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Dyeing without water

February 13, 2012
tags:#dying, #Green Economy
located:Netherlands
by:Itai Lahat
Dyeing fabrics is an outrageous water consuming process. When dyeing fabrics the traditional way, about 150 liters of water are used to dye as little as 1 kilo of fabric. By 2015, about 39 million tons of polyester is expected to be dyed. That’s an incredible amount of water.

But now, a Dutch company named DyeCoo has created the world’s first commercially available waterless textile dyeing machine. And even better, it signed as its first huge customer - the world’s largest sport gear manufacturer, Nike. That means, that the brand will soon be significantly cutting down on its water consumption.
DyeCoo’s process uses fluid carbon dioxide to dye fabrics. It involves reduced energy and zero water consumption. The process is also free of auxiliary chemicals, and there is no drying time. It is done twice as quickly as traditional dyeing techniques. The technology is even capable of improving the quality of the dyed fabric, allowing for greater control over the process.

While this has only been done commercially to polyester, Nike is researching how to apply it to other natural and synthetic fibers. Nike maintains that the goal of this partnership is to show brands around the world how it can benefit their industry, eventually turning it into a new standard around the world. If all goes well, the company may be showcasing products dyed with this new process at the Olympic Games in London later this year.

For the green savvy investors:
www.dyecoo.com

Article written by:
Itai Lahat
Author
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