7. Conclusion

Historically, natural fibers like cotton have always been exploited by man. Despite their limitations, constraints and price, they continue to enjoy great interest from manufacturers and consumers alike, thanks to their comfort and eco-friendliness.

In the 20th century, cellulosic man-made fibers such as rayon, viscose and cellulose acetate appeared, followed by synthetic fibers. These two chemical fiber families still account for half of all fibers used, and remain fashionable.

For some years now, academic and industrial R has been proposing bioplastics derived in whole or in part from biomass. This R effort is increasingly justified by :

• a future oil shortage, accompanied by steadily rising prices for synthetic fibers;

• a general desire to respect the planet's...