Clariant supports water saving efforts in textile manufacturing

Published On: March 26, 2013

Clariant supports the textile industry’s efforts toward sustainable freshwater management with the publishing of water-saving tips and technologies in a special edition of its “News Chat” newsletter.

Titled “Each Drop Counts – chemical solutions for reduced water consumption”, the publication provides guidance to textile customers willing to join a rising global effort to address water scarcity, as illustrated by initiatives such as the United NationsWorld Water Day on March 22, 2013, the Greenpeace “Detox” Campaign, or the sector’s brands and retailers’ Joint Roadmap towards Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals.

New ONE WAY Score Cards, featured in the publication and on the Clariant website, demonstrate the percentage savings in water and energy consumption, chemical usage, time, carbon dioxide emissions and BOD/COD ratio achievable with its cutting-edge technologies compared to conventional processes. Clariant’s unique ONE WAY sustainability toolbox provides textile mills, manufacturers, brands and retailers with reliable facts and measurements to assist their selection of products and processes that aim at reconciling the twin objectives of ecology and economy.

The Score Cards highlight trail blazing savings potential, such as:

  • “Advanced Denim”, an award-winning dyeing process allowing potential savings of 92 percent in water consumption and 45 percent in energy consumption compared to conventional denim dyeing processes;
  • The “SWIFT” continuous dyeing process for PES/CEL Blends, which can help achieve up to 45 percent less CO2 emissions and 50 percent less water use compared to the conventional process;
  • The “Ultra low liquor ratio cellulosic dyeing” process which can show reductions of up to 43 percent in energy consumption and 25 percent in water consumption compared to the benchmark process;
  • The “BLUE MAGIC” process for discontinous treatment that can allow savings of up to 50 percent in water, 40 percent in energy and 50 percent in time compared to classical bleaching processes.

The contribution of Clariant’s technologies to global water saving efforts is already evident. In 2012, Clariant calculated that its Advanced Denim technology saved an estimated 700 million liters of water, yet it is used in only an extremely small part of worldwide jeans’ production.

In May 2012, Clariant started operating what it believes is the first-ever sustainable effluent treatment (SET) facility for a textile operational site. The facility is located in Jamshoro, Pakistan.

Source: Clariant