Denimandjeans | Global Trends, News and Reports | Worldwide

Category: Environment

  • Coveross – A New Japanese Fabric Finishing Technology

    Coveross – A New Japanese Fabric Finishing Technology

    COVEROSS® technology” is multi-functional Japanese technology that can apply multiple benefits and functions onto a single fabric or garment. The technology aims to develop sustainable fabrics that are environment-friendly, multifunctional and custom-designed fabrics.

    It aims to bring the following functions to a single fabric

    • Eco-Cleaning– Even if there is no light or water, almost all the ammonia adhering to fabric is decomposed.
    • Thermal barrier- By suppressing the ultraviolet rays, it suppresses the rise in temperature inside clothes.
    • Energy recovery 
    • Cool touch – Provides cool feeling by vaporization heat effect due to high diffusivity
    • Deodorization 
    • Quicker absorption – Within 3 seconds
    • Sweat stain prevention – Without water repellant
    • Anti- pollen
    • Anti-pilling
    • Anti-Virus
    • Anti-Fungal
    • Anti-Static
    • Insect Repellent

    COVEROSS® ︎is the registered trademark of HAP Co. Ltd, Japan.

    Denimsandjeans spoke to Mr. Hap Suzuki , Owner of HAP Corporation, and tried to know more about how this technology works.

    unnamedCongratulations on creating a new technology COVEROSS WIZZRD for fabric finishing which gives 10 different functions to a fabric. Please elaborate on what are these and what benefits are possible due to them.

    COVEROSS® WIZZRD”  has ”10 comfortable functionalities” on a single fabric while maintaining the natural softness and breathability of 100% cotton, providing stress-free comfortable wear. By the action of titanium oxide or the like which is the catalyst particle (“W catalyst effect” of “photocatalyst” and “air catalyst”), oxidatively decomposes proteins that become the source of dirt and smell attached to the cloth itself. By having such a clean function, you can reduce the number of times of washing. Also, with the latest technology, comfort, cleanliness, freshness, etc. coexist in one fabric such as “heat shielding (3 to 5 ° C difference)”, “sweat reduction”, ” It is a highly functional material customized to your request.

    COVEROSS– A New Fabric Finishing Technology | Denimsandjeans

    How long you have been developing this new technology. We understand you already have Japanese Kaken test reports for this technology. Are the products commercially available?

    The development period is three years. We have started mass-production sales in the Japanese market since 2018.（Trial order is 2017）

    Please tell me the characteristics of the photocatalyst of COVEROSS® WIZZARD

    1 The photocatalyst is realized by ionic bonding technology without using a binder (binder may be used depending on purpose). Therefore, there are points not generating formalin, points hard to be brittle, points not hardening the texture, maintaining breathability, improving wash resistance, and so on.

    2 We have achieved high photocatalytic properties. Up to now, the concentration of the photocatalyst substance to be applied to the fiber fabric is limited to about 2%, but our company has realized the application at a concentration of over 10%. For that reason, we have achieved high numerical values (inspection association data) for each functionality.

    3 Hybrid give functionalities other than photocatalysts. For example, a combination with various effects such as form stability, antistatic, anti-pilling, far infrared effect etc. becomes possible.

    What are the different kind of fabrics that this can be applied? Is denim one of the important one of them?

    Of course, denim is also possible. It is possible with many materials such as cotton, rayon, polyester, nylon. We started out with knitted fabrics, but we are proceeding with the development of fabric materials.

    COVEROSS– A New Fabric Finishing Technology | Denimsandjeans

    COVEROSS SAI is also another technology from your stable where you add minerals to the US cotton fiber. What are the advantages of adding these minerals?

    By giving five minerals (called IR 414) to the fabric, it is expected that the flow of blood flow will be improved by high breeding rays (most affecting the human body in far infrared rays). By doing so, you can expect effects such as fatigue recovery effect, sleeping effect, high blood pressure measures and so on.

    How many home washes does this finishing hold for the consumer? Normally it has been seen that after 20 home washes most of the treatments are not so effective.

    By making full use of our latest technology, we will continue to function even at home laundry more than 30 times.

    COVEROSS® ︎

    How can a fabric manufacturer who wants to use your technology do so? Do you provide a license for the same or you sell fabrics yourselves?

    At the moment we will sell fabrics ourselves. Our multifunctional processing “COVEROSS” is currently producing in Indonesia. We have developed our own chemicals and production facilities independently. There are requests from many companies to provide processing technology, but we are refusing them now. The reason is that the machining process is very difficult and the engineers need to stay on site.

    Have any retail brands endorsed this technology? Will this entail usage of any kind of tags for the consumers to understand the technology?

    Yes, in order to explain functionality and sustainability, we have also created POPs, tags, posters, etc.

    Contact Mr. Hap Suzuki at moto.suzuki@hap-h.jp for more information.

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    Archroma Booth | Denimsandjeans Vietnam

  • Sustainability Targets Of Arvind – A Talk With Abhishek Bansal

    Sustainability Targets Of Arvind – A Talk With Abhishek Bansal

    Arvind is one of the most reputed textile group globally. It has been playing leadership role in various textile segments in including denims . Being the creator of the denim industry in India – which is now ranking second globally-  , it has always been looked upon as role model for various visionary technologies and projects which they envision. With sustainability becoming a clarion call in the apparel and textile industry, it was natural that Arvind would be one of the leading companies to take steps in this direction. We wanted to understand from them how important sustainability is for them and how they have set up a path to achieve their goals in this direction. We spoke to Abhishek Bansal (Head –Sustainability) to understand the efforts which have already been taken or are being envisaged to be taken in the near future.

    Arvind is one of the most well known and progressive denim groups globally. Does Arvind also look for leadership position when it comes to sustainability?

    Arvind aspires to be a leader on Sustainability issues not only within textile sector; but we look up for leaders across industrial sectors in each of the sustainability aspect and make those as role models for setting our goals and path forward. However, our focus is on lifting the whole industry up when it comes to sustainable issues. We are never going after exclusivity when it comes to sustainable technologies/projects. We openly share our knowledge and experience through various platform and through our sustainability report. We are also part of various initiatives like Sustainable Apparel Coalition, ZDHC and Apparel impact institute to drive larger industry wide changes.

    What are the specific areas where you feel Arvind is better placed to take up sustainability efforts when we consider the eco system in India? Please give us some updates on the results achieved in some of them.

    One of our core focus is on removing the dependence of textile on fresh water. It has deep value in the context of water scarcity and water availability scenario. Over the past years, we have removed our dependence on freshwater to extent of 70%. We use 70% of our water from recycled waste water. We are targeting to achieve 90% with-in next two years. We are also investing heavily in promoting sustainable cotton farming and have scaled our farm operations to produce sustainable cotton equivalent to 40% of our production and targeting to increase this by four time by end of 2022.

    Sustainability | Arvind

    That’s a great achievement . How did you do it and how does it translate into per meter usage?

    The efforts have been on four sides broadly:

    • Reducing water usage in existing machines/operations: This is a combination of strong management systems on how we use water in process plus regular upkeep and maintenance to track any leakages and wastes. This also includes modifications in existing machines which helps reduce; e.g. we made modifications in ropy dyeing machine and are able to reduce water consumption by 70,000 litres per day only from one single machine
    • Reducing water usage by moving to alternate technologies: In garment washing we are heavily promoting the use of no-stone wash machines, ozone machines and laser machines to reduce the usage of water in washing.
    • Developing disruptive technological solutions: Developing, testing and scaling dyeing innovations with several start-ups partners which are helping to completely change the water usage dynamics in denim production. A good example of this is Gaston foam dyeing technology for Denim yarn dyeing. This technology is currently under installation and would help save almost 90% of the water usage in conventional dyeing process.
    • End of pipe water recycling: After all the options for water reduction are exhausted, we implement initiatives for recycling of waste water; which could be either effluent from process of municipal sewage that we buy from local municipalities

    Sustainability | ArvindSustainability | Arvind

    If you were to rank various focus areas in sustainability in terms of importance for your company , how would you do that?

    We rank water as highest because of this being both local and global issue. Below is ranking of key things that we look at in order of priority:

      • Water
      • Health & Safety
      • Renewable Energy, Climate Change
      • Sustainable cotton/raw materials
      • Chemical/Sustainable chemistry

    Post consumer waste is still not as huge a problem in India as in the western world – perhaps because there is a market for used apparel . Whereas globally only about 1% of apparel is recycled , in India this figure might be higher. Any inputs on how it works in India. Do you see this problem significantly increasing?

    In India, on average the per capita consumption of textiles in much lower than west. So in first place it will be safe to assume that we wear garments for longer than average person in US. We also have the practice of passing on the used clothes within the family or to the surrounding communities, which keeps these in circulation until end of useful life. However, this is rapidly changing specially in urban and semi-urban areas where people no longer want to wear used clothes. Per capita consumption of clothes is also rising among youth and urban population. We see this problem increasing in the coming year and shift would be rapid. We are looking at used garment recycling technologies and we are hopeful that technologies would be commercially established before we start to face these challenges in India.

    Sustainability | Arvind

    There is a general feeling that improving systems and processes for sustainable productions increases costs. Do you think the customers are ready to pay the extra price for this effort and cost?

    Improvement in systems and processes definitely results in increased costs, however, we look at these as investments which pay back directly or indirectly in longer term. In few cases, the payback is really long or not immediately visible and such projects are challenging to implement at large scale. We have seen very low interest from consumers in paying extra for sustainable clothes. However, we see a clear preference when you provide a sustainable apparel within the same price range as conventional apparel.

    Sustainability | Arvind

    Has Arvind fixed up some long term goals regarding sustainability?

    We have long terms goals on various sustainability aspects:

      • 90% water from recycled water sources by 2020. Removing dependence on freshwater for production
      • 400,000 acres of Sustainable cotton farms by 2022
      • 30% renewable energy in operations by 2022

    Sustainability | Arvind

  • Denim Buyback Program Of J.Crew

    Denim Buyback Program Of J.Crew

    Following the initiative started by J.crew since 2014 with Blue Jeans Go Green to recycle the denim wih insulation technology , the brand has come with another buyback program in partnership with Habitat For Humanity. This retailer is expandning its denm recycling program in association with Habitat For Humanity to recycle the used jeans into materials for charity to ensure that all the unwanted denim is put into good use.According to the retailers, the average American home can be insulated with about 2,000 pairs of jeans.

    Denim Buyback Program–J.Crew | Denimsandjeans

    As an incentive, J.crew is offering a $20 for a new pair of jeans for every pair brought in for recycling.As compared to the other such brands like Rag & Bone which only offer a minimal discount, it is a very generous contribution towards recycling. This partnership with Habitat For Humanity comes with the expansion of the environmentally friendly Eco jeans collection by J.Crew.To donate, the customers are needed to just turn in their gently worn denims to the J.Crew or Madwell sstores nearby.

    “Our denim recycling program allows us to help our customers dispose of waste responsibly by giving their jeans a new life in the form of housing insulation and keeping them out of landfills,” said Gonzalo Pertile, director of corporate social responsibility at J.Crew.“This is one of the steps we’re taking as we embark in our sustainability journey. We believe that some challenges require strong partnerships to make the most meaningful impact.”

    J.Crew is certainly following the trend for minimal amount of waste generations.A win – win situation for all , this program benefits everyone by donating the jeans for $20 and that too form any brand that will eventually leads in the prevention of throwing the used jeans as a waste. J.Crew’s effort for charity and upcycling denim for a good cause is certainly admirable.

    Denim Buyback Program–J.Crew | Denimsandjeans

    Denim Buyback Program–J.Crew | Denimsandjeans

    image:J.Crew

  • DNA Molecular Tagging to Authenticate Denim | Interview

    DNA Molecular Tagging to Authenticate Denim | Interview

    Results of a new study published in the September/October 2018 issue of the AATCC Review confirmed that DNA molecular tagging is an effective tool to authenticate denim and maintains its integrity even after exposed to the rigors of bleaching and abrasion.The study was conducted by: Applied DNA Sciences, Inc, and the Fashion Institute of Technology(FIT). It was published in the AATCC Review, a highly regarded publication of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colors.

    DNA Molecular Tagging to Authenticate Denim | Interview

    At the FIT labs in New York, denim swatches were treated with unique DNA molecular tags produced by Applied DNA, then subjected to stone and bleach washings. The samples were then analyzed at Applied DNA’s laboratories in Stony Brook, where it was proven that the DNA tags remained intact and suitable for high quality forensic scale analysis. Based on the observed stability, DNA tags of this kind may soon be ready for testing at a full manufacturing facility to verify the authenticity of the finished denim garment.

    Applied DNA has developed a technology to produce small DNA fragments or identifiers on an industrial scale. Purified enzymes are used to manufacture DNA fragments, each one containing enough information to be used as a DNA-bead or “molecular bar code,” much like an ordinary ink bar code on a label. DNA tags are applied during the cotton ginning phase, enabling the fiber to be tracked and authenticated throughout the entire supply chain.

    DNA Molecular Tagging to Authenticate Denim | Interview

    There has been a lack of commercially available test methods to determine where denim fibers were grown. This is a concern to manufacturers, as global counterfeiting continues to escalate – rising from USD $1.2 trillion in 2017 to an anticipated USD $1.82 trillion by 2020 (Global Brand Counterfeiting Report 2018). The denim authentication problem is significant since most American cotton, including Upland cotton used to produce denim, is shipped overseas and combined with other cotton where it can lose its identity.

    Ms MeiLin Wan - Vice President, Textiles, Applied DNA Sciences Denimsandjeans spoke to Ms MeiLin Wan – Vice President, Textiles, Applied DNA Sciences to get more details on this innovation and to understand how it can help the industry.


    1 Congratulations on a ground breaking research on DNA tagging of cotton fibers. How did this research originate and with what purpose .

    Before we began offering our technology to authenticate textiles, we set out to prove the DNA would survive aggressive solvent washes in currency.  As you know, US currency is made out of cotton and linen. When money is stolen from a bank machine (ATM) or cash in transit box, there is a permanent ink stain that decorates all the cash. We developed unique DNA tags in these inks. When the currency is stolen and the ink is applied onto the cash, we are able to show the date, time, and place of the crime and can then link it to the criminal when the money is recovered.  Even after attempts to remove DNA from ink stained bank notes using chemicals and solvents (independent lab tested), we are still able to authenticate the DNA from the currency. This gave us confidence to pursue DNA in cotton and show how DNA can persist from fiber all the way to fabric.

    DNA tags with proven forensic DNA analysis provides an invaluable tool not just for linking crimes to criminals but also linking cotton growers to consumers by ensuring that the original cotton fiber also has identity with a known date, time and place assigned to it when we tag the cotton at the gin location anywhere in the world. Without DNA tagging you do not know precisely where the cotton comes from. Traceability with DNA is the key.


    2 Denim was selected because of rigorous processes it goes through till final finishing. Did all the tags survive this finishing process.

    Yes, the DNA survived all the finishing processes. This is what makes the DNA system the most robust for traceability because of its ability to withstand chemical washes.

    3 There is lot of mixing of cotton of different origin in the mills. How will tagging solve that problem?

    We can detect blending in samples as we know what we have tagged. We also have a method to determine quantitatively the percentage of Pima cotton vs Non Pima (Upland) cotton in a blended sample.

    4 Will DNA tagging contribute to sustainability goals of different brands and retailers?

    Yes, we believe DNA track and trace solutions help brands and retailers accomplish their sustainability goals by providing PROOF that the claims they are making are backed up with forensically derived data and facts that will hold up as forensic evidence in court.


    5 Do you see in near future a global authority which is entrusted with tagging all origins of cotton?

    In our opinion, the idea that there is a single global authority to manage global supply chains is unsustainable and unrealistic. This is because it relies on the assumption that the “global authority” has control over each of the steps of the supply chain which is not how supply chains operate. In fact, it starts and ends with each of the parties in the supply — from the raw material supplier to spinner, weaver, cut and sew, trim suppliers all the way to brands and retailers. If everyone works together in an integrated supply chain where the raw material is verified at every step of the supply chain, everyone wins.Tagging will be done at ginners’ end . Already Over 200 million lbs of cotton have been tagged in US and Australia at gins.

    DNA Molecular Tagging to Authenticate Denim | Interview

    Denimsandjeans Vietnam | 4th Edition

  • COATS – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part VI

    COATS – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part VI

    Continuing our series of articles on sustainability efforts by our exhibitors, we are bringing the sixth in the series . In this report , we are covering Madura Coats  from India showcasing their efforts towards the same.

    Coats, a global manufacturer of thread, zips, trims, and interlinings has been working to limit their impact on the environment for years. According to Coats ,

    “They have been matching, and in most cases surpassing, the requirements for global effluent emission standards while encouraging their suppliers to do the same are just a couple of ways the company strives to improve their ecological performance. Reducing and re-using materials wherever possible in the production process is also a major focus for Coats, especially when it comes to water.”

    Unmanaged water scarcity can threaten ecosystems and communities, representing a material risk to the business if consumption is higher than the local supply. Coats claims that since 2013, Coats’ Vietnam facility has installed programmes to locate and fix any significant leaks in their system and updated dye machines to conserve water, cutting their original annual usage down by enough to fill 22 Olympic size pools. More recently, the Coats team in Honduras opened a new wastewater treatment plant this March to purify water used in manufacturing.

    COATS – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part V

    The company believes that ,a growing emphasis on sustainability in consumer buying decisions is encouraging brands to release eco-friendly products at a variety of price ranges. Technological advancements in the apparel industry give companies more options to meet the demand for forward-thinking fashion, even if garments are not one hundred percent recycled. Customers have a more transparent view of how their clothes are made, and brands are better able to source and evaluate suppliers.

    Coats has made some significant strides independently and in collaboration with established retailers to develop products that can be reused, work in concert with new sustainable finishing techniques, and are completely recycled as part of their environmental initiative.  Coats has made following claims in the direction of SUSTAINBILITY :

    WASTE NOT , WANT NOT

    A report released by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation last year indicates that less than one percent of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new garments, creating a loss of over one hundred billion USD of materials each year. In conjunction with a major international retailer to create circular fashion products, Coats ensured two of their most popular thread brands would be up to the task.Coats Dymax and Coats Epic are compliant by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute standards for use in recyclable and reusable apparel.

    A LASER FOCUS ON DENIM

    Around six billion units of jeans are made annually, using the equivalent of two years of human consumption of water in Paris and electricity in Nepal, as well as 720,000 tons of chemicals according to Fibre2fashion. Thankfully, companies are adapting their methods to reduce water and chemicals in the production process.Laser technology is another name for sustainable finishing in the denim wash sector, allowing manufacturers to create popular distressed styles, patterns, and even images on fabric. It yields impressive environmental and worker safety benefits, as well as increasing efficiency, but requires different threads than used in chemical washes.

    Through extensive testing with denim brands using laser technology, technical solution experts developed threads that are able resist melting in high temperatures: Coats Dual Duty, Coats Dual Duty Supercotton, and Coats Tre Cerchi.

    COATS – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part V

    FROM TRASH TO TREASURE

    As eco-friendly fashion trends rise, some designers want every aspect of their garments to be sustainably sourced—down to every stitch. While fabrics made from recycled polyester have been used widely apparel for some time, thread made from repurposed plastic is just starting to come onto the market.

    Currently, Coats’ EcoVerde products are the only globally available, one hundred percent recycled line of premium sewing threads on the market that offers the same level of proven performance as the industry’s leading non-recycled threads. Available in both Epic EcoVerde and Gramax EcoVerde, it is made from 100% post-consumer plastic (PET) bottle flakes for use in any type of garment.

    COATS – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part V

    Thanks Coats for your efforts towards sustainability !

    The next article in this series would be published soon !

    Denimsandjeans Vietnam | 4th Edition

  • KG Fabriks – Sustainability Efforts By Denimsandjeans Exhibitors – V

    KG Fabriks – Sustainability Efforts By Denimsandjeans Exhibitors – V

    KG Fabriks Limited , is a denim fabric manufacturers from India who have spent a lot of time and effort in making their production processes sustainable and the company has recently been certified by TUV NORD. The company excitedly mentions :

    “Right from its inception in 2005, we have boldly taken the sustainability route for denim production. As the first organisation to use biomass to fuel our processes, KGFL also adopts energy efficient measures, water recycling and controls greenhouse emissions in its endeavor to pioneer planet-friendly denim fabrics. KGFL is far ahead of other denim mills in terms of True Sustainability.  An Audit has been conducted by TUV NORD to classify our products as Green Products combined with trademarked “Green Dnm” swing tag.”

    The “Green Dnm” swing tag with QR code on each garment conveys a precise message to the customer according to KG Fabriks :

    “Earth Friendly Fashion. Conscious Denim. Denim fabric made with so little water that it helps save precious drinking water. Green Dnm swing tag on your garment shows your support for the future of our children”

    KG Fabriks Gets “ Green Dnm” Swing Tag

    The company further claims

    “100% Raw Material Utilisation, Optimum Dye Penetration, 96% ETP Water Recovery and Green Energy concepts combined with Social Sustainability in terms of employment to backward and underprivileged communities led to KG Fabriks’ products certified as Green Products by TUV.   Sustainable measures at KG Fabriks result in potential savings in terms of water  (equal to supplying drinking water to 800, 000 people everyday),  massive usage of recycled polyester fibers  (close to 5,500,000 pet bottle recycled polyester used every month) and maximizing green energy (solar & wind). “

    We spoke to Mr Srihari Balakrishnan – Managing Director – at  KG Fabriks  to understand why he feels their efforts on sustainability are really special :

    When did KG Fabriks start working on sustainability?

    We started our journey on sustainability 5 years back. We became a Zero Liquid and Zero Solid Discharge company first and this helped us to reduce our Chemical footprint by over 30% compared to a conventional denim company.We took extensive trials on reducing water, chemical and carbon footprints and stabilised on all these fronts an year ago.

    We approached sustainability in a holistic manner, starting from complete utlisation of cotton fiber and yarns, lowest usage of water per meter with highest recovery in the industry, optimum usage of dyes and chemicals combined with reuse / recycle technologies and moving more towards renewable energy sources. Today, close to 50% of the energy we use is from renewable sources and in next 3 years, close to 80% will be from renewable sources.

    You recd. the TUV certificate . Has any other denim mill received the same. What is the importance of this certificate and how much time and efforts it took you to get it .

    This certificate is first of its kind in the denim world. TUV NORD conducted the audit for 90 man-days in all our manufacturing locations which includes our spinning mills, value addition facilities and denim plant.

    The audit comprised of evaluating our approach towards conscious usage of raw materials, reducing water consumption and maximising recovery, adaption of renewable energy, reusage of dyes and chemicals along with Zero Liquid and Zero Solid Discharge techniques. They also verified three years’ data on each and every claim we made. Our “Green Denim” fabrics is a “Product and Process certified” wholesome development in the denim industry. In fact, after we have has this holistic approach, we are being approached by a number of certifying agencies to certify our denim either in the closed loop or in the cradle to cradle programs and we are evaluating our option on which program will be more useful for our company, in our onward journey towards super sustainability.

    Congratulations on getting Green Dnm tag. Can the apparel retailers use this tag ? Will you be doing co branding with some retailers on this.

    Yes, retailers can use this swing tag on their garments. We have already started shipping the tags to few of our customers against their orders. The QR code on the reverse side of the tag takes you to our website that talks about our earth friendly sustainable approach. We are also talking to some retailers on co-branding. In fact, our Green Denim could be tagged along with other certified products like Organic, BCI, tencel, etc. to make the fabric more eco-friendly. And if they use dry process in garment making, the final jeans becomes really sustainable.

    What is the future efforts in direction of sustainability that you see.

    We are working on certain in-house developed proprietary technologies to make our products and processes Super Sustainable. We are hopeful of further reducing the carbon footprints to considerable levels with our proprietary technologies viz., i-Wash, i-TopUp and p-Acid, which are in alpha stage at the moment and will move to beta stage in another three months’ time. In another 12 months, we will set the future of Denim, leaving other denim mills 20 years behind in sustainability. Today there are two options for denim mills, to buy certificates or be truly sustainable. We have taken option 2, decided to become truly sustainable. This will not only help conserve water, but also reduce chemicals etc.

    Our conservation efforts have helped save drinking water needs for 800,000 people every day. Recycled polyester usage amounts to 5,500,000 PET bottles being converted into fabrics every month. Successful implementation of proprietary technologies will lead to reduction in water discharge by our dyeing machine by 90% and ETP operations by 50%

    “Let us leave the earth liveable for future generations”.

    KG Fabriks Gets “ Green Dnm” Swing TagKG Fabriks Gets “ Green Dnm” Swing TagKG Fabriks Gets “ Green Dnm” Swing TagKG Fabriks Gets “ Green Dnm” Swing Tag

    Denimsandjeans Vietnam | 4th Edition

  • Prosperity Textiles – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part IV

    Prosperity Textiles – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part IV

    Continuing our series of articles on sustainability efforts by our exhibitors, we are bringing the third in the series with the first two reports being already published and can be found here , here , and here. In the 4th report , we are covering Prosperity Textile from China showcasing their efforts towards the same .

    P R O S P E R I T Y

    As a large-scale denim fabric manufacturer with 80 million yards capacity, Prosperity Textile is dedicated to push for sustainable development in denim since founded in 1999, focusing on eco material, green energy and clean production. According to them , In 2017, 20% of  their product sales were from sustainable collections, and they have developed a wide range of eco-friendly products, from sustainable cotton to TENCEL™ Lyocell and from recycled polyester to water/chemical-less dyeing, RE+INVENT denim collection.

    One of the latest highlights, they are adding recycled cotton to promote the circular economic idea, which is also certified with Recycled Content Standard. They mention that they  manage to keep the original blue color of the recycled stuffs, weaving this yarn in the weft, which exhibits super-nice blue faded cast too. Truly vintage and easy-to-identify the recycled concept. And for the dyes they use CARMINE BLUE, which is their signature free-of-hydrosulfite dyeing technology with pre-reduce liquid indigo.

    Prosperity Textile – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans

    Prosperity further mentions that in Jul 2016, they have successfully connected a 218 KW solar system on the rooftop of our warehouse to the grid, in 25 years, the average annual electricity generation is 190,000 kWh, reducing CO2 emissions by 198 tons a year. They are also expecting to install another 2 MW solar projects in coming years, to cover more energy use with clean energy.

    Prosperity Textile – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans

    According to Prosperity Textile, they are also acting as a pioneer and choosing the first sustainable innovation in the weaving industry: the brand-new iSAVER™ equipped on R95002denim by Itema, for its newly-opened denim mill in Vietnam. This new technology is able to completely eliminate the left-hand weft waste, allowing to insert the weft yarns in the fabric without the need of additional yarns. iSAVER™ significantly reduces raw material waste, leading to tangible benefits in terms of machine’s efficiency, cost reduction and energy saving. The company mentions that this is for the first time a sustainable solution in weaving equipments has been implemented saving 1000 Kg of cotton per machine per year – about 3% of the total raw materials .

    Prosperity Textile – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans

    As a result, while the total denim production output at Prosperity Textile in 2017 was increased by 20% to 2016, they claim that they have successfully managed to reduce the GHG emission per meter by 5.4%, water and electricity consumption was also down by 11.5% and 7.9% respectively, per meter.

    Prosperity Textile – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans

    The company is emphatic in its commitment to sustainability and concludes :

    “Prosperity Textile is committed to sustainability development, and closely works with many third-party certification institutions to make sure the claims of our production and products are true and accurate. We have been awarded the certifications of ISO 9001, 14001, Oeko-Tex® 100, OCS, RCS, Textile Security Label, etc., and are also the members of LYCRA EXCHANGE, BCI, COTTON LEADS and SAC. In Apr 2015, Prosperity received the awards of Top 5 in energy reduction of CLEAN by Design 2014 from Natural Resources Defense Council and World Bank. And in 2016, Prosperity Textile became the first Chinese denim mill joining bluesign® system”

     

    The next article in sustainability series would be published soon !

    IND & VM Show Dates Lin'-

  • H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    H&M is the retailer most often in news for its sustainable activities. As a group policy, the retailer is moving towards higher levels of sustainability for its apparel products setting up tight goals and targets. For a company as big as H&M, it’s not really an easy task to make their huge supply chain to move in the same direction as their goals. We wanted to understand how the company is planning to do this and how they see sustainability becoming an integral part of their objectives in the coming times. We spoke to Ms. Cecilia Brännstens, Environmental Sustainability Manager, H&M Group to find more about their efforts in this direction and she apprised us about the same.

    1.H&M is now the biggest user of sustainable cotton and man-made cellulosic materials globally. It must have been an uphill task. What did it take to reach here?

    This has been a journey that has evolved during the years and we have become more ambitious along the way. We believe that a company of our size and scale has a responsibility as well as an opportunity to lead the change towards a more sustainable fashion and design industry. We started in the 90s to use organic cotton and back in 2010 we went one step further setting our goal to only use sustainably sourced cotton by 2020. A few years back we set the high ambition to become fully circular and renewable which includes, among many other things, our aim to only use recycled or other sustainably sourced materials by 2030. Since our circular approach takes the whole value chain into consideration, from design, materials, production, process, use, reuse and recycle, we have also worked with setting concrete actions in each area. From how to design for circularity to how to improve our water and chemical management.

    2. Congratulations on creating the ambitious goal of using only sustainably sourced materials by 2030. How feasible will this be considering the huge number of suppliers you have globally?

    In 2017 already 35% of our total material was sustainable sourced materials, so we are fully committed that we will achieve it. The reality we face today is that shifting from a linear to a circular business model is challenging, mainly due to lack of technology to make recycling fully scalable. That´s way we are actively investing in innovation to overcome this challenge, as it will play a key role to reach our 2030 goal. Of course, we need to have our committed suppliers onboard on this journey to succeed. All our commercial business partners have signed our sustainability commitment and share our vision. Since we are present in our sourcing markets, that gives us a unique position to have daily contact with our suppliers, which helps us to build long-term relationships with them.

    3.Cotton is your largest input material. We understand in 2017 about 59% of it was from sustainable sources like BCI, Organic etc. What % currently cotton forms in your total usage of materials. Do you see that there will be a further growth in this share as you move the path of sustainability?

    Yes, we see a growth within these materials (organic cotton, recycle cotton and BCI cotton) since it is the material we use the most. Our goal is as mentioned for all our cotton to come from sustainable sources by 2020. H&M group is , according to Textile exchange , the biggest user of sustainable cotton which includes, organic, recycled, and cotton from BCI.

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    4. Renewable energy is another front where many global players are focusing on. Is this aspect under your radar too. Can you enlighten us on the same?

    We have set an ambitious goal to become climate positive by 2040, and we have identified 3 main areas to achieve it, where renewable energy and energy efficiency are two of them (third being climate resilience). To become climate positive means that we will remove more emissions from the atmosphere than we are responsible for creating. Ways of reaching our goal is for example:

    1. Sourcing only 100 % renewable electricity in our own operations. In 2017, 96% of all the electricity used in our stores, offices and warehouses came from renewable sources.
    2. We are expanding production of renewable electricity through windmills and solar panels on warehouses as well as IT data centers.
    3. We have invested in GO2 – an innova­tive project that bundles the cost of our renewable energy usage with a contribution to new renewable energy supply.

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability EffortsH&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    5. There are varied versions and interpretations of sustainability. How do you define sustainability?

    By definition, sustainability means to lead your business in a way so you meet the needs of present and future generations, using the resources responsibly. It is all about using materials that decrease the dependence on virgin resources, require less chemicals, energy and water and minimize the amount of materials that ends up as waste. It is also about being a fair and equal company.

    6. Supply chain side has seen great improvements over the last few years in terms of sustainability especially with the efforts of retailers like H&M. But there is the consumption side which again has a large environmental footprint. Do you think anything can be done on this front?

    Yes we do, and one thing we can do as a company is to ensure that we create products that can be used for as long as possible and that our customers can care for them in a sustainable way. As an example, in spring 2018 H&M launched the “Take Care” project in Germany ( this will be rolled out in several markets ) It is an initiative that aims at helping customers prolong the life of their products, providing guidance, inspiration as well as services and products to refresh, repair and remake their clothes. H&M also has a global garment collecting initiative which means that our customers can bring unwanted textiles to our store, so we can give them new life by reusing or recycling them.

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    7.Sustainability still does not have a uniform and standardized way of measurement. Do you think in near future we can have a measurement tool or a score which can enable the consumer to gauge the sustainability of apparel products easily? 

    We support full customer transparency, we were among the first global fashion companies making its supplier list public and we are taking steps to provide more information on product level. On that note H&M fully supports the initiative to develop a consumer labelling system allowing the customers to compare products from a sustainability perspective, even from different brands, the Higg Index. With the Higg Index we hope that in the future there is a label available for customers that provide all sorts of information about a certain garment covering environmental as well as social aspects.

    8.What changes you see in the denim supply chain over the next decade as there is increased consumer awareness about the environmental impacts of their jeans.

    Denim production comes with some challenges, mainly due to the amount of water, energy and chemicals used. Since 2015, we have scored all our denim products using Jeanologia’s Environmental Impact Measurement tool. This third-party tool helps us and our suppliers measure, set targets and reduce water, energy and chemical use in our denim production. In 2017, 55 % of our denim products achieved “green “ level, which means they used a maximum of 35 liters of water per garment during the treatment processes.

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability EffortsH&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

    9.Any other efforts on sustainability side which you might like to share with our readers. 

    We see that sustainability is a question for the whole fashion industry. H&M group are working on bringing partners together to identify challenges and share innovative ideas and solutions. We want to lead the change across our own operations and those of the industry and break new ground to improve the way our products are designed and made. We believe the best way to change the perception on the fashion industry is to lead by example and build awareness. Having a clear sustainability strategy, with concrete goals, road maps and actions, while being open and transparent on progress and challenges on the way.

    H&M Speaks To Denimsandjeans On Their Sustainability Efforts

  • Naveena – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part III

    Naveena – Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans | Part III

    Continuing our series of articles on sustainability efforts by our exhibitors, we are bringing the third in the series with the first two reports being already published and can be found here and here . In the 3rd report , we are covering Naveena Denim Mill from Pakistan showcasing their efforts towards the same .

    Naveena Denim Mill , Pakistan (NDM)

    The company stresses their efforts towards sustainability in their own words

    “NDM has been making good efforts for safeguarding Environment, Natural Resources through Implementation of Sustainable Research Based Product Development and using Global accredited Compliance . The company believes Sustainability as an important factor of production to make sure that the world will continue to have, the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and  environment. NDM has collaborated with Dystar & Archroma for sustainable dyes and Jeanologia for sustainable finishes which are certified by ISO.The processes involved reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases emitted into the air.”

    They list out some of their sustainable inputs they use in their products :

    • Repreve- A fiber made from recycled materials. Reduces energy consumption and conserves petroleum-based resources by offsetting the need to produce virgin synthetic fibers.
    • Lenzing Modal®– A modal fiber from Lenzing, is naturally soft on the skin and ecological. The fiber is produced, using Edelweiss technology. Edelweiss stands for a “symbiotic” production process – pulp, the raw material, is produced at the same site as the Modal fiber itself. Thus production can be done while going easy on energy and other resources.
    • BCI or Better Cotton Initiative-  A multi-stakeholder initiative – from producer to retailer – who have decided to act together to reduce the damaging environmental and social consequences of cotton production and make the sector’s future more secure.
    • Waste Recycling– NDM uses ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant) in dying processes which allows wasted water to be recycled and reused for dying, sizing, finishing and washing.Special recycled cotton yarn is used to manufacture fabric at NDM which is basically in the raw form.

    Horizon : The Sustainable Fabric Production By NDM

    Horizon is claimed to be an innovative and cutting-edge combination of eco-friendly dyeing and finishing processes . HORIZON combines Naveena’s existing Ecolean + Aqualter processes for dyeing and H2NO for finishing, reducing the event load while saving water, time and energy. As per Naveena, the process uses 81% less water, 40% less energy and %50 less steam compared to conventional process, it improves EIM score by 40%. It also uses less water dyeing for indigo colors with no salt formation.

    Naveena-4_thumb6Naveena_thumb10

    HORIZON claims to guarantee no back-staining and improved crocking.  The result is 95% sulphate reduction, 82% reduction in chemical oxygen demand and 95% total suspended solids.

    naveena-2_thumb14

    Naveena describes the H2NO system :

    “Designed in collaboration with Jeanologia, H2NO uses an eco-friendly technology that reproduces ozone gas conditions. The technology is a ground-breaking innovation for denim supply chain, since it uses ozone and requires no steam, chemical or water in the process. The technology conserves up to 90% water and energy. Using this new process, the mill saves 12 liters of water per jeans and saves 10 to 12 tonnes of chemicals annually. The technology improves the mill’s E.I.M. score by more than 40%. The result is cleaner fabric that requires fewer washes and that ultimately reduces brands’ costs. An advanced dyeing process designed to save our most valuable resource, “water”, Aqualter uses dramatically less water, energy and steam compared to conventional dyeing process. It uses up to 15% less energy, up to 90% less water and up to 80% less cotton waste while producing the same indigo effects.”

    The company shares the following results of their sustainable system vs the conventional dyeing system.

    naveena-3_thumb7

    The next article in this series would be published soon !

  • Forces Of Nature – A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    Forces Of Nature – A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    The rapper turned designer – Jaden Smith has come up with newly designed pieces for G Star Raw recently. This exclusive collection is very special on many counts and specially seems to be strong on sustainability front . The collection has been dedicated to the beauty and power of nature as all the pieces are designed and engineered with sustainable materials as per G-Star Raw. The collection has been categorized into three segments – WATER , EARTH AND ECLIPSE defining the three different colors in the collection. Jaden Smith named this collection – FORCES OF NATURE.

    Let’s take a quick tour of this collection

    W  A  T  E  R

    To emphasize water’s singularity and to convey the utmost respect for this quintessential force of nature, the blue colorway of this collection is made with world’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold G-Star Denim Fabric . This fabric is made from 100% organic cotton and supposedly features the cleanest indigo technology which uses 70% less chemicals, requires no salts and has no salt bi-product, thus leaving a clean and recyclable water effluent. A contemporary take on workwear style, this jacket offers strong detailing and a flawless fit. Shank button closures and multiple pockets bring functional undertones. The jacket features a blue colorway graphic patch drawing inspiration from the shades of water.

    F a b r i c

    This Jacket is cut from Cradle to Cradle Certifiedâ„¢ Gold G-Star Denim Fabric and as per G-Star , has the following characteristics.

    • Developed with RFTPi-Raw for the Planet Indigo formulated in partnership with DyStar®, G-Star and Artistic Milliners.
    • Raw for the Planet Indigo and uses 15% less indigo, 70% less chemicals, no salts, and produces no salt by-product during reduction and dyeing process. Consequently saving water and leaving clean and recyclable water effluent.
    • 100% Organic Cotton
    • 8 dip indigo
    • 3×1 right hand twill construction with rich surface character. Mid weight 10.5 oz denim

    D-Staq RFTP Water 3D Deconstructed Jacket

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    Spiraq RFTP Patches Water 3D Slim Jeans

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    E  A  R  T  H

    Inspired by raw earth and the creatures that live on it, this colorway has been executed in raw organic cotton and has used no dye whatsoever, making the fabric sustainable and recyclable. The twill construction is made of 100% organic cotton yarns, completely undyed. Due to the untreated organic yarns, the garments receive an off-white hue with natural speckles unique to each garment.

    F a b r i c

    Inspired by the raw concept, Zelz Ecru Denim O has been stripped to its purest fundamental form. G-star says it has highly pronounced twill lines of Zelz Ecru Denim O give an impression of a tough and heavy surface, yet this base is a midweight denim with a soft hand feel thanks to the nature of the left hand twill construction.

    • Digitally printed
    • Undyed & untreated
    • 100% Organic Cotton
    • 3×1 left hand twill
    • Mid-weight 10.5 oz

    D-Staq RFTP Earth 3D Deconstructed Jacket

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    Spiraq RFTP Patches Earth 3D Slim Jeans

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    E  C  L  I  P  S  E

    Zelz Black Denim O is first of its kind in the market. G-Star says its their most sustainable black denim due to holistic approach when it comes to the choice of fiber, black dyestuff, its transport, its packaging and the actual dye application.

    F a b r i c

    G-Star is emphatic about the qualities of this black denim. It was done in collaboration Archroma and Artistic Milliners.

    • It features liquid dyestuff that leaves an easy to clean and recyclable water effluent.
    • The black dye used in this denim is produced at Archroma’s ‘Zero Liquid Discharge’ sustainble manufacturing plant which is located near by Artistic Milliners.
    • No chemical contact for workers, and no packaging drums and dye residues to dispose off.
    • The dye application onto the fiber is done in a 5-step process compared to the conventional 8-10 steps.
    • It saves 52% water, 65% energy, 71% CO2 and 14% chemicals compared to conventional black.
    • 100% Organic Cotton
    • 3×1 left hand twill, Mid-weight 10.5 oz

    D-Staq RFTP Eclipse 3D Deconstructed Jacket

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    Spiraq RFTP Patches Eclipse 3D Slim Jeans

    FORCES OF NATURE–A Sustainable Collection By Jaden Smith For G-Star Raw

    On the whole a great looking collection with sustainability as one of its core strengths. Check out the video for this collection.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e0H7EPAr1k

     Pic Courtesy : G Star Raw Website

  • Bio Indigo From AMA Herbal With Life Cycle Analysis

    Bio Indigo From AMA Herbal With Life Cycle Analysis

    The textile world is working very hard to become 100% sustainable as soon as possible. Almost all brands and mills are working on it. Most of the factors in terms of raw material as yarn, processing and supply chain have been worked on. But Natural Dyes is kind of unexplored area in sustainability approach. One of the reasons could be the unavailability of data for calculation of sustainable benefits.

    AMA Herbal Laboratories in India has made a breakthrough in this regard.  CEO  Mr Yawer announces :

    “We have made a breakthrough in the dyeing sector by presenting Bio Indigo® dye with Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for the first time. LCA is a scientific, analytic approach in calculating benefits that brands can get on a sustainable balance sheet by just switching to Bio Indigo® in denim production.”

    Bio Indigo® dye is obtained from leaves of plant Indigofera tinctoria was commonly known as indigo which also exhibits medicinal properties. One of the major characteristics of the Indigo plant is that it is a legume and contributes in fertility to the soil. Many coconut farmers have reported higher yields in coconut water by planting Indigo in the periphery. It also acts as a nitrogen source when used as a compost.

    Mr. Yawer further adds :

    “Bio Indigo® dye comes in powder form and is certified on “GOTS Version-V”, and has “ZDHC”, “REACH” to its credit. Its Fastness properties, the process of dyeing and method of use remains same or at par with synthetic indigo. Many large denim mills form Turkey, India, Pakistan, China, Italy, and Japan are already using Bio Indigo® on their rope dyeing machines. Bangladesh Denim world is also showing a good response to the concept. Designers are loving Bio Indigo® for its greener cast and the kind of wash effect that it gives.”

    Denim and indigo blue go hand in hand. Initially, all denim was made with Natural Indigo only but now Indigo is mainly produced synthetically. Synthetic indigo (another name – Indigotin, CAS no. 482-89-3) is produced through a chemical process and makes up for the majority of commercially produced indigo dye in the denim industry.

    To support their claim of Bio Indigo® dye being a sustainable product as well as compare with Synthetic Indigo Dye, AMA Herbal Laboratories have evaluated its environmental impacts using Life Cycle Assessment approach as per ISO 14040/44 standard. AMA Herbal Laboratories entrusted Thinkstep Sustainability Solutions Pvt Limited, a subsidiary of Thinkstep AG, Germany for the LCA study of Bio Indigo® dye using GaBits Software system and Thinkstep Professional databases and services. The study helped evaluate the various environmental impacts of the Bio Indigo® dye and how it stands compared with the Synthetic Indigo Dye.

    For dyeing of one kg of cotton yarn, synthetic dye consumption is lesser than natural indigo dye. Thus, to make a fair comparison, the functional unit was defined as one kg of dyed cotton yarn. The inventory used in the study consisted of all the production steps from indigo leaves produced in the farms to Bio Indigo® Dye production followed by its use in cotton yarn dyeing. For synthetic dye, similar system boundary i.e. the production of Synthetic indigo dye followed by its use in the cotton yarn dyeing was considered in the study.

    Rope dyeing, being the most common technology for dyeing in the denim industry was considered. It consists of twisting the yarn into a rope then quickly dipped into Indigo baths. This dyeing technique is considered a superior dyeing technology where better dyeing uniformity is achieved.

    Mr Yawer was very happy about the results achieved:

    “Dyeing with our Bio Indigo® dye has 16% lesser acidification potential, the global warming potential was 9% lower, the primary energy demand was also 8% lower whereas the fresh water demand was 0.4 % higher. The difference in the positive impacts was in the range of 0.4%-23% for various environmental factors defining sustainability of denim.”

    “Additionally, the study was used to compare environmental impacts for production of 1 kg of both the Dyes. Except for fresh water consumption, all the other environmental impacts are 10-100% lesser in case of Bio Indigo® Dye.”

    He further explained about the difference regarding Bio Indigo® made by their company vs natural indigo available from other sellers :

    ” Natural Indigo has been primarily been made by the artisans based out of villages and small towns who grow the plant and extract the indigo . Due to their limitations, they are not able to give a standardized product on a commercial scale. Besides, it is also very difficult for them to control the usage of effluent and waste produced from such productions . AMA herbal is perhaps the first company to come out with a standardized natural indigo produce with specified discharges. We recover about 60% of the water used in the dye production while the rest is almost evaporated. The solid spent created from the production is used as bio-fuel and bio-fertilizer. Also, Traditional Natural Indigo contain various impurities, these impurities do not allow this product to run on Rope dyeing/slasher machine. Where as our Bio Indigo® is upgraded version that can run on rope/slasher without any problem. Natural indigo so manufacture is our Bio Indigo®. Also we are the first to have done a LCA of the produce and hence the sustainability experts can be reassured that they are getting a product with minimum impact on the environment.”

    We were apprehensive of the high cost of natural indigo to which he replied :

    “Bio Indigo® is more expensive than synthetic indigo. However, when we consider the cost of usage of synthetic indigo on environment and the additional cost which is applicable in case of many other sustainable processes, the usage of Bio Indigo® would come out much more feasible. Besides, with the latest increases in prices of sythetic indigo, the gap between the two has considerably reduced. “

    AMA herbals summarized the results as follows:

    • The impact contribution of dye production in both cases of dyed cotton yarn production is not more than 8-9% across various impact categories. The major impact contribution comes from the cotton yarn and  energy consumption in rope dying process. Use of Bio Indigo® dye leads to impact reduction, from the credits, it generates as a raw material as well as utilization of dye wastewater in agriculture as a source of nitrogen.
    • The impacts from dyes are highly dependent on the quantity of the dye required. Better utilization of Bio Indigo® dye will lead to further impacts reduction.
    • This study provides Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) as regional averages (India) across the industry for dye manufacturing.
    • Decisions, as well as the choice of modeling approaches and assumptions, can influence the results of LCA.
    • Bio-diversity is not assessed in this study due to its limitations in the LCA methodology
    • The decision should not be taken on toxicity parameters due to their high level of uncertainty. But when compared with Synthetic Indigo Dye, Bio Indigo® dye has lesser impacts for sure.

    Bio Indigo Launch By AMA Herbal India | Denimsandjeans

    Bio Indigo® dye can provide denim brands and manufacturers with a sustainable solution of having lesser environmental impacts. In general, natural dyes have certain advantages over Synthetic dyes. Natural dyes are non-toxic, non-allergic and now one can say they have a reduced negative environmental impact than synthetic dyes. The water consumption can be reduced by engaging sustainable farming practices. AMA Herbal Laboratories will explore this area as the next step in their LCA journey. To become sustainable, fashion industry needs sustainable materials. Bio Indigo® dye thus promises in this endeavor.

    Bio Indigo® available in powder form for Rope Dyeing

    & Ready to use pigment form for coating and printing of textile.

    AMA Herbal can be contacted at bioindigo@amaherbal.com or more information is available at www.amaherbal.com

  • Anubha : Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans: Part II

    Anubha : Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans: Part II

    In the series of articles highlighting the efforts of denim supply chain companies who are participating in Denimsandjeans shows globally, we bring the second one on Anubha Industries from India .  Our effort is to bring to focus the various initiatives taken by the companies in becoming more sustainable and encourage others to also follow.

    ANUBHA INDUSTRIES

    Anubha Industries Ltd is a part of the Pratibha Group of companies, having a history of over 30 years in textiles and manufacturing of fabric including Denim.Headquartered in Surat, with over 600 employees, the company manages the complete industrial chain, from fabric to finished product. Anubha Industries has invested in the state-of-the-art facilities equipped with rope dyeing, weaving, finishing, coating, printing and material testing facilities.

    The company claims that they have an action plan that helps them to reduce energy consumption, its sources, negate waste generation even further in the processes, and minimize current eco-footprints while simultaneously balancing feasibility to do so. The company aims at using only clean chemistry in the entire process by responsible sourcing using Bluesign approved products. The company claims that this input stream management will restrict the entry of the harmful substances right at the beginning of the manufacturing process to achieve standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production. Further , This will ensure that the company’s products meet very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide and also provide confidence to the consumer to acquire a sustainable product.

    Let’s check out more details on what Anubha is doing !

    Water Saving

    Anubha Industries asserted that they have saved 627 million litres of fresh water over the last 3 years with their new suplhur dyeing method which cuts down a significant amount of water and energy used. The process REDUCES the water consumption to 3.5 litres/kg from12 litres/ kg and used for washing and oxidation process. The dyed products made from this process are made using eco-friendly sulphur dyes. The company has installed a state-of-the-art caustic recovery plant, in which, caustic – a valuable chemical, is recovered from the effluent drain of the mercerizing process. In this process 90 % of the caustic is recovered and is reused back in the process . The recovered water separated from caustic is reused in the process resulting in chemical and water savings for the environment.

    The company claims to achieve high recovery of caustic by using ozonation of the effluent caustic, reverse osmosis technology and multi-effect evaporators. The ozonation process eliminates the contamination by oxidizing to sludge and filteration with coarse membranes & micron filters. The use of chemicals to clean up the caustic is eliminated. Conventionally, the contamination keeps getting accumulated and after a few cycles has to be discarded to effluent.The fresh water consumption for the whole unit includes  water for drinking and cleaning purposes as well as water for the denim production processes. Their custom-designed counter flow system reuses the water used in the production process and results in ,as reported by the company, a considerable amount of process water savings over the year.

    Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans – Part II

    Energy Savings

    So far as the energy is concerned , Anubha claims to save 32 million kWh of electricity over the last 3 years. The company has initiated a number of steps to REDUCE energy usage and eco-footprints, starting with optimisation of in-plant electrical power quality, installation of energy efficient lighting system, and machinery energy consumption is optimised by use of variable frequency drive systems and heat recovery systems in air compressors.State-of-the-art equipment installed includes steam condensate recovery system, flash steam recovery system and waste heat recovery system on boiler and thermopacs that ensures that the energy produced is REUSED after recovery. The heat recovery system installed on air compressors recovers waste heat from the compressor cooling.

    Hot compressed air is cooled in heat exchangers by water. Hot water is generated (55o- 60o C) as an output of heat exchanger. In the conventional method of rejecting heat at the cooling tower causes loss of water in evaporation and consumption of power in cooling tower operations. Anubha says that their production unit has been consistently able to reduce energy consumptions to a diminutive amount of 1.05 KWH / MT of electricity and 0.68KG/MT of coal.

    Sustainability Efforts By The Exhibitors Of Denimsandjeans – Part II

    Waste Recycling

    The company has introduced an advanced treatment system to REDUCE effluent generated and an eco-processing route that reduces the other waste obtained. The process includes the introduction of advanced treatment systems to reduce the effluent generated and an eco processing route that reduces the other waste obtained. The factory also maintains RESPONSIBLE LIQUID DISCHARGE by resorting to in-plant pre-treatment of effluent and ensuing further treatment involving sending effluents to CETP for wastewater management.The installation of a waste heat recovery system on the Stenter machine and the caustic recovery plant helps recover and reuse whatever energy and by-material that is generated.

    This series will continue to part III and beyond . Check out the Part I here . For the latest updates , you can follow us on Facebook , Linkedin and Instagram