Life cycle environmental impact of novel radiative thermal management textiles in China

New types of textiles are being developed to meet requirements such as adjusting body surface temperature according to changes in the surrounding environment. However, these new textiles can have a significantly different impact on the environment throughout their entire lifecycle from cradle to gate compared to traditional textiles due to their complex composition. Therefore, sustainability should be taken into consideration in the development of textiles in addition to their performance. This study employs life cycle assessment to evaluate the system boundary from cradle to gate and analyzes the impact of different stages on the environment. It mainly assesses the impact of textiles on global warming potential, terrestrial acidification potential, freshwater eutrophication potential, freshwater ecotoxicity potential, fossil resource scarcity, and water consumption. The results show that the manufacturing stage is the primary source of environmental impacts which the contribution rate is more than 90%. The main reason is attributed to electricity consumption. Sensitivity analysis indicates that materials such as boron nitride have a greater impact on GWP than other inputs. Establishing regulatory frameworks for nanomaterials and transitioning to clean energy are essential for ensuring that textile innovation delivers both functional and environmental benefits.