These New Technologies Will Change The Fashion Industry
Last month, we joined the global Plastic Free July movement and explored the exciting world of next-gen materials. These innovative textiles offer a much-needed escape from the plastic-heavy fashion items we've all become accustomed to. The research behind these materials is endless, and we're hopeful they'll soon become the future of the fashion industry. Read our full article "Plastic Free July: Fashion Edition".
While researching and reading about the plastic-free textile alternatives mentioned in our latest article, we’ve also come across quite a few innovative technologies - that are not necessarily plastic-free - but that nonetheless, have high chances to become fashion brands’ next go-to when it comes down to materials and recycling technologies. Today, we're diving deep into these groundbreaking innovations.
Syre
We’ve talked about Syre before on our social media as well as our blog channel - Read “Have You Heard Of Syre?” for more. This material is truly taking centre stage when it comes to textile innovation.
Initiated by Vargas and H&M Group, the Stockholm-based company Syre has launched with a mission to revolutionise the textiles industry by decarbonising and eliminating textile waste through large-scale textile-to-textile recycling, starting with polyester. Supported by a pioneering offtake supply agreement with H&M Group, Syre aims to establish several production plants worldwide to create their circular polyester, significantly reducing CO2e emissions compared to traditional oil-based polyester production. The company has committed to providing circular polyester (cPET) that matches the quality of oil-based virgin polyester while offering superior sustainability, reducing CO2e emissions by up to 85%.
The first Syre production plant is underway in North Carolina, USA, with plans to be operational by the end of this year. Although this technology is focusing on getting circular polyester up and running in the market, their platform is versatile and may even explore other fibres and technologies in the future. That’s our hope anyway.
Silana
Silana, on the other hand, seems to be fashion’s new answer to the industry’s polluting issues. In fact, this new technology is revolutionising garment production by completely automating this process.
Silana, an Austrian company, has introduced the first robot that automates the manual, costly and problematic sewing phase – the only major step in fashion production that remains unautomated. This breakthrough allows for the automation of the entire production process, from fabric rolls to finished garments, eliminating the need for human involvement at all. This technological leap enables sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective clothing production on-site, even in high-wage countries. In fact, the technology’s products are made in the USA and offered at prices lower than those Made in China.
Although automating this aspect of the textile industry would of course have a lot of benefits such as putting a stop to labour shortages, reducing lead times, higher precision and quality; at the same time, by automating this process and taking the human touch out of this part of the supply chain, a lot of those garment factories workers will be left without a job, a wage and a way to feed their families. This might be considered a very important aspect on an ethical level, but if we know the fashion industry well enough - and we think we do - Silana might just become the future of fashion production.
DyeRecycle
DyeRecycle is addressing chemical circularity in the fashion and textile industry, something that has never been done before. Their technology solves two of the greatest challenges facing the industry: dye pollution and textile waste. In fact, this technology splits into two different recycling categories.
DyeRecycle Synthetics, which provides an innovative solution for recycling synthetic textile waste. The technology effectively separates dyes from waste fibres, enabling both elements to be recycled separately back into the supply chain.
By extracting dyes from fibres, the process allows for dye recovery to be reused in new fabrics, eliminating the necessity for new dyes. The decoloured leftover fibres are utilised as a premium input for fibre recyclers. This complete circular process ensures the recycling and reuse of the solvent, thereby reducing environmental impact to a minimum.
On the flip side, DyeRecycle Cellulosics is a groundbreaking method that breaks down cotton into a cellulosic powder. This powder can be seamlessly integrated into textile production as a pigment for fresh fabrics, minimising waste and prolonging material lifespan. Additionally, this technique is effective for cotton-synthetic blends too, enabling the retrieval of cellulosic powder while isolating synthetic fibres for recycling. This holistic strategy cuts down on waste production and breathes new life into dyes, synthetics, and cotton in the textile industry supply chain.
Colorfix
The company Colorfix - which we had previously talked about after visiting Future Fabrics Export this year - has found a way to extract colours from nature to create eco-friendly dyes, replacing harmful chemicals in the textile industry (and this time, it could be for good).
This new dyeing technique, developed by the UK-based Colorfix, starts from identifying an organism naturally producing the desired colour ie. a yellow banana. Once they have this natural organism, they extract the DNA sequence responsible for that colour and insert it into a microbe. Microbes like this are then cultivated in large tanks, multiplying every 20 minutes, before being transferred to fabrics using standard dyeing machines.
This process eliminates the need for toxic chemicals and heavy metals typically used in conventional dyeing practices, preserving ecosystems. Moreover, it reduces water consumption by 80%, potentially saving 2.5 trillion litres of water annually.
The textile industry manufactures 1 billion clothing items yearly, often dyed with chemicals that negatively impact clean water access, especially in lower-income nations. Sustainable alternatives like Colorfix could significantly enhance the industry's sustainability efforts, so we can’t wait for every single brand to buy into this textile dyeing technique.
Sparxell
This company has just created the world’s first 100% natural, high-performance biodegradable colour platform. How?
Cellulose-rich sources like wood pulp are the foundation of Sparxell's pigments and glitter. The crystalline core of cellulose is extracted from these sources and dispersed randomly in water. Once the cellulose crystals are prepared in water, they transition from a disordered (isotropic) arrangement to an organised (cholesteric) state as they dry. Through their patented technology, these densely packed crystals create a film that reflects light and colour across a wide area.
By managing the crystal interactions, Sparxell can customise the cellulose film to achieve a specific look. The film can then be ground and moulded into various sizes and shapes, allowing Sparxell to replicate nature's vibrant colours and effects naturally, without the use of chemicals.
Despite ongoing challenges, a growing movement towards sustainability is shaping the fashion industry. While there's still much work to be done, the industry is gradually shifting towards eco-friendly materials, innovative recycling technologies, and chemical-free alternatives. This positive momentum suggests a promising future for sustainable fashion.
[All images sourced on canva.com; info sourced on wearesilana.com, innovationintextiles.com, thesustainablefashionforum.com, dyerecycle.com, colorifix.com and sparxell.com]