VIEWPOINT Durability is a Game Changer

Neither machines, nor the commodities made by them, rise in real value, but all commodities made by machines fall, and fall in proportion to their durability.

– David Ricardo (1852), British Political Economist

urability is a topic that is increasingly mentioned in the light of textiles and sustainability. Single-use items are mainly discussed, but it applies to other categories from fashion to home goods to hygiene, and beyond. It seems like a new idea, that textile goods should last longer, but it wasn’t that long ago that in manufacturing it was the gold standard.

It was frowned upon when machines began to make goods that were not durable. Of course, this view was held as society ramped up into the industrial revolution, when machines began to replace labourers who made and assembled items on manual production lines. It was thought that machines could not do as good of work as people. Oddly enough, we still are having that debate today as AI technology is evolving.

Over the last 100 years, we have experienced a slow and steady cultural indoctrination, moving from quality to quantity, durable to disposable, craftsmanship to mass production, fashion over function, needs to wants. Today as a dime-a-dozen throw-away (first world) society, most goods are about having choices and convenience. For the health and wellness category, i.e., the hygiene sector, obviously a sanitary standard must be upheld. Yet, much of the waste from textiles stems from things we could control, if desired.

Plastics usage evolved in the manufacturing world after the Second World War and then again during the 1960s and 1970s and its existence has created mind sets that are almost irreversible now. Plastic makes things less costly to make and purchase. We cannot legislate plastic out of our world. It is everywhere, and in almost everything. So what are the options?

In this issue, two articles on durability offer some solutions.

First, we have an article on Brakeable, on page 21, a small start up company working to connect consumers and manufacturers on defects in goods through a platform. These defects often prematurely end a product’s useful life – things that a consumer may count among their favorites – and this platform is a way for manufacturers to engage with their brand followers on these matters. I met Stefan Hauser, Founder and CEO, at Techtextil in Frankfurt in April, and I was intrigued with the idea that was inspired by a defect in his own backpack. Ultimately, the premise is longer product life equals less textile waste. It is from this generation of innovators that change will likely result.

Also in this issue, on page 36, Adrian Wilson talks durability in the nonwovens sector. From filter bags to geotextiles, innovation is rising to lengthen the useful life of some nonwovens textile applications.

In other news, there is a lot of work on intermediates and sustainability, reported by Geoff Fisher on page 24.

And on page 30, we have our first-ever “Adhesives and Bonding Roundup,” where several companies share innovations that they are working on for this sector. Some of it adds to sustainability, durability and functionality that adhesives play in many areas of textile production.

Lastly, we would love to know what you want to read about! We are planning topics for 2025. Send me your thoughts to csmith@inda.org! Enjoy the read!

Caryn Smith Chief Content Officer & Publisher, INDA

Media, IFJ