Natural versus Synthetic Materials

Many people have been contemplating the benefits of natural fibers and how much less destructive they are for the environment. However, when it comes to building materials one needs to take into consideration the entire life cycle of the material, the energy use, the pollution and toxicity impact, the manufacturing phase, the packaging and transport phase, the installation and the end of life phase.   The entire process needs to be taken into account before wide assumptions are made about which materials are better for the environment.  While natural materials are more harmful to the immediate environment (meaning the water and soil) while synthetics take a larger toll on the air and non-renewable resources.  It is up to the consumers to demand that manufactures take a closer look at the process to produce product and find the best way to make it healthier for everyone involved.

From our pass readings we have learned that organic growth is much better for the environment it terms of less toxicity during the growing and materials phase, but it is more harmful to the environment than conventional growth in the production phase due to the dyeing and finishing of the materials. 

When discussing building materials in form of natural versus synthetic materials, the Sustainable Commercial Interiors articles suggests several factors that should be taken into account when selecting materials.  These considerations can be taken into account towards interior finishes, flooring, cabinetry and trim and insulation materials.

• ·      Select products with low or no VOC content (Volatile Organic Compounds are a class of chemical compounds that can cause short or long-term health problems.  Low or zero VOC paints and coatings improve indoor air quality and occupant health), and choose water based finishes.
• ·      Consider materials and finishes with out acetone, formaldehyde or ethylene glycol
• ·      Consider materials made with recycled content
• ·      Avoid using tropical woods.
• ·      Choose products based on their total life cycle cost
• ·      Use products that consist of naturally renewable resources

When taking these factors into consideration when designing a product or structure, natural versus synthetic materials can either be beneficial or harmful to the environment.  While most building materials contain formaldehyde, which can cause health problems there are other building materials that can be used in order to have a more sustainable design.

During Charline Ducas video, she mentions how the industry is moving towards sustainability by being eco efficient.  In this video she talks about how there are six ways to be more sustainable.  The six categories are:

1. Reducing recycling and up cycling
2. Renewables
3. Re-exploring naturals
4. Doing more for less
5. Water less
6. New ways 

She later goes into detail on how each one of these six steps could help the textile industry move towards a more sustainable environment.  There a innovations that are coming out in order to reduce the usage of water, producing bio degradable products, exploring other fibers besides cotton, and finding new ways to print textiles with out using dye form. 

If learn the ways we can prevent from using harmful materials our environment could move towards a more sustainable environment.  However we need to learn what is more harmful to the environment in their entire life cycle.  As mentioned before both natural and synthetic fiber have there advantages and disadvantages but one needs to take into account what the end life cycle of the material will be and how it can be biodegradable.