Biodegradation of textiles The start, the third excavation after seven weeks and the last digging after 14 weeks in an earth burial test in which the degradability of the materials is assessed. The textiles are put on a grid and placed in the burial position. The left side of the t-shirt is 100% polyester and the right side is 100% cotton. The jeans are 99% cotton and 1% elastane. They are buried in microbiologically standardised earth (Photo: Hohenstein Institute)