4% COTTON COMBINED

Indigo Alchemy

As mills explore the 360 degree impact of their processes, everything from raw materials to chemical use to water consumption comes into the spotlight. So it's no wonder indigo is under scrutiny right now. The indigo dyeing process is long an arduous but mills are taking further steps to explore new technologies to reduce energy, chemical use and water in order to create a brighter, better blue.

Blue Diamond have explored an ingenious new approach to dying: using indigo dyed fibers from LENZING AG (TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Technology) or by respinning recycled indigo with cotton. Kipas have launched a similar concept with their Zero Impact denim range (0 virgin dye/ zero virgin cotton zero chemicals) where colored fibre from the cutting table and indigo rope dyeing waste is used to create new indigo fabric.

Advance use an ecologically friendly reducing agent to create their ‘BIO BLUE’ denims. This liquid product helps reduce the discharge of pollutants in the entire production process and is expected to obtain the GOTs certificate this summer. Meanwhile Arvind continue with their Quantum dye technology that uses a foam process culminating in up to 90% water savings and a huge reduction in chemical usage.

Old school as always, Cone continue their amazing collaboration with Stoney Creek Colors, with 100% natural indigo dye, homegrown in the USA.

BUAISOU

KIPAS - 29856

70% POST INDUSTRIAL WASTE, 30% TENCEL™ MODAL WITH INDIGO COLOUR

BLUE DIAMOND - DV498A

46% TENCEL™ MODAL WITH INDIGO COLOUR, 29% COTTON, 25% RECYCLED INDIGO COTTON

CONE - N008J

100% ORGANIC COTTON

ARVIND - BAHT/9581193QR

78% COTTON 21% RECYCLED POLYESTER 1% ELASTANE

Laser-Ready

As more sustainable laundry alternatives (using less chemicals and water) become the norm for many brands, mills explore ways in which they can aid and compliment the use of these techniques at the laundry stage.

Arvind launched their Cleankore technology to eliminate the use of PP sprays, also offering a huge reduction in water and chemical usage. The technology also works in unison with laser. Soorty launch a new indigo color this season that reacts very well to laser, preventing the need for heavier or more manual laundries with higher environmental impact.

Bossa teamed up with sustainable laundry, Strom to further align their fabrics with ozone and laser techniques. Laser was used instead of dry processes ecological spray instead of PP spray, reusable ecological stone instead of pumice stone and ozone instead of hypochlorite.

Leading Italian chemical company, Rudolf have just launched a pioneering new product called Laser Smoother. This product is an all in one formula to apply to garments before laser burning that emulates the more detailed effects of hand scraping. The process enhances the fabrics natural characteristics and also reduces the laser power required to achieve the desired effect, saving both energy and time.

ARVIND - SIRO, 580452

71% COTTON, 26% POLYESTER, 3% ELASTANE

DNM - LAVALI EASYBLUE

82% COTTON, 18% LYOCELL

BOSSA - SN0567

69% RECYCLED COTTON, 16% RECYCLED POLYESTER, 14% COTTON, 1% RECYCLED ELASTANE

All-Natural

Natural, unbleached fabrics continue their appeal as a symbol of paired back simple sustainability. Seeded, rustic qualities, organic ingredients and authentic character is king.

Naveena Denim continue their Bast Recast range of hemp blends with this drapey modal mix and open construction, whilst Crescent keeps it simple with a cotton and hemp blend. Both qualities offer drape and fluidity, letting the natural character of the hemp shine through. Arvind achieve a similar attitude with their lightly seeded unbleached cotton, but elevate the look with a strong red-line selvedge.

Desert Studio Dubai present a hydroless quality from yarn to finish and DDI tap BCI cotton.

If the fabric looks like its better for the environment, better make sure it is ;-)

B SIDES

NAVEENA DENIM - NDL-5339-J-01

65% COTTON, 19% MODAL, 16% HEMP

ARVIND - PUMMICE 49376

100% COTTON

CALIK - 30489G

62% ORGANIC COTTON, 25% LYOCELL, 12% REFIBRA™, 1% ROICA™ V550

Evergreen

Denim color is making a strong comeback for FW in the form of natural and autumnal shades, either inspired by, or using natural dyes. With more and more consumers educating themselves about the impact of the dye process, mills explore new, more sustainable ways to apply color.

Advance continue to use their ‘Big Box’ dye process to achieve a number of beautiful shades. Big Box reduces water consumption by 95.5%, wastewater emission by 99%, chemical consumption by 35%, gas emissions by 44.3% and electricity consumption by 25.5%.

OFFICINA+39: taps their range of Nebudye dyestuffs to obtain a unique dyeing effect in nebulization machinery, all while saving water and energy. They call the treatment Ozone Powder and it gives garments a distressed, laundered look but is chlorine and potassium permanganate free.

Beximco use a coating rather than a dyestuff to create an acidwash-like highlow contrast.

@NOMAINTENENCE

DENIM DE L'ILE - SOHO WHITE, COATED GARMENT DYED GREEN

90% COTTON 8% POLYESTER 2% SPANDEX

KIPAS - 29705

100% ORGANIC COTTON

ADVANCE - QA758H7-3

94% COTTON, 5% T400, 1% LYCRA®

OFFICINA+39 - 210206

NEBUDYE D