The Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute of Texas Tech University has developed a new foam-dyeing process it says is poised to transform denim manufacturing.
Unveiled yesterday (14 November), the disruptive technology – which is owned by Indigo Mill Designs (IMD) – received support from jeans giants Wrangler and Lee and the Walmart Foundation, which were all early stage investors.
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Foam dyeing of yarn is a new technology that is environmentally friendly and cost effective. However, its use was previously limited in denim manufacturing because the indigo dye used to create the traditional blue colour reacts to oxygen in the air.
IMD’s IndigoZERO solution, developed at Texas Tech University, overcomes this limitation, resulting in net reductions of water and energy usage of more than 90%. In addition, the foam-dyeing process reduces chemical usage while achieving the same or better dye quality compared to conventional processes.
“A large fabric mill uses millions of gallons of water every day to dye denim,” explains Sudhakar Puvvada, who leads denim innovation work for Wrangler and Lee’s Global Innovation Center and served as an advisor to IMD. “IMD’s innovation can greatly reduce that amount and cut the energy needed for dyeing and wastewater treatment.”
IMD’s foam-dying process also will allow fabric mills to produce much smaller quantities than conventional dyeing processes, when desired. In addition to reducing waste, smaller fabric runs will allow for more innovative designs and marketing in the denim industry.
“We’re grateful for the support of Wrangler and Lee, whose investment and technical contribution greatly advanced the process of commercialisation with IMD,” adds Dean Ethridge, lead researcher at Texas Tech. “Credit also goes to the US Manufacturing Innovation Fund for supporting the research project that made development of this technology possible.”
