if we can achieve carbon neutrality in the textile, apparel and fashion industry. We will be watching this experiment at Fotografiska to see how we can improve the technology and develop more uses,” said HKRITA CEO Edwin Keh.
This translated article originally appeared on Fashionunited.uk.