Describe soy cloth? One of the world’s most eco-friendly materials, soy cloth, sometimes known as “vegetable cashmere,” has the silky softness of silk. This fascinating textile, which is made from soy protein obtained from soybean hulls, takes a waste product and turns it into a useable textile with a minimal amount of hazardous chemicals and processing.
Soy cloth is extremely stretchy and has a good drape. Although this fabric takes dye well, the colour bleeds occasionally during the first few items of washing. Soy cloth does not wrinkle or shrink, despite being somewhat prone to pilling.
Due to its chemical makeup, soy cloth also offers special qualities. For instance, this fabric is highly antibacterial and UV resistant. In addition to being extremely soft and lightweight, soy fabric has the appearance of silk due to its light-reflecting properties.
| Fabric name | cloth made of soy |
| The fabric is also known as | Vegetable cashmere, vegan cashmere, soy silk, soy protein fibre |
| Fabric composition | Fibres derived from byproducts of the soy industry |
| Fabric possible thread count variations | 100-500 |
| Fabric breathability | High |
| Moisture-wicking abilities | Medium |
| Heat retention abilities | Low |
| Stretchability (give) | High |
| Prone to pilling/bubbling | High |
| The country where the fabric was first produced | United States |
| Biggest exporting/producing country today | The United States or China |
| Recommended washing temperatures | Machine wash cool or warm |
| Commonly used in | Upholstery, dresses, tank tops, skirts, suits, shirts, athletic wear, infant clothing, bedding |
Soy fabric today
Soy fabric hasn’t attained a substantial level of popularity despite its excellent ecological sustainability and other appealing qualities. However, soy protein fibre continues to be a preferred textile fibre in the speciality fabric industry, and many customers will go above and beyond to buy clothing and other products made of soy fabric.
To this day, soy fabric is still the only textile made entirely of plant protein and the only textile made from leftovers from the food sector. It’s conceivable that more people will eventually learn about the distinctive advantages and qualities of soy cloth, increasing its appeal.
How is soy fabric made?
The protein present in soybean hulls is used to make soy cloth. The methods used to create soy fabric fibres vary greatly from one producer to the next, and the best methods greatly reduce or recycle the chemicals required to transform soy protein into a useful textile fibre. The following list summarises the procedures textile producers go through to create soy fabric:
1. Soy protein isolation
Manufacturers of soy fabrics utilise organic procedures to remove the protein found in soybean husks from other substances. Although less common, it is also possible to directly extract protein from soybeans. Although soybeans themselves have a high market value, soybean hulls are virtually worthless garbage that yet contains a similar quantity of protein.
2. protein oxidation by heat, alkali, or enzymes
In its native state, soybean protein is unsuitable for the production of textile fibres. Soybean protein slurry must first undergo processes that make it less granular before it can be used in the manufacture of textiles.
Alkali is frequently used by textile makers to obtain this result. Industrial alkali liquids can be recycled, but if they get into the biosphere they become harmful. As an alternative, textile makers can employ natural enzymes that don’t hurt the environment to transform soy protein into a favourable state for fibre processing. The majority of alkali and enzyme soy protein treatments also employ the use of heat.
3. through spinnerets, extrusion
Textile makers extrude the resulting slurry through spinnerets after transforming soy protein into the desired form. The resulting fibres are stable and prepared for textile manufacturing after cooling and drying. However, some textile manufacturers subject their soy fibres to formaldehyde treatments in order to increase the resilience of the finished fibres.
4. Post-treatment
Given that formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, several soy fabric manufacturers now employ polycarboxylic acids. Other soy fabric producers opt to completely forgo applying finishing treatments to their fibres, but the resulting yarn is less resilient and more prone to creases.
5. Spinning
The soy fibres are then spun into yarn by producers of soy fabrics. Due to the rather delicate nature of soy fibres, they then dye the resulting yarn without the use of bleach.
6. Weaving
Long strips of cloth can now be made from spun yarn. This fabric is rolled onto bolts and then shipped to companies that make clothing or home furnishings for the creation of consumer goods.
How is soy fabric used?
Where is soy fabric produced?
China is the largest producer of soy cloth simply because its producers are more prone to follow experimental fashion trends. However, Brazil and the USA grow more of this crop each year than China, which is far from being the world’s largest producer of this crop. Therefore, it is likely that a large portion of the raw materials used to produce Chinese soy fabrics is imported.
How much does soy fabric cost?
Soy fabric often costs about the same as budget-friendly synthetic and natural textiles like cotton and polyester. The novelty of soy fabric may occasionally increase the cost of this textile material, although soy fabric production is not significantly more expensive than that of comparable natural and synthetic fabrics.
What different types of soy fabric are there?
Soy fabric comes in slightly varied shapes depending on the manufacturing technique, but this fabric has basically common characteristics. To improve or change the qualities of soy cloth, however, it can be blended with other textiles. These are a few samples of the various types of soy cloth that are offered:
1. Pure soy fabric
Stretchy, permeable, and extremely glossy soy fabric is created only from soy protein that has been processed. However, it has a poor level of resilience, and pure soy fabric dyeing can occasionally be challenging.
2. Soy-cotton blends
Cotton and soy are frequently combined in textile production to increase the longevity of the fabric. Fabrics made from a blend of soy and cotton maintain the silky sheen of pure soy fibre while incorporating the tensile strength of cotton. As a result, soy-cotton mixes are frequently used by clothing producers to create athletic wear.
Henry Ford temporarily popularised soy cloth and wool blends throughout the mid-20th century, however, they are less widespread today. Fabrics made of a blend of soy and wool maintain the suppleness and softness of soy while gaining the insulative and durable qualities of wool.
What is the environmental impact of soy fabric?
The effects of soy cloth on the environment are intricate and varied. Since soy fabric is made from waste, it appears to be one of the most environmentally friendly materials. Producing soy cloth prevents waste from going to the landfill and gives it another use.
However, the process of turning soy protein into fabric frequently involves the use of hazardous chemicals. While it is feasible to synthesise soy protein without the use of alkali, other processes are more expensive, and particularly in China, textile producers frequently neglect environmental concerns in their drive for maximum profit.
The use of formaldehyde to strengthen soy fibres is particularly concerning. Formaldehyde should never be used to make fabric by textile makers, and it is the duty of the industrial world to use as little of this hazardous substance as possible.
However, producers of soy fabrics who do not utilise formaldehyde or alkali create some of the greenest textiles ever. Soy fabric is not a large contaminant because it is made from waste and is also very biodegradable.
