DyStar’s New Indigo Dyeing Process Could Yield Huge Water Savings
Singapore-based dye and chemical manufacturer DyStar has released a new indigo dyeing system that it says will drastically reduce water and energy use during denim-making.
The century-old company announced the launch of Eco-Advanced indigo dyeing for traditional indigo dyeing process. It can be used with sulphur dyes and colored denim.
More from Sourcing Journal
The process allows mills to bypass all wash boxes—usually three to four, in total—after a pretreatment with Lava Fix FFA Eco, according to global technical manager Naceur Azraq. From there, the denim is dyed using the indigo and sulphur boxes, followed by a one-time, three-to-four box wash. An after-fixation with FFA Eco and neutralization process takes place in the same box, saving “enormous amounts of water, energy and effluent,” or waste, he said. According to DyStar, the Eco-Advanced indigo dyeing technique reduces water use by up to 90 percent, and energy consumption by up to 30 percent.
The company is “constantly innovating through our research and development,” Azraq added. “The introduction of an advanced sustainable indigo dyeing technology will help the Denim industry to save valuable natural resources.” Pre-production samples of denim made using Eco-Advanced indigo and Sulphur dyeing will be shown at the Textile and Garment Technology Exhibition (ITMA) in Milan, Italy this month, he added.
The company’s eco-friendly indigo dyeing process can help denim customers mitigate the effluent in their wastewater, reducing it by up to 85 percent while creating more consistent product. Up to 10 percent less indigo is needed throughout the process, and Eco-Advanced creates an improved ring dyeing effect and colorfastness within the yarn. The process is also laser-friendly. “DyStar’s products further support customers in their sustainability journey towards a cleaner and more cost-effective production environment while quality is not compromised,” it said.
The debut of the Eco-Advanced system will help DyStar accelerate its long-term sustainability goals. In a report released in September, the company said it reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity by 30 percent, and wastewater emission intensity by 37 percent, during 2021. But its wastewater discharge increased by 22 percent from the year prior. Executive board director Xu Yalin said DyStar would “continue to invest responsibly into product innovation… to drive sustainable outcomes across our value chain and industries.”
Earlier this month, the company said it’s closing its 125-year-old plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, citing a need to “restructure” operations in response to changing market conditions. Its remaining global factories will pick up any slack, it said.
