Cotton Inc., Cary, N.C., along with Swiss color and specialty chemical company Archroma, recently presented what they believe to be the first dye derived from cotton plant residues.
Archroma’s patented EarthColors technology creates dyes in warm, ternary shades from nature and addresses two textile industry concerns — sustainability and traceability — according to the company. This biosynthetic alternative uses natural waste from the agricultural or herbal industry. The sulfur-based dyes are designed for use on cellulosic fibers like cotton.
“As soon as we heard about the EarthColors technology, we wanted to explore the possibilities of cotton as a natural dye source,” says Mary Ankeny, the senior director of textile chemistry research who led Cotton Incorporated’s portion of the project. “Byproducts of cotton harvesting and ginning have been utilized within the food and construction industries for decades, but we were intrigued by the idea of using cotton biomass to dye cotton fiber.”
There is an ample supply of cotton biomass. For example, one 480-pound bale of cotton can produce 150-200 pounds of usable byproducts. Archroma’s EarthColors application on cotton byproducts marks the first time the cotton plant has been used to actually dye cotton fabrics. — M.Q.
Mimaki USA, recently announced TRAPIS, a next-generation digital transfer sublimation printing system that makes textile production more environmentally friendly.
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A4, manufacturer of premium sportswear and team uniforms, is now making all its most popular apparel, and the vast majority of its line, with recycled polyester.
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Per the global market-research firm Repot Prime the global direct-to-garment (DTG) printing machine market is expected to grow $710 million by 2030.
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