NTX Group wants to reduce denim’s impact on natural resources through printing.
The San Francisco-based textile innovation and solutions company is rolling out Cooltrans, an AI-powered textile colorization solution adapted for the denim industry.
Whereas traditional denim manufacturing requires garments to be washed and rewashed to achieve various levels of colors and fades, Cooltrans’ designated core technology eliminates these repeated washing cycles while maintaining color precision and consistency. Compared to conventional dyeing methods, the indigo-free printing technology eliminates the use of heat, uses 90 percent less water and is two times faster.
The technology has proven success in the activewear category. In 2022, Adidas produced 8 million yards of material using NTX Cooltrans, Dope Dye and No Dye. At the time of the launch, the sportswear giant said the technology “offers an almost identical appearance, feel, and functional performance as conventionally dyed fabrics, and it works very much like a printer.”
Stella Blu, a division of Prosperity Textile, became the first denim mill to adopt the technology for jeans when it debuted a Coolstrans collection last fall at Denim PV.
In an interview with the trade show, Marco Stefanelli, Stella Blu’s director of marketing and business development, lauded the technology’s versatility and ability to achieve desirable vintage effects while eliminating indigo baths and laundry processes. The mill starts with a white PFD fabric—the front face gets the printed washed look, and the back side face gets printed with the twill line or any other pattern the client’s desire, he stated.
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Stefanelli described the partnership as an exciting milestone in sustainable textile production. By synergizing their respective expertise and resources, the companies said they will “collaboratively hasten the adoption of eco-friendly and sustainable practices, mitigating the industry’s environmental impact and crafting a more sustainable future for all.”
Cooltrans is applicable to almost any natural, cellulose-based or synthetics man-made fabrics, NTX stated, resulting in sustainable denim garments that align with brands’ ESG strategies. The technology also allows brands to have smaller material libraries, as the aesthetic of a jean can be completely independent of the fabric composition.
“We are excited to be introducing Cooltrans to the global fashion industry after several successful early projects with major brands,” said Charles Duan, NTX Group managing director. “We estimate that the adoption of our technology will save upwards of 80 billion cubic meters of water, which the industry consumes annually in bringing clothing to market.”