CLOSE
On until 31/03/24 – Fabrica X, Kings Cross
Xeros Finish Technology: Exhibiting now at Denim Futures
On the 2nd of October Mills Fabrica launched their newest exhibition Denim Futures at their London showcase and innovation gallery, Fabrica X. Xeros Technology have been invited to take part in the exhibition as leading sustainability innovators in the denim finishing space.
Denim is one of the most iconic and revered items of clothing found in almost every wardrobe, but its environmental impact is arguably as large as its influence. From growing cotton to processing raw materials, denim is notorious for its vast consumption of water and chemicals.
According to a Levi Strauss study, it can take up to a staggering 3,781 litres of fresh water to produce just one pair of jeans. That’s because denim is a particularity intensive fabric to produce. Not only is denim produced predominantly from cotton, a famously water intensive fibre, it is also treated with large quantiles of water and chemicals in In order to achieve a range of desired finishes and effects. It’s estimated that it can take over 84 billion litres of water to finish the 1.2+ billion pairs of jeans that are produced globally each year.
While there are many challenges within this sector, Denim Futures is spotlighting a range of brilliant innovators who are creating advancements in sustainability, circularity and eco friendly practices from within the denim industry. It is a privilege to showcase along side the likes of Renewcell, Circ, AGI Denim, Nextevo, Lenzing, Nature Coating, Huue, Good Earth Cotton and many more.
Our curated display will tell the story of our XFN Denim Finishing technology, which focuses on reducing impact within the wet processing phase.
Denim consultant Rowan Hunt, presenting Xeros Technology at the Denim futures launch event.
The Challenges of Wet Processing
Denim is produced in a ‘raw’ original state in which the indigo dye produces a deep dark colour, and the material is stiff. Very often, after fabric has been cut, sewn, and trimmed into a pair of jeans, those jeans are then ‘finished’ by a wet process in which some of the indigo is washed away and the jeans are softened or distressed to create a certain style. This happens in a garment processing machine, which is essentially a giant washing machine.
Indigo can be partially removed by several techniques, including the use of pumice or ‘stone washing,’ enzymes or a ‘chemical’ stone wash, and ozone, whereby jeans are bleached by gas. These traditional processes can have a large impact on the surrounding environment and working conditions due to the waste that they generate. Our technology aims to reduce these impacts either by reducing the chemicals needed in the processing steps or replacing the need for them altogether. Other methods such as laser, sanding or grinding denim are also used but as dry processes that are applied to a single pair of jeans at a time.
Reducing Impact With Xeros XFN1 Technology
We know that making jeans is a combination of art and science. Individual recipes are used to create different finishes from light abrasion through to heavy bleaching or tinting. These recipes have multiple steps to create the desired outcome and, like any recipe, use different quantities of ingredients, in this case water, chemistry and energy along with time.
Working with these custom recipes, our XFN1 Denim finishing technique can significantly reduce the impact of wet processing in a garment finishing machine, by using our safe and patented XOrb, XDrum technology.
We use reusable polymer spheres, which we call XOrbs, to wash and finish textiles during the wet process. Using XOrbs significantly reduces the amount of water needed in a wash cycle. They can replace pumice entirely, or because they distribute chemistry much more effectively, significantly reduce the amount of enzyme needed. They can also reduce temperature and save time throughout the process, which contributes further to lowering the overall environmental impact, by reducing the energy used during the process.
The chemicals and processes jeans go through to create a worn effect can weaken the fibres and make them more prone to tearing. However by using XOrbs we can gently remove indigo and distribute chemistry evenly, meaning that jeans processed by our technology have stronger fibres and a more durable tear strength when tested in our lab.
For the next four months, Xeros Technology are exhibiting a curated display which tells the story of our XFN1, denim finishing tech – with lab scale experiments on display to demonstrate the benefits and function of our technology. Head to the exhibition before the end of March 2024 to see how we reduce the impact of wet processing at various points of the denim finishing process.
To find out more about our Denim finishing technology follow the link HERE or CONTACT our team today.
Denim Futures is running until March 31st, at Fabrica X, Kings Cross, London.
