Dutch company Dyecoo (which literally stands for dyeing with CO2) has developed a revolutionary textile dyeing machine that uses carbon dioxide in place of water.

It is estimated that an average 40 gallons of water is used to dye about 2.5 pounds of textile material. More than 60 billion pounds of textiles are dyed annually, making the textile industry one of the thirstiest in the world, as water is used as a solvent in many textile treatment and finishing processes. But our freshwater resources are drying up, necessitating the search for realistic alternatives. That’s where Dyecoo steps in with a textile dyeing method where carbon dioxide takes center stage, completely eliminating H20 from the picture.

The Dyecoo process is revolutionary in terms of its environmental impact. Compared to water-based dyeing, carbon dioxide textile dyeing uses no chemicals (eliminating toxic chemical leaching into waterways and soil), requires no drying time and is twice as fast,  hence requiring much less energy. Although the technology is currently utilized for polyester, the development of CO2 dyes for natural fibers and other petro-chemical textiles is underway.

So how can you possibly eliminate water from a dyeing process? By creatively researching and manipulating chemical components. The scientists at Dyecoo explain that when carbon dioxide is heated and pressurized to a certain point, it exists in both gas and liquid forms. This means that in its liquid state the CO2 can dissolve dyes, while its gaseous state its viscous and diffusive properties allow for even dispersal of dyes and shorter dyeing times when compared to water. Dyeing with carbon dioxide is much more efficient than dyeing with water as it is quicker and doesn’t involve drying since the gaseous CO2 is released at the end of the process. Up to 90 percent of the released and recaptured CO2 can be recycled as all of the dyeing takes place in one machine.

Although the concept of waterless dyeing has undergone research for the last three decades, only in the last five years have scalable machines for industrial use been developed. Dyecoo has managed to attract textile manufacturers worldwide with its new machine and process, as the cost savings are an important driver for factory owners and stakeholders. Nike is the largest apparel manufacturer thus far to have announced a strategic partnership with Dyecoo, which it announced in 2012 in an effort to drive the technology throughout the industry. It is hoped that the technology will be widely adopted in Asia, where most of the world’s most pollutive textile dyeing occurs.

Image: nrdc_media

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Bast is a fiber group that includes hemp, flax, jute, nettles and the less familiar kenaf. The plants in this fiber group are characterized by an outer bark that contains strong, cellulosic fibers, and kenaf is quickly becoming a sustainable favorite among textile innovators.

Bast fibers have been around since early civilizations as they were the simplest fibers to process before mechanization of fiber and textile production. Kenaf has been documented as a textile plant by the Egyptians as early on as 1,000 B.C. , although it’s believed to have originated in Asia. The plant appears similar to other bast fiber plants, but is actually related to hibiscus and cotton, thus its latin name Hibiscus cannabinus.

Kenaf is claimed to be one of the most sustainable fiber plants in existence, due to its growth rate and excellent ability to replenish the environment it grows in. It can be grown in several places including the U.S., converting more CO2 than 2 acres of tropical rainforest during its growing season whilst also improving soil structure and fixing nutrients into the soil. The plant requires minimal amounts of water, nearly no fertilizers or pesticides and grows extremely rapidly to its full 15 feet in only 150 days. As a natural material, kenaf is completely biodegradable since neither cultivation nor processing require synthetic chemicals.

Kenaf is a superior option for garments, as its extremely long fibers make for very fine yarn when spun. The stalk of the plant contains 30% less lignin (a glue-like substance that fills in the spaces between plant fibers) than other bast fibers, thus making the extraction of long fibers much easier when compared to other similar plants. Nearly 50% of the plant stalk contains fiber that can be extracted for a number of applications, such as knitted or woven textiles. Kenaf has also been found to work exceptionally well blended with cotton, and is also suitable for a number of applications including furniture, shoes and outerwear because of its natural absorbency and fire-retardant properties.

U.S.-based Kenactiv Innovations, Inc. has found very successful and tangible methods for processing kenaf fiber for different uses. The company operates fiber extraction methods with food-safe, natural enzymes and closed-loop processes. The company is currently focusing on solutions for commercial non-wovens, alternatives to petro-chemical plastics, soil composites (kenaf biochar can replenish pesticide-ridden soil), mulch and animal bedding. Although they are not currently producing kenaf yarn in the U.S., plans for fiber extraction and spinning facilities are underway, as are larger plantations in Arizona that will accompany previous growing operations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

While Kenactiv currently produces kenaf yarn in India, where it is used for apparel and accessories. The process in India involves a bath soaking of the plant stalks, after which the long fibers are stripped and dried. The company doesn’t currently work with designers or apparel companies within the U.S., as their production facilities in the U.S. don’t yet have the proper equipment for extracting and processing long fibers. However the company continues to develop new technologies for processing and diversifying the use of kenaf fibers, with the aim to create a viable market for kenaf textiles in the U.S. by bringing the first bast fiber production and spinning plant to the country. Although the company is proprietary in regard to their processing methods, hopefully they will be open to collaboration and share their knowledge about sustainable and intelligent methods for processing bast fibers.

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Fiber Watch: The Sartorial Sting Of Nettles

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