Pad-Ox G2 Cold is a new water-saving room temperature dyeing process for achieving casual looks, jointly developed by Archroma and Jeanologia.

Speciality chemicals leader Archroma, of Reinach, Switzerland, initially introduced its eco-advanced Pad-Ox dyeing process for woven fabrics, and then used it as part of its Advanced Denim concept. The idea was fairly simple but highly effective – by combining the oxidation and fixation steps, it is possible to shorten the dyeing process and realise substantial resource savings in water, wastewater, cotton waste, and energy.

Over the years the company has worked with its textile manufacturers and partners to improve the Pad-Ox process, in particular woven applications such as chinos and casual wear. To achieve maximum positive impact, Archroma is using its Diresul range of low sulfide sulphur dyes and, more recently, its plant-based range of EarthColors. A wide selection of dyes from these two ranges have received the Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute’s Platinum Level Material Health Certification.

Meanwhile, Jeanologia, headquartered in Valencia, Spain, has been working for more than 25 years on the technology side, with laser and eco-finishing solutions, accompanying the textile industry on its way to producing with zero discharge.

In 2008, the company introduced its G2 Dynamic, the first ozone treatment for continuous fabric that dramatically reduces the amount of water and chemicals used, while at the same time saving costs at the mill and eventually at the garment finishing facilities. This technology makes fabric more stable and consistent and better prepares the fabric for the use of other technologies like laser. This machinery can be used along with Pad-Ox technology to help improve fabric fastness results in cleaning.

Temperature and fastness

Archroma and Jeanologia therefore understandably decided to team up and combine their expertise in sustainable dyeing and finishing technologies. The objective of the project was to improve the Pad-Ox dyeing process even further, in particular in one area that still offered room for positive impact – temperature and fastness. After several months of development, they have come up with a way to apply the Pad-Ox dyeing process at room temperature, whilst still improving fastnesses and allowing higher contrasts after washdown. A binder-free technology allows end articles that are softer and have greater colour durability to repetitive washing and solidity against rubbing than other wash-out processes to be obtained.

The new Pad-Ox G2 Cold dyeing process works thanks to the insertion of very small machine into the existing finishing range process, using cold processing and thus operating with much less water, carbon footprint and energy than traditional benchmark fabric finishing processes, whilst retaining the water and other resource savings offered by the Pad-Ox technology.

Maximum savings can be achieved by mills and garment manufacturers who wish to switch from a conventional dyeing process straight to Pad-Ox G2 Cold to obtain high quality fabrics for comfortable and casual wear.

“This association is another step in exchanging traditional, more polluting and water consuming processes in the textile industry with new ones improving and boosting subsequent production stages up to the finishing of the garment,” said Jean Pierre Inchauspe, G2 Dynamic business director at Jeanologia.

www.archroma.com