Sustainable development has become a global consensus, and the textile and fashion industry, as an important part of the global manufacturing industry, needs to adopt more environmentally friendly production methods to reduce environmental impact. Recently, Exponent Envirotech officially launched a tripartite cooperation with the leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, Lenzing Group, and the innovative Hong Kong knitted product manufacturer Cobalt Fashion, applying the ECOHUES™ waterless dyeing technology for the first time to Tencel™ Lyocell fibers, Tencel™ Modal fibers, and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers, providing a new way for the sustainable development of the textile and fashion industry.

“As a company dedicated to sustainable and energy-optimization solutions for the industry, Exponent Envirotech has been a champion of environmental-friendly innovation since day one,” said Wesley Choi, Chairman, Exponent Envirotech. “This project integrates sustainable production practices with responsible materials, forging a new standard for resource-efficient and environmentally friendly production within the fashion industry.”

Wesley Choi,

Chairman of Exponent Envirotech

01 Technological Complementarity, Extending the Green Value Chain from Fiber Production to Dyeing Production

In the traditional water bath dyeing production process, dyeing 1 ton of yarn usually requires 120 tons of water, and at the same time, a large amount of dyeing wastewater with high salinity, high color, and high organic matter is produced. High water consumption and high pollution have become a major obstacle in the green upgrading and transformation process of the textile industry. ECOHUES™ waterless dyeing technology has brought a feasible solution to this dilemma. By using nearly 100% recyclable non-aqueous medium instead of water for reactive dyeing, ECOHUES™ has achieved zero water use in the coloring process, saving 95% of water and 100% of salt in the entire dyeing process, saving 73% of chemicals, and achieving nearly zero discharge of dyeing wastewater through water recycling.

As a leader in sustainable fashion, Lenzing has provided the industry with a variety of bio-based degradable raw material solutions. Compared with ordinary regenerated cellulose fibers, Tencel™ Lyocell fibers, Tencel™ Modal fibers, and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers reduce carbon emissions and water consumption by at least 50% during the production process, improving resource efficiency while significantly reducing environmental impact. When sustainable fiber production technology is combined with sustainable dyeing technology, the greening of the textile industry chain begins to extend from the source material end to the downstream processing end.

“At Lenzing, we are constantly collaborating with partners to identify innovative solutions that not only ensure product quality but also strive to reduce usage of our planet’s resources. The collaboration with Exponent Envirotech and Cobalt Fashion is a testament to such dedication, as we bring scalable innovations to the textile value chain,” said Rex Mok, Director of Technical Marketing and Development, Global Textiles Business, Lenzing. “We are excited to incorporate the revolutionary ECOHUES™ dyeing technique, to lyocell, modal and viscose fibers for the first time. With the availability of such technology, we are taking a crucial step towards systematically reforming conventional practices within the textile value chain.”

Rex Mok,

Director of Technical Marketing and Development, Global Textiles Business, Lenzing

02 Promoting Synergy: Dual-Engine Drive of Technology and Application

The development of sustainable materials and production technology cannot be separated from the application and promotion of the downstream manufacturing end of the industry chain. ECOHUES™ waterless dyeing technology can be applied to almost all fields, including underwear, garments, sportswear, and shoes that widely use cellulose fibers, and knitted products are chosen as the application of the results of this cooperation.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, China, Cobalt Fashion has more than 40 years of experience in the knitted product industry, covering all levels of knitted clothing from mass to professional to high-end, with partner brands spread across Asia and Europe and the United States. With its strength in product development in the field of sustainable fashion, Cobalt Fashion will develop a series of knitted products using Lenzing yarn dyed by ECOHUES™ technology, meeting consumers’ dual needs for fashion and sustainability.

“As we strive to lead in sustainable fashion, Cobalt Fashion relentlessly pursues innovative yarns that reduce carbon emissions and water usage while maintaining performance and affordability,” remarked Andrew Dixon, Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Cobalt Fashion. “Non-water dyeing methods often require less energy when compared to conventional dyeing techniques. This energy efficiency can lead to cost savings for textile manufacturers and contribute to a more sustainable industry. This partnership is an important first step as we join hands to create far-reaching impact and bring systematic change across the textile industry.”

Andrew Dixon

Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Cobalt Fashion

03 Pursuing “Green” Together, Upstream and Downstream of the Industry Chain Move Towards a Sustainable Future

The cooperation between Exponent Envirotech, Lenzing Group, and Cobalt Fashion has attracted the attention of industry and fashion media from multiple countries around the world. Starting with this tripartite cooperation, we hope that more upstream and downstream partners of the industry chain will join us, innovate collaboratively from multiple dimensions such as material end, production end, and product terminal, and work together to improve the environmental impact of the textile value chain, and move towards a sustainable and beautiful future.