LONDON – Basque outdoor brand Ternua has launched a new project which sees it collecting walnut shells to be used to make natural dyes to colour its products. The business says it has already collected 300kg of nut shells, which – in theory – can be used to dye up to 10,000 garments. Ternua developed the concept of utilising nut shells from nearby cider houses in 2017 as during the cider season it is estimated that up to 55,000kg of walnuts are consumed as part of a customary dessert in the region’s cider houses.
The company has partnered with speciality chemicals business, Archroma, on the project which is supported by Spain’s Department of the Environment and by the regional government of the Gipuzkoa province. The province’s National Cider Association is also involved.
Ternua’s brand’s director of innovation, Edu Uribesalgo, said: “The first thing we thought of were the nut shells in the cider houses. We talked with the Natural Cider Association of Gipuzkoa and they agreed to collaborate. So, we got to work. We found a company in Tudela where the shells could be ground up and we got in touch with Archroma to see whether they could handle the chemical process of transforming the shells into natural dye.”
Textile chemical specialist Archroma aleady offers a range of dyes created from non-edible agricultural waste as part of its Earthcolors product collection.
Ternua will release a capsule collection of clothing dyed using products created from nut shells in time for the spring-summer 2019 season. The products will also feature post-consumer recycled cotton and recycled PET.
Founded in 1994, the Ternua Group has achieved global success by promoting adventure through respect for nature, producing sustainable technical clothing for outdoor sports enthusiasts worldwide. The group’s strong commitment to the environment is shown through its R&D that focuses on developing fabric using eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton and recycled down.
Today, the group’s portfolio includes three brands Ternua, Astore and Lorpen, currently exporting to more than 50 countries, with operations in Europe, America and Asia