Today’s Solutions: November 24, 2024

When it comes to fashion water is no drop in the bucket. Conventional textile dyeing uses anywhere from 25 to 40 gallons for every two pounds of fabric. Globally, the water used in textile production adds up to about 24.56 trillion gallons each year, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Yes, the apparel industry is incredibly wasteful, but there are a few companies that are starting to show how we can dramatically curb the environmental impact of producing and dyeing textiles. One of those companies is Netherlands-based DyeCoo, a company that is developing the first commercially available textile dyeing machine that eliminates the need for water and processing chemicals in the dying process. The name “DyeCoo” comes from mashing up “dying” with “CO2,” a nod to its approach. The process works by pressurizing and heating carbon dioxide to above 31.1 degrees Celsius (about 88 Fahrenheit), the temperature at which it becomes “supercritical,” a phase between a liquid and a gas. This allows dyes more easily to dissolve and to penetrate deeply into fibers without the use of water or bonding chemicals. The CO2 is then cleaned and 95 percent is recycled back into the machine to be reused. So, not only does the technology save water and chemicals, but it’s also circular. What’s more, DyeCoo’s technology isn’t some niche machinery that won’t be used on a grand scale: the Dutch company is already working with Nike, Ikea, and Adidas to bring circularity to the apparel industry.

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