可持续纺织品中的大多数讨论都集中在纤维 - 制造商转向有机棉的制造商，或者用天然，易于重新固有的材料（如竹子或大麻）创建织物。但是，对染色过程的关注很少，在化学物质，废物和用水时，这可能是一个潜在的毁灭性行业。AirDye，一种由Colorepfor dyeing textiles takes water almost out of the equation, using 90% less water, but also reducing the emissions and energy used by 85%, since extreme heat is needed to dry the textiles after they are soaked in dye (and most fabrics then require a post-rinse and yet another dry cycle).
AirDye’s process begins with using all synthetic fibers for its material, which can be made from recycled PET bottles. Using dispersed dyes that are applied to a paper carrier, AirDye uses heat to transfer the dyes from the paper to the surface of the textiles, coloring it at the molecular level. All paper used is recycled, and dyes are inert, meaning that they can go back to their original state and be reused.
GETTING THE WORD OUT
Early on,螺栓组设计师兼首席Jamey Boiter（设计师协议的早期采用者）与Colorep合作以帮助他们最大程度地发挥影响力的潜力。他们同意的主要重点是帮助减少每年使用超过2.4万亿加仑的水来染料。他说：“如果考虑一下，世界上有1/3无法获得清洁水。”“传统的染色和纺织品装饰是世界上第三大水消费者。”AGood for Water blogwas launched to communicate all the ways AirDye placed water preservation first.
现在，作为合作伙伴，Boltgroup致力于以ABRAND适当的方式传播这个词，从而创建了一个病毒，嗡嗡作响的运动，以促进了可持续性信息。对“自然”与“可持续”的看法是一个很大的问题，因为许多人将可持续性方法与中性色和厚实的棉纤维联系起来。When in fact, AirDye’s process was able to improve on traditional dyes with incredible vibrant colors–since the synthetic material takes the proprietary dye better than anatural material with traditional methods, a more colorfast, resistantcolor is achieved–paired with a unique ability to print on two sides of fabrics. The team decided to embrace these features by communicating directly with creatives to showcase the incredible applications that could be embraced by their industry. “Designers want bright colors and patterns,” says Paul Raybin, Colorep’s chief sustainability officer. “We said, let’s address the coloration and decoration of these materials.”
RETAIL EXCHANGE
One of the most wasteful applications of textiles and other printed materials are the point-of-purchase displays found in retail environments. Durable signage–often made from super-toxic vinyl, which cannot be recycled–is erected in a store for a few days to a few weeks, then taken down once the sale is over. AirDye vowed to reinvent this portion of the industry with the ecobanner a replacement for retail displays on vinyl or foamboard with a closed production loop.
The banners themselves are made from 100% recycled PET bottles. But when the banner comes down, the store can send it back to AirDye for recycling. Taking the concept a step further, AirDye created a subscripton-based program that retail stores can participate in, handling the graphics and printing for the banners, which are mailed directly to the store, and then accepting the used banners back for recycling.
HEALTH & HOSPITALITY
纺织业的另一个主要客户是酒店和其他酒店业，这些行业必须经常清洁并取代家具，窗帘和床罩等物品。这是一个非常浪费的过程，但在很大程度上被酒店所忽略了，它们通常忙于改善其建筑物和家具的可持续性，但对其面料没有一个很好的解决方案。Boiter说：“这些大规模的酒店连锁店位于LEED认证的建筑物中，但您可以更改酒店房间内的纺织品，这大约是47码的纺织品。”针对室内设计师和买家的特定程序展示了Airdye织物的耐用性和防褪色功能，使其成为该行业的主要候选人。
对医疗保健行业进行了更多的侵害，医疗保健行业也有望看到纺织品的根本性转变。“现在，您会看到美丽，丰富多彩的图案，可以在非常高温下用微生物清洁剂洗涤，” Boiter说。这可能表明我们的医院的外观有很大的差异 - 通常降级为洗净的粉彩。
时尚绿色
上周，Airdye的最大得分也许是在纽约时装周，设计师Costello Tagliapietradebuted an entire line made with their methods. The vibrant colors and silky, clingy cuts buzzed through the可持续的时尚博客圈as not only a more responsible solution, but one that sacrificed nothing when it came to the look and feel of the fabrics.
But beyond giving high-end designers a high-performance, highly-sustainable option, AirDye is poised to shake up larger-volume fashion brands as well. The technology removes the risk factor for retailers who can now dye-on-demand, helping them manage their inventory. “With this late entry of color, you can do it later in the process and make a quick decision,” says Raybin. “This enables the manufacturer to make what they sell rather than trying to sell what they make.” Flexibility signals savings for retailers who don’t have to stock hundreds of pieces in different colors, hoping that their hunch about which ones will sell is right on. It also eliminates waste in an industry where–believe it or not–clothing that’s deemed no longer sellable is actually trucked to landfills.
这是Airdye合成和无水染料结合使用的另一个地方。得益于染料的涂抹方式，实际上可以回收服装。花点时间想象这一点的含义。在本赛季结束时，您会经过一些过期的回收中心，并拿起一堆下赛季的趋势。是的，Airdye可以做到这一点。在那之前，一个女孩可以做梦。
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