Recent Advances in Bio-Based Nonwoven Materials: Sustainable Production, Applications, and Circular Economy
Desalegn Atalie, Mulat Alubel Abtew, Li Zhao
Abstract
The increasing environmental and ecological concerns from extensive petroleum-based product use underscore the social value of developing green materials from renewable resources. Nonwoven materials provide advantages like low production costs, versatile applications in various sectors, and lightweight properties over traditional textiles. Biomaterial-based nonwovens are promising due to their inherent traits, renewability, and abundance. As sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived materials, bio-based nonwovens from cellulose, modified cellulose, regenerated cellulose, chitosan, alginate, agricultural wastes, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) tackle challenges like plastic pollution and resource depletion via enhanced biodegradability, lower carbon footprint, and circular economy alignment. This review analyzes recent advancements in eco-friendly preparation of bio-based nonwovens and technologies, focusing on green, scalable manufacturing, performance improvement, and lifecycle sustainability. It also addresses challenges and solutions, such as machine learning design, hybrid composites, and policy frameworks, while highlighting applications in bio-compatible medical textiles, home textiles, packaging, personal protective equipment, building materials, air filtration, water purification, gas adsorption, and space technology. Finally, it explores future directions in biomaterial nonwovens, regulatory best practices, and cross-sector collaborations to promote widespread adoption for a sustainable circular economy. This work fills a literature gap by providing actionable insights for researchers, industries, and policymakers in bio-based nonwovens.