Huntsman Textile Effects (TE) has launched a new range of reactive dye technology for cotton that tests show can reduce water and energy consumption by a massive 50% .

Billed as a ‘quantum leap’ in dyeing technology, the brand new Avitera SE range of reactive dyes, in combination with Eriopon LT a new type of clearing additive, is said to be able to halve the amount of water and energy needed to dye cotton and other cellulosic fabrics.

The new Avitera SE dyes are described as being ‘polyfunctional’ reactives – meaning there are more than two reactive groups in each dye molecule to ensure that far more dye is fixed than with previous generations of reactive dye technology. Early industrial trials to date indicate that a remarkable 85% of dye applied to cotton during jet dyeing (the common method for T-shirts) is fixed, leaving less than 15% to be removed.

The dyes also come with the Huntsman TE guarantee of tightly controlled batch-to-batch consistency to give dyers an effective way of producing consistent colours with minimal re-dyeing. Crucially, the new dyes also reduce the costs and environmental damage normally associated with cotton dyeing.

Some cheaper suppliers’ dyes can vary in strength by as much as +/- 5% from batch-to-batch, making it impossible for dyers to produce the same shade without time consuming, water and energy intensive reprocessing.

“This new development is all about environmental savings in terms of water, energy and ultimately CO₂ compared to what happens elsewhere in the cotton dyeing sector,” Patrice Carreau, Technology for Cellulosic Coloration Director, Huntsman TE told Ecotextile News, “Thanks to their high solubility and diffusion, the dyes can be applied at ultra-low liquor ratios and at temperatures of just 60°C.”

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