For a long time, there was a clear trade-off between sustainability and profitability, but that is no longer the case. Innovative new technologies, products and processes are balancing the equation in favor of environment-friendly business practices.
Textile brands and mills now recognize that there are rewards, such as cost savings by conserving energy, water and other resources. There are also new markets to tap into. Younger consumers especially are looking for brands that can deliver value while satisfying their performance expectations and green aspirations. At the same time, jurisdictions from the EU to the state of California are introducing regulations that will effectively close large markets to companies unable to live up to more stringent sustainability standards.
Investing for a more transparent and traceable future
About two-thirds of the current Huntsman Textile Effects portfolio is based on sustainable solutions, making it possible for brands to offer a better end-user experience and to improve regulatory compliance with less water, energy, time and cost. We continue to invest to help mills and brands enhance manufacturing efficiency, meet their environmental, social and governance goals, and empower consumers in their sustainability journey.
Key resource-saving technologies from the Huntsman Textile Effects labs include the following:
AVITERA® SE dyes are poly-reactive and have a high diffusion rate and a fixation rate that is very close to the exhaustion rate. This means that only a very small amount of the hydrolyzed (or water-diluted) dye remains on the fabric to get washed off, thereby allowing mills to dramatically reduce the dyeing and washing-off cycle, offering water and energy savings of up to 50% and slashing carbon emissions by up to 50% for the dyeing of cotton and other cellulosic fibers.
TERASIL® W/WW disperse dyes deliver outstanding results for polyester and its blends, even for deep and very deep shades, with the best wetfastness performance available today. These dyes are extremely robust during processing. Crucially, they are not sensitive to reduction, leading to higher reproducibility and higher right first-time results, with a reduction in overall water and energy consumption, as well as water effluent.
ERIOPON® E3-SAVE is an all-in-one textile auxiliary for polyester processing. It allows pre-souring, dyeing and reduction clearing to be combined in a single bath, which shortens processing time by 25% or more and saves up to 50% of water and energy.
These solutions can be combined with other effects to help apparel and textile brands do more with less in key market segments.
Eco-conscious performance apparel
To succeed in today’s sports and outdoor market, performance apparel brands have to produce eco-friendly garments that offer protection for every weather and season without the use of perfluorochemicals (PFCs). Huntsman Textile Effects can help brands save resources during processing while delivering high-performance easy-care apparel that protects the wearer from the elements and looks new for longer. Here are a selection of our top recommendation for performance apparel:
SYN PREP cleans synthetic fibers while contributing to cleaner wastewater. It enables one-bath exhaust scouring and dyeing for savings of water, energy and time of up to 50%.
AVITERA® SE FAST is a sustainable dyeing process for polyester-cellulose blends. Using a combination of Huntsman’s TERASIL® W/WW disperse dyes and AVITERA® SE reactive dyes, it reduces processing time by 25% or more and dramatically lowers environmental impact. Water and energy savings of up to 50% are possible, along with a reduction in CO2 and effluent emissions of up to 50%.
ZELAN™ R3 is a renewably sourced non-fluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) finish that delivers high-performance repellency that lasts through multiple home launderings.
PHOBOL® Extender UXN boosts the wash durability of DWR technologies and is free of butanone oxime
Sustainable casual wear
In the post-pandemic new normal, many consumers are embracing casual style and comfort, and choosing easy-care fabrics that retain their bright colors for a long life. Offering solutions from pre-treatment to finishing, Huntsman Textile Effects can help brands save water and energy during processing and produce garments that require less frequent home laundering.
In addition to AVITERA® SE and TERASIL® W/WW dyes, we recommend the following solutions for sustainable casual wear:
Gentle Power Bleach is an enzyme-based peroxide bleaching treatment for cotton fabrics that reduces water and energy use by 30-40% and CO2 and effluent emissions by up to 50%. It allows for low-temperature processing (at 65°C instead of 98-120°C) and increases productivity by 25% of more.
UVITEX® BHA LIQ is a world-first aniline-free high-affinity brightener that helps mills achieve very high, brilliant full-white effects on cellulosic fibres, with reduced risk of discoloration when other finishing effects are applied or during storage and shipment. It delivers the lowest possible wastewater pollution due to its very high exhaustion rate.
NOVACRON® ADVANCE is a new-generation water-based reactive ink designed for industrial digital printers to achieve the most complete range of deep and vibrant colors. It allows reduced ink consumption and outstanding jetting performance for minimal wastage, maintenance and downtime. With a high fixation rate and optimal wash-off properties, these NOVACRON® inks enable robust and flexible processing.
Environment-friendly home textiles
Consumers and institutions like hotels and hospitals demand quality, comfort and durability from textiles such as carpets, bedding and toweling, as well as seat covers, cushions and umbrellas used in outdoor settings. With high-performance end-to-end concepts, Huntsman Textile Effects can deliver these attributes and improve your sustainability profile.
While solutions like Gentle Power Bleach, AVITERA® SE and TERASIL® W/WW dyes, ZELAN™ R3 and PHOBOL® Extender UXN are suitable for home textiles brands looking to deliver more with fewer resources, we can also recommend these combinations:
Bio-scouring with INVAZYME SOFT is a gentle, low-temperature pretreatment at a neutral pH. It helps ready fabrics for dyeing medium to dark shades, with water and energy savings of up to 30% and a reduction in effluent load of up to 50%.
TERATOP® dyes are designed to meet all levels of light-fastness requirements for polyester, making them ideal for outdoor furniture, awnings and banners.
Anish Paliwal, Global Marketing Manager – CEL & DA, Huntsman Textile Effects