Woolmark has teamed with textile dyeing company Colourizd to launch a new sustainable wool coloring solution.
Dubbed QuantumColor, the yarn dyeing process significantly reduces resource consumption, using just 0.5 liters of water per kilogram of yarn. The technology also eliminates the need for bleaching, pre-treatment and wastewater discharge by using a Bluesign-certified pigment and binder injected into a yarn fiber bundle.
“After extensive testing on Merino wool and wool blends, we realized the team at Colourizd is onto something truly revolutionary for the wool industry,” said Woolmark general manager of processing, innovation and education extension Julie Davies. “The QuantumColour process provides durable solutions, creating faded to saturated tonal depths of color for wool and wool blends. And since it uses very little water, suppliers can choose to color wool and wool blend yarns without the need for wastewater processing infrastructure.”
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Traditional dyeing processes can require a variety of chemicals, including bleach, acids, caustic soda and salts, as well as between 60 and 120 liters of water per kilogram of yarn. The QuantumColour process doesn’t require those chemicals or water, and can allow for a range of shades and textures.
In addition to testing on 100 percent Merino wool, QuantumColour also was successfully validated for use on blends with cotton, Tencel and nylon. The process was tested on a range of yarn counts from 30/2NM to 80/1NM and met all standards of colorfastness and durability. In addition to yarns, Woolmark also tested the process on fabrics and garments to ensure color performance and long-lasting wear.
“Woolmark represents the gold standard within the wool industry, and they will be instrumental in helping to offer our lower-impact, higher-performance process to new markets,” said Colourizd CEO Jennifer Thompson. “Our current clients include Kontoor Brands (Wrangler and Lee), Cone Denim and Gant, and working with Woolmark will allow us to reach an entirely new market, bringing sustainability and performance solutions to wool manufacturers around the globe.”
This partnership is the latest in a string of moves for Woolmark aimed at improving sustainability in the textile industry, particularly with wool. In November, the fiber promotion organization landed a $4 million AUD (around $2.6 million) grant from the Australian government to develop an insetting framework to reduce the industry’s emissions through nature-based solutions.
Woolmark and Colourizd will formally introduce the technology at Pitti Immagine Filati, July 1-3, in Florence, Italy.
