Textile category

Jeans bleaching – advantages and risks of different bleaching processes – part 2

Post author:Florian Winkler
Post published:11/07/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

In this part different jeans bleaching processes are discussed, their benefits and features as well as their problems. The study is looking at chemical and mechanical treatments for open-pocket machines for fabrics and single garments. The methods discussed include bleaching processes using hypochlorite, permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides, laccase, ozone, glucose, sandblasting, electrochemical and laser engraving

Greenpeace puts pressure on outdoor brands to phase out fluorocarbon chemistry

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:09/07/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

Greenpeace increases the pressure on leading retail brands. The environmental pressure group revealed data on hazardous fluorocarbons, PFOA, PFOS and others, tested on outdoor textiles from leading brands. We had a closer look at the report and discuss the issue in light of the progress in the ZDHC programme.

Jeans bleaching – advantages and risks of different bleaching processes – part 1

Post author:Florian Winkler
Post published:20/06/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

Jeans have become very popular across all age groups, and genders. Popular fashion shades include many styles and colors, from dark blue to bright blue and from black to grey. To obtain pale shades, jeans are usually bleached. This first article gives an overview of the working sequence and key requirements of the bleaching process

fireworker workwear

Smart textiles – hope for the European textile industry for a better future?

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:21/03/2013
Post category:Textile

Smart textiles are a big hope for the European textile industry for future business opportunities. The article outlines the differences to wearable electronics and functional textiles, and explains the challenges for the development of smart textiles.

Greenpeace zero discharge campaign

Zero discharge programme in textile industry moving to version 2

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:13/03/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

The joint roadmap of the zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (ZDHC) programme in the textile industry is moving to version 2. An environmental management system and work streams are suggested. Greenpeace criticized some of the proposed changes to the roadmap.

Sustainable colouration concepts: Issues in textile processing of cotton

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:05/02/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

Cotton processing has various ecological problems, from polluted effluents to high water and energy consumption. Various concepts to improve this situation are discussed in this article. Best available technology can achieve zero discharge, especially by careful selection of dyes and processes, proper effluent treatment and recycling concepts. Future prospects include modified cellulose fibres, by chemical modifications, or bioengineered cotton.

The textile supply chain and jeans production in China

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:26/11/2012
Post category:Textile

The video (in German language) shows the manufacturing of jeans made for German discounter kik as well as for big brands, in Guangdong province of China.

More challenges in the Greenpeace detox campaign

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:23/11/2012
Post category:Ecology Textile

The Greenpeace detox campaign gets to a higher gear. In this article we outline some technical challenges of particular concern related to possibly critical contaminants in reactive dyes, disperse dyes and in indigo.

Slow progress in the Greenpeace detox campaign

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:06/11/2012
Post category:Ecology Textile

Meanwhile a series of famous big brands have joined the zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (ZDHC) programme, a response to the detox campaign initiated by Greenpeace in 2011. However, the speed of progress has been criticised by Greenpeace. We put some lights on the reasons why.

Sustainable colouration concepts: waterless dyeing

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:23/05/2012
Post category:Textile

This article series is about latest trends and future perspectives in coloration technologies. This part is about coloration using waterless dyeing concepts which is based on supercritical carbon dioxide, a technology invented in Germany 25 years ago.