VALENCIA – Spanish textile business, Tejidos Royo, has unveiled what is claimed to be the world’s first waterless indigo dyeing technology. The company has been developing the process, which uses a range of sophisticated industrial processes including foam dyeing, for ten years. Dry Indigo was developed with the research and development teams at Tejidos Royo, Gaston, and IMD.
Jose Royo is enthusiastic about what this new discovery will mean, and on its impact on the notoriously thirsty indigo dyeing industry. “The change has such a magnitude, that it will change and redefine the way we understand indigo dyeing until now,” he said.
“There will not be a need for large infrastructures anymore. From now on, Indigo dye is not longer a ‘water intensive’ industry. Hard to believe but, in less than 20 meters, the yarn will be dyed, translating into flexibility for our customers, energy costs savings and water saving. With this new technology, we also contribute to important savings in the chemical and mechanical processes during the garment washing.”
As indicated, the entire machine used for the new Dry Indigo waterless dyeing process is only 20 metres long, which is roughly four times smaller than conventional indigo dyeing machines. Royo told reporters at the recent Kingpins show in Amsterdam he strongly believes the technology will pave the way for waterless washing machines.
Tejidos Royo, a Spanish manufacturer of fabrics since 1903, has been a forerunner in foam dyeing technology as well as being the first textile company in Europe to use low impact raw materials (post-consumer pre-consumer, Tencel and fibres of organic origin) for the creation of fabrics.
Earlier this year, US denim brands Wrangler and Lee put their financial weight behind a new foam dyeing process which claims to radically slash water and energy use compared to traditional indigo dyeing.
The innovative process, owned by Indigo Mill Designs, has attracted early stage investment from VF Corp brands Wrangler and Lee, as well as the Walmart Foundation.