Eco-Friendly garment processing using aerosol technology

Abstract

Textile processing industry is considered as one of the largest consumers and worst polluters of fresh water resources. Since ages, water has been used as a major processing medium for the pretreatment, dyeing and finishing of textiles. Aim of this study was to compare the traditional aqueous textile processing with water-air mixture as the processing medium using aerosol technology. The concept originally developed by Jeanologia for denim processing, has been adapted with appropriate equipment modifications and parameter optimization for the pretreatment, dyeing and finishing of socks at commercial scale at Interloop Industries Pakistan, which is one of the largest socks manufactures in the world. In the new process, a blend of pressurized air with minimal amount of water is used to transfer the dyes and chemicals to the garment surface for subsequent absorption. The results show 75% savings in water consumption, 47% savings in energy, 80% savings in salt and up to 50% savings in other chemicals used in socks processing at commercial scale. The new process has huge potential to reshape the garment processing industry by minimizing its water, chemical and carbon foot print.