Reusable period products supporting the UK human and natural environment for health and wellbeing

纺织业是最大的污染行业之一，过度消耗材料和自然资源的趋势迫切需要改变。创新和研究使纺织产品不断发展，以提供更好的性能和支持我们的日常生活，然而，合成纤维和整理剂是许多发展的基础，导致水和土壤中的微纤维污染，并因其碳含量高的生产方法而导致温室气体排放（GHG）。女性卫生部门是造成大量浪费的一个领域，因为主要基于一次性产品。最近，在改善一次性产品以解决日益严重的废物问题方面取得了重大进展，但这些产品仍然有助于填埋和污染污水。随着消费者意识的提高以及围绕其卫生证书、功效和实际购买和维护的神话的消除，可重复使用卫生产品的市场正在获得动力。此前AHRC DEP的资金（与Femme Tasse合作）使该团队能够进行市场部门分析，对可重复使用的产品进行基准测试，消费者反馈和教育，并确定产品开发领域，提高消费者参与度。第二阶段旨在解决纺织行业面临的一些最大挑战，即对环境的影响、自然资源的使用和纺织品的报废管理。有许多产品声称是可持续的，可回收的和/或可生物降解的，但这些声称可能会混淆和误导消费者。其中许多产品仍然会开采自然资源，对当地环境产生负面影响，并且只有在适当的条件下，在存在适当设施的情况下才能回收或生物降解，这违反了绿色声明准则。该项目专注于可重复使用的女性卫生产品作为概念验证领域，旨在解决复杂的内衣如何有效地发挥作用，同时积极支持英国的环境，从原材料到生命终结管理。该项目旨在创造一种有效的产品，在使用寿命结束时可生物降解，并致力于最终创造一种可堆肥的产品，减少有害残留物，回馈自然栖息地，帮助支持生物多样性。其中一个关键的障碍是纺织品的加工、染色和整理，这些过程会在产品报废时留下潜在的有害化学物质。该项目的主要目标是利用未充分利用的英国种植纤维（包括各种类型的羊毛纤维、亚麻和大麻）开发可重复使用的经期裤，以支持生物多样性和英国农业。我们的目标是创造一种可生物降解的产品，在使用寿命结束时不会产生废物，并理想地回馈环境，进一步支持英国的生态系统。

The textile industry is one of the biggest polluting sectors and a tendency for overconsumption of materials and natural resources urgently needs to change. Innovation and research have enabled textile products to evolve to perform better and support our daily lives however synthetic fibres and finishes underpin many developments contributing to microfibre pollution in both water and soil, and contribution to Greenhouse Emissions (GHG) emissions due to their carbon heavy production methods.An area contributing to significant waste is the feminine hygiene sector, due to being based primarily on disposable products. Recently there have been significant advancements to improve disposable products to address the growing waste problem however these products still contribute to landfill and polluting sewerage. The market for reusable hygiene products is gaining momentum with consumer awareness and the dispelling of myths surrounding their hygienic credentials, efficacy and practical purchase and maintenance. Previous AHRC DEP funding (with Femme Tasse) has allowed the team to undertake market sector analysis, benchmarking reusables, consumer feedback and education and identify areas for product development and increase consumer engagement. Phase 2 aims to address some of the biggest textile sector challenges, namely, impact on the environment, use of natural resources and the end-of-life management of textiles. There are many products that claim to be sustainable, recyclable and/or biodegradable however these claims can be confusing and misleading to the consumer. Many of these products will still exploit natural resources, have negative effects on the local environment and can only be recycled or biodegraded if disposed of in the right conditions where appropriate facilities exist, in contravention of the Green Claims Code. Focusing on reusable feminine hygiene products as a proof-of-concept area to follow, this project aims to address how a complex undergarment can effectively perform whilst positively supporting the UK environment from raw materials through to the end-of-life management. The project aims to create an effective product that at end of life is viably biodegradable and to work towards the ultimate creation of a compostable product mitigating harmful residues and giving back to the natural habitat helping to support biodiversity. One of the key stumbling blocks is the processing, dyeing and finishing of a textile that encompass processes that leave potentially harmful chemicals on a product at end-of-life.The key aim of the project is to develop reusable period pants utilising underused UK grown fibres including various types of wool fibre, flax and hemp that support biodiversity and British farming. The goal is to create a biodegradable product that at end of life does not contribute to waste and ideally gives back to the environment further supporting the UK ecosystems.