Cotton

What we think of as polyester fabric is most often actually a blend of polyester and cotton, which has proven very difficult to recycle. A new solvent, however, breaks the blend down into its two components, leaving both almost completely reusable.

While infected wounds aren't a good thing, neither is the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which may occur due to overuse of the drugs. That's where a new type of bandage comes in, as it kills microbes without resorting to antibiotics.

Cotton is a widely-grown crop and its seeds are full of protein, so you might think they'd be a great source of food. Unfortunately, though, they're toxic to humans. That said, such is not the case with a newly-developed variety of the plant.

When a cotton gin is used to separate cotton fibers from their seeds, a lot of lint is produced as a waste product. Currently, much of that cotton lint is just burned or put in landfills. Thanks to recent research out of Australia, however, it may soon be converted into biodegradable plastic.

Working with cellulose from trees, researchers have produced fibers claimed to be as strong as steel, and versatile enough to replace strands of fiberglass or lengths of cotton whilst still remaining biodegradable.

Researchers have developed a coating for fabric, that could be used to clean clothing simply by exposing it to sunlight.

Cotton is being used for many purposes, including reducing pollution, insulating homes, cleaning up oil spills, and feeding the hungry.