Ecopel and DyeCoo have announced the development of a recycled polyester fur that is colored without the use of water, following a three-year partnership inspired by Kering.
An innovation that does not yet exist on the market and is touted as having the look and feel of sheepskin. DyeCoo's technique uses CO2 instead of water to avoid using water. The process is not new to DyeCoo, but the challenge was using it to make artificial furs for the French company Ecopel.
"Using it for a different product was a real challenge and an exciting experience," Christian Tubito, head of Kering's Materials Innovation Lab, said. "It was also a foresighted move because a water-free and chemical-free treatment facility will soon be operational in Europe to ramp up production." This is only one of several processing advancements used by Kering to cut resource usage in the apparel business," he mentioned.
Following a testing phase, the concept will move into production, utilizing facilities offered by Areto, a Spanish manufacturer in which Ecopel purchased a stake in February and which FashionNetwork.com featured in an article highlighting its substantial industrial equipment. Areto, located between Alicante and Valencia, produces synthetic fur as well as digital fabric printing and weaving.
The conflict over water continues at a time when European textile and apparel firms are battling with rising energy prices. According to the Fashion Revolution NGO, one tonne of cloth requires 200 tonnes of water. Bleu Océane, a French business with similar ambitions to Ecopel and DyeCoo, demonstrated its revolutionary ozone-washing machines to FashionNetwork.com last year. A non-water-intensive alternative to typical washing processes.