Project description
The wash cycle is about to get tremendously shorter for textile manufacturers
It is so frustrating to wash your new clothes only to find that their colour has faded to a new shade of the original. Manufacturers face similar headaches. Reactive dyeing is a commonly used colouration method because of the subsequent stability of reactive dyes in aqueous detergents. However, a large percentage of the dye hydrolyses during the dyeing process, inhibiting its ability to penetrate fibres. This requires multi-step washes and rinses to achieve the colour and stability one expects when the clothing arrives at their washing machine. In turn, the process sends energy and water usage through the roof, requires significant treatment of wastewater, and costs manufacturers a small fortune. The EU-funded H2COLOR-AUX is bringing novel technology to market to prevent hydrolysis, significantly enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of Europe's textile manufacturers and protecting our planet.
Objective
The textile industry is a major contributor to global water consumption.Given that only 2.5% of the Earth’s water is freshwater and only 0.3% is accessible to humans, this is clearly unsustainable and grossly wasteful. Also, industrial manufacturing in the textile industry is responsible for 20% of all water pollution making it the number one polluter of clean water after agriculture. The dyeing process is the prime contributor to much of the water, time and energy consumption that takes place in the textile industry. On average, 60-80 litres of water are needed to dye 1kg of cotton and 80% of the total energy and 65% of the many environmentally hazardous chemicals produced in textile production are a result of the dyeing process. In addition, dyeing is also by far the most time-consuming process involved. Growing populations and consumer needs are demanding more efficient and faster production than ever. Ecofoot has developed H2COLOR, a revolutionary compound that prevents hydrolysis in the textile dyeing process. The H2COLOR combines with the dye and doesn't allow the dye to hydrolyse in water thus considerably reducing the number of washes and consequently reducing the water and energy costs, pollutants and production time for the dyehouses. The H2COLOR is a patented composition comprising nanoparticles that combine with the reactive dyes which is the base colour and needs to be transferred to the fabric, thus, preventing hydrolysis from taking place. During the phase 2 innovation project, Ecofoot will bring the H2COLOR closer to commercial launch. Ecofoot will produce 24 tons of the H2COLOR for validation in-house and validation of the efficacy of the H2COLOR will take place with three dye houses; two in Portugal and one in Italy. The project will also enable crucial commercial activities including implementation of IP strategy, communication strategy.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringsynthetic dyes
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextiles
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2b - SME Instrument (grant only and blended finance)Coordinator
4805-298 PONTE GMR
Portugal
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.