Definition
Compostability refers to the property of a material to be completely broken down under defined conditions by microbial activity — including bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms — into carbon dioxide, water, mineral salts, and biomass, without leaving persistent harmful substances. The process can occur under aerobic conditions in industrial composting facilities or, for suitable materials, in home composting. Compostable materials must decompose within a defined timeframe and under controlled temperature, moisture, and oxygen conditions so that the end product can be used as high-quality compost.
Use in the textile industry
In the textile industry, compostable fibers and textiles are produced primarily from natural raw materials such as cotton, linen, wool, or bio-based man-made fibers (for example, those derived from polylactic acid or cellulose derivatives). Such materials are used in short-lived products such as packaging textiles, single-use medical products, or agricultural fabrics, where disposal via the composting pathway is ecologically beneficial. A critical requirement is that processing auxiliaries, dyes, and finishing agents do not impair the compostability of the finished product and do not leave harmful residues in the compost.
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The free learning platform teaches textile fundamentals step by step in interactive online courses. Each online course includes its own glossary with the most important terms of the respective topic. Across all courses, more than 600 textile terms with narrated explanations are available.
textil trainer is developed together with the Chair of Textile Technologies at Chemnitz University of Technology, chemmedia AG, and companies and educational institutions from the textile sector.