Singapore — October 23, 2013 — DuPont Industrial Biosciences, in collaboration with Huntsman
Corporation, announced today the results of a case study that demonstrates the superior performance
of Gentle Power Bleach™, powered by DuPont’s first-to-market enzymatic bleaching technology,
DuPont™ PrimaGreen® EcoWhite. The study, conducted between 2006 and 2012, measured significant
reductions in water use, energy consumption and chemical use coupled with notable increases in
product quality and yield.
Portugal’s Acabamentos Têxteis de Barcelos (ATB), the nation’s leading knitwear dyeing and
finishing specialist and one of the largest textile mills in Europe, introduced this technology to
their facility with the goal of increasing performance while using fewer resources. According
to a new case study, it worked; between 2006 and 2012, the case study:
- Measured an increase in production of 3,380 tons in 2006 to 4,409 tons in 2012.
- Measured a reduction in water usage of 55 cubic meters of water per ton of fabric
produced.
- Measured a reduction in use of chemicals per ton of fabric produced: 0.55 in 2012 as opposed to
0.74 in 2006.
- A significant reduction in energy consumption (measured since 2009).
“This case study is proof positive that through technology innovation and collaboration,
significant sustainability improvements can be made in textile processing in high-volume production
environments,” said Wayne Ashton, global business leader Home & Personal Care for DuPont
Industrial Biosciences. “Global competition is stronger than ever and with Portugal facing
seasonal water scarcity and the need to curtail energy consumption, DuPont and Huntsman delivered
maximized productivity while achieving considerable environmental savings.”
Conventional cotton bleaching techniques require a high temperature and large amounts of
caustic chemical additives to modify and neutralize the pH range. To increase sales and
profitability and reduce environmental impacts, ATB could not simply expand operations using
traditional methods, and the company turned to DuPont and Huntsman’s unique enzyme-based bleaching
system. This groundbreaking technology allows for low-temperature bleaching of textiles at
65°C in a neutral pH range with less water and energy consumed.”
The textile industry is undergoing a major push toward greater accountability and
sustainability. At Huntsman, we believe that any product we develop needs to be both
economically and environmentally sustainable,” said Steve Gray, vice president of Marketing and
Strategic Planning. “The combination of Gentle Power Bleach™ and AVITERA® – our flagship and
environmental award winning tri-active dye, not only helped ATB reduce utility and water
consumption, it has a lower environmental impact and is a clear demonstration of how collaboration
across the textile supply chain can make a positive difference.”
“In order to satisfy our environmental and economic needs, we need to respond to change by
looking at our processes holistically. Sometimes, this requires us to have a mindset change
and think out of the box to look for a total solution, rather than just changing part of the
process,” said José Carlos, ATB Technical Manager. “Huntsman Textile Effects is helping us
stay at the cutting edge of innovation, which allows us to differentiate ourselves while being cost
effective.”
Cotton pre-treated with Gentle Power Bleach™ demonstrates a softer, bulkier, more natural
handle with less fabric weight loss. The system also delivers brighter color shades with a higher
color yield and bleaches regenerated cellulosic fibers to full-white levels.
The textile industry is a mainstay of Portugal’s economy, providing employment and export
earnings. Competition from low-cost overseas manufacturers and weak global demand has pushed
other firms offshore or out of business. ATB, which processes 35,000 kilograms of fabric
every day, has remained strong with new, innovative technologies.
“Since our foundation, ATB has made the conscious decision to invest in products and
technologies that will help us reduce water consumption while also increasing our capacity through
right-first-time processing,” said Ricardo Mano, ATB administrator. “To ensure we can
continue to expand in an environmentally responsible way, we needed a partner capable of delivering
high-performance products to address the challenges of processing cotton in modern Portugal.”
Huntsman Textile Effects is the leading global provider of high-quality dyes and chemicals to
the textile and related industries. Sustainability, innovation and collaboration are at the heart
of what we do. We use cutting-edge technology to develop solutions and create innovative
products with intelligent effects such as built-in freshness, sun protection or state-of-the-art
dyes which reduce water and energy consumption. All these go toward meeting the needs of our
customers in supporting a more sustainable environment.
With presence in more than 90 countries including eight primary manufacturing facilities in
seven countries (China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, Switzerland) and 14
Formulation Distribution Centers spread across 12 countries, Huntsman Textile Effects is uniquely
positioned to provide fast and expert technical service wherever our customers are based.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global
marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The
company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we
can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people
everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment.
For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit
www.dupont.com.
Posted October 29, 2013
Source: DuPont Industrial Biosciences and Huntsman Corp.
