Sustainability in the fashion industry: a case study in sericulture

The traditional production of silk - known as sericulture - includes the cultivation of mulberry (Morus sp.) to serve as food and the formation of cocoons of the Bombyx mori caterpillars (the famous silkworms, which would evolve into moths), which are burned in boiling water of up to 105 °C, killing the insect by dehydration, so that the cocoon breaks up, transforming them into threads, and finally into fabric (BRANCALHÃO, 2011; DOS SANTOS et al., 2011).

Silk has been culturally valued for centuries and considered a luxury item, and it is currently one of the most coveted products by the fashion industry due to its difficulty in obtaining it. However, the production process is essentially the same from the start, although modern sericulture is mechanized.

Brazil participates in the ranking as the third largest silk producer in the world, with China and India leading, and is considered the best in the world for its yarn quality (GRIZOLI, 2018). The sericulture activity in Brazil shows gross sales of around US$129 million annually, in which 97% of the silk thread production is destined for export (WATANABE et al., 2000).

At the same time, Brazil holds 50% of the world's orange juice production, and gets 85% of the world market share (NEVES, 2010). On the one hand leading the trade, on the other the scenario of intense citrus production annually generates large volumes of by-products derived from oranges, commonly known as food residues, which are discarded for uselessness, supporting the continuous wear of the planet's natural resources. It is estimated that between 2009 and 2010 the Brazilian production was 397 million boxes of oranges, and consequent 851,000 tons of citrus fruit by-products, which demonstrates the indispensability of investigation and solution of the recurring problem in a sustainable manner (NEVES, 2010).

Emerges as an alternative, a method that makes it possible to reduce food waste and the pollution of natural resources, transforming citrus industry by-products into a resource for the fashion sector. Free from animal cruelty, the production of silk from the cellulose of hundreds of thousands of tons of waste currently generated proves to be a palpable alternative.

After pressing the fruits, the potential of bagasse (including husks and seeds) for extraction of citrus cellulose is explored, which generates a fibrous fabric, which is synthesized in a suitable way for spinning and transformation of textile fibers similar to silk, with the differential of being linked with innovation, ethics and environmental responsibility. The process thus allows transforming an industrial waste that would otherwise be discarded into a material of high quality and value for the fashion sector. In the first stage, about ten tons of leftover orange are reused, enough to produce four thousand meters of fabric (ORANGE FIBER, 2015).

The Orange Fiber company was founded in Italy, and patented and produced the first sustainable vegan fabric from cellulose by-products of the citrus industry.

Knowing the cultural value of the fabric and its uniqueness, the price of pure Indian silk for sale in Brazil costs around USD 100 per meter. Citrus fabric is not yet for sale in its unmanufactured form. At the time of a partnership with the luxury brand of Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo (the first to use unconventional silk in their collections, starting in 2017), a meter of a stylized scarf cost around USD 360. it is clear that there is a large disparity in the costs compared. However, the production of unconventional silk may come to become effective in view of the current scenario of sericulture culture with regard to adversities, such as virus infestation in caterpillar management sheds, spread of diseases (ancylostomiasis), in addition to the low investment of textile spinning companies (GRIZOLI, 2018).

It appears that the greatest disparity between the compared artifacts is the price and, consequently, the target audience of the final product. It is hoped that in the near future both can become competitors in the sector.

Furthermore, both productions have advantages and disadvantages, but it is possible to conclude that the new technology exploits a market share capable of filling a sustainable gap in the fashion sector.