There are many sustainable contributions to be made in the textile industry before the clothes even reach the consumer. From pretreatment to the finishing touches, bioinnovation from Novozymes has brought a range of competitive solutions to the industry that help manufacturers to meet the challenges of producing high-quality fabrics in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly manner. However, the solutions are often used as stand-alone products.To show the full potential of today’s enzyme technology, Novozymes joined forces with global textile and apparel manufacturer Esquel Group. By applying bioinnovative solutions to all stages of the production of a single T-shirt, the benefits of enzymatic processing were clearly demonstrated. The result was termed the “elemental T-shirt” – a showcase for Novozymes’
“elemental textiles” concept.
Why enzymatic solutions are elemental
Creating textiles using the best technology available is elemental because it is cost neutral, leads to higher-quality products, and helps protect the earth’s four elements: water, through reduced consumption and toxicity; air, through lower emission of CO2 and other harmful airborne particles; fire, by minimizing the use of energy and fossil fuels; and finally earth, by reducing raw material waste and maximizing resources.
Amazingly, the peer-reviewed life cycle assessment suggested substantial savings of more than 70,000 liters of water and 1 ton of CO2 per ton of knitted fabric. It also showed a 20–25% reduction in processing time. “The savings we achieved almost took us by surprise!” explains Han Kuilderd, Customer Solutions Manager at Novozymes. “We’re glad to see that our solutions can reduce water and energy usage to such an extent simply by being applied at different stages of the same textile process.”
An estimated 9 million tons of knitwear is produced every year. With that in mind, it is easy to imagine the difference that elemental textiles could make to the textile industry. “We believe that mills and retailers can go a long way with elemental textiles. Savings in time, seasoned with increased output and better quality at the same cost as a traditional process, gives a competitive edge,” says Umar Riaz, Global Marketing Manager at Novozymes. “Considering the sustainable aspect, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”
Bioinnovation paves the way
As elemental textiles offer no compromise on quality, Novozymes believes that they will pave the way for a more sustainable textile industry. Taking a step in the right direction, the elemental textiles concept has been featured at various international events, including the Fashion Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009, which was a side event to COP15.
Novozymes’ collaboration with Esquel in developing the elemental textiles concept demonstrates how rethinking conventional processes and incorporating sustainable alternatives makes good business sense. Not only does it lead to reduced manufacturing costs and higher-quality fabrics, but also to an improved environmental profile and a competitive edge. An elemental business makes perfect sense.