14 DAY TRIAL // On December 2, Nike cut the ribbon on a brand-new and totally eco-friendly sportswear dye facility in Taiwan. This time, the company decided to green up its ways not by investing heavily in energy efficiency and in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but by eliminating the need to use water to dye clothing items.
The company details that run-off-the-mill dye factories typically use about 100 – 150 liters of water to color one kilogram of material.
The new plant in Taiwan, on the other hand, doesn’t use any water. Instead, it relies on high-pressure liquidized CO2 to get dye to stick to fabrics, Business Green details.
The equipment needed to dye sportswear in this environmentally friendly manner was provided by Dutch company DyeCoo Textile Systems.
The new dye process is said to not only significantly reduce the factory’s water consumption, but also cut energy use. Besides, it reduces the need to use loads of various chemicals to dye sportswear.
Since these chemicals can work their way into the environment and even threaten the wellbeing of factory workers, the process can be argued to also reduce pollution risk and benefit public health.
The new eco-friendly dye facility is operated by Far Eastern New Century Corp (FENC), a Taiwanese conglomerate whose working agenda revolves around producing and finishing synthetic fibers and other textiles.
Commenting on the factory’s adopting the DyeCoo process, FENC Executive Vice President Kuenlin Ho said that, “Compared to traditional dyeing methods, the ColorDry process reduces dyeing time by 40 per cent, energy use by around 60 per cent and the required factory footprint by a quarter.”
"It’s also the most saturated, intense and consistent colour we’ve seen," he further stressed.
The first sportswear created using this innovative dye technology is expected to hit stores sometime next year. It will be marketed under the brand name ColorDry, so outdoorsy folks who happen to also care about the environment will know exactly what to look for if they wish to show their support for this initiative.