The textiles industry consumes a lot of water and chemicals and produces huge amounts of toxic waste, which is a serious problem in countries like China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand.
World Economic Forum represents a Dutch company, called DyeCoo, that has invented a way of dyeing clothes without using water or chemicals other than the dyes themselves. It uses highly pressurized “supercritical” carbon dioxide, halfway between a liquid and a gas, that dissolves the dye and carries it deep into the fabric. The carbon dioxide then evaporates, and is in turn recycled and used again. 98% of the dye is absorbed by the cloth, giving vibrant colors. And because the cloth doesn’t need to dry, the process takes half the time, uses less energy, and even costs less.
Hence, the new method fights pollution, reduces energy use and saves money.
The company already has partnerships with such major brands like Nike and IKEA.