Lenzing Group develops sustainable dyes for denim

Lenzing Group has introduced a new textile dyeing method that improves design possibilities in ready-to-wear and knit clothing while focusing on reducing excess water and energy consumption in the denim production.

This new invention helps in achieving the washed-down looks which was earlier only achieved using resource-intensive denim dyeing and bleaching. This process is also suited for Tencel lyocell fiber or Tencel lyocell fiber with Refibra technology. The water wastage can be reduced by up to 50%, energy by 40% and chemicals by 90%.

Rex Mok, Lenzing’s vice president of fiber technical marketing and development, said, “As consumers become more conscious of the environmental footprint of their purchases, designers and manufacturers are seeking innovative ways to ensure that the materials and production processes deployed have low environmental impact, while expanding design possibilities.”

He further said, “Our new approach can create wash-down aesthetics or vintage looks on any knit fabric. By overcoming the limitations of traditional dyeing, our new approach is a resource-efficient alternative that helps translate into greater sustainability and more competitive operational costs for fabric mills.”

The new process also lessens down time for changing dye lots, shortens any production delays, saves costs, and improves production efficiency. It is because it uses the regular, organic or natural dyes which are already being used by yarn spinners and fabric mills. No dye residue will be left behind on machines by yarns and fabrics created by this process.