Livinguard cuts cotton dyeing wash-off water use

Swiss textile technology company Livinguard has demonstrated that its +DYE SC after-treatment can reduce the conventional nine-stage wash-off process following reactive dyeing of cotton to six stages. An independent assessment commissioned by Fashion for Good and conducted by technical consultancy BluWin at a knitwear processing mill in India recorded a significant reduction in water consumption, processing time and steam consumption. The process used existing dyeing equipment, recipes and dyestuffs, without requiring machinery modifications.

Reactive dyeing of cotton requires extensive washing and soaping to remove hydrolysed dyes that have not bonded permanently with the fibres. Livinguard +DYE SC uses a cationic after-treatment that binds to both the fibre and hydrolysed dye, forming a crosslinked network that limits dye release during subsequent washing.

The assessment found comparable wash and rub fastness between the simplified and conventional processes, with additional laboratory tests across four shades indicating that required fastness standards could be maintained.

However, the findings come from a demonstration-scale trial using a 15 kg sample dyeing machine, and actual savings may vary according to shade depth, equipment and operating conditions. Livinguard sees particular potential in medium and dark shades, which generally require more extensive washing.