This study deals with approaches for a social-ecological friendly European bioeconomy based on biomass from industrial crops cultivated on marginal agricultural land. The selected crops to be investigated are: Biomass sorghum, camelina, cardoon, castor, crambe, Ethiopian mustard, giant reed, hemp, lupin, miscanthus, pennycress, poplar, reed canary grass, safflower, Siberian elm, switchgrass, tall wheatgrass, wild sugarcane, and willow. The research question focused on the overall crop growth suitability under low-input management. The study assessed: (i) How the growth suitability of industrial crops can be defined under the given natural constraints of European marginal agricultural lands; and (ii) which agricultural practices are required for marginal agricultural land low-input systems (MALLIS). For the growth-suitability analysis, available thresholds and growth requirements of the selected industrial crops were defined. The marginal agricultural land was categorized according to the agro-ecological zone (AEZ) concept in combination with the marginality constraints, so-called ‘marginal agro-ecological zones’ (M-AEZ). It was found that both large marginal agricultural areas and numerous agricultural practices are available for industrial crop cultivation on European marginal agricultural lands. These results help to further describe the suitability of industrial crops for the development of social-ecologically friendly MALLIS in Europe.

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Cotton and wool fabrics have been dyed with the aqueous extract of saffron containing a-crocin as the main colorant species. The dyeings were carried out with and without metal salts as mordants. The wash and light fastness of the dyed fabrics was studied. The colour of the fabrics was investigated in terms of CIE PCK values.

Four natural dyes, annatto, cutch, pomegranate fruit rind, and golden dock, were used as colorants for the preparation of water-based ink-jet inks for digital textile printing. The physical and rheological properties (pH, conductivity, surface tension, and viscosity) of the inks were measured over a period of 90 days for the evaluation of ink stability and suitability for ink-jet printing. The inks were found to be suitable and were used for the digital printing of cotton fabrics. The prints were subjected to wash, light, and rub fastness tests and colour measurements. Colour consistency and fastness results, especially after fixation, are comparable with those of synthetic dyes, which paves the way for the production of environmentally friendly ink-jet inks using natural dyes for the digital printing of cotton through the formulation of suitable printing techniques.

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