# BUAP sustainable textile research

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/buap-sustainable-textile-research
> Updated: 2026-07-26T19:47:14.000Z. Sources: 17. Developments: 2.

Researchers at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) are advancing multiple projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry in Mexico. In July 2026, a team led by postdoctoral researcher Karim Monserrat Álvarez Gómez reported a zinc‑oxide/zeolite composite that, when activated by ultraviolet light, breaks down persistent dye pollutants in wastewater, offering a potential upgrade to conventional treatment plants.

Later that month, biotechnology student Azul Cristal Urbano Hernández presented a platform at the First Textile Sustainability Contest to turn agave residues into natural fibers. The process uses an eutectic, biocompatible solvent of lactic acid and choline chloride to separate cellulose from lignin, with solvent recovery achieved via controlled carbon‑dioxide injection. Extracted fibers can be formed into non‑woven textiles for automotive filters, acoustic insulation, construction mesh, and medical items such as face masks, while the remaining pulp is convertible to biocombustible fuel. Both initiatives illustrate BUAP’s expanding focus on turning waste streams—textile effluents and agro‑industrial residues—into value‑added, greener products for Mexico’s textile sector.

## Claims

- Azul Cristal Urbano Hernández, a fourth‑semester biotechnology student at BUAP, presented a proposal to use agave waste to produce natural fibers for the textile industry. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The proposal was showcased at the First Textile Sustainability Contest (FEST‑TEX 2026) organized by the Faculty of Engineering. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The method uses a eutectic solvent composed of lactic acid and cholinium chloride to separate cellulose from lignin without damaging fiber quality. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The solvent can be reclaimed by injecting carbon dioxide, causing lignin precipitation and allowing fiber recovery. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Residual pulp from the process could be used to produce bio‑fuels. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Mexico generates millions of tons of agro‑industrial waste each year, including bagasse, shells, pulp, straw and stalks. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The structural similarity of agave, banana and sugarcane allows extraction of fibers from their residues, which are abundant in Puebla and Veracruz. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Puebla and Tlaxcala region forms Mexico’s most significant textile cluster. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-07-26: BUAP Student Proposes Agave‑Waste Fibers for Sustainable Textiles

BUAP student Azul Hernández proposes using a lactic‑acid/choline‑chloride solvent to extract fibers from agave waste for textiles, filters, construction and medical masks, turning Mexican agro‑waste into value‑

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/buap-student-develops-textile-fibers-from-agave-waste

### 2026-07-17: Universidad Autónoma de Puebla creates composite to remove textile dyes from wastewater

BUAP researchers have created a zinc‑oxide and zeolite composite that uses UV light to degrade textile dyes in wastewater, aiming to improve treatment of industrial effluents.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/universidad-autnoma-de-puebla-creates-composite-to-remove-textile-dyes-from-wastewater

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Cite as: BUAP sustainable textile research. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/buap-sustainable-textile-research