#Natural Fibers

2025-06-19

Woolmark and COLOURizd™ introduce clean, low carbon QuantumCOLOUR™ textile colouring solution for wool

Woolmark, the global authority on wool, has teamed up with COLOURizd™, pioneers in dry textile colouring processes, to introduce a revolutionary new method to colour wool and wool blends.

QuantumCOLOUR™ is a cutting-edge yarn colouring process that significantly reduces resource consumption and costs. Using just 0.5L of water per kilogram of yarn, this technology eliminates the need for bleaching, pre-treatment and wastewater discharge. This makes the COLOURizd™ QuantumCOLOUR™ a reduced resource-intense colouration process, where only the wetting agent and pigment binder system are required.

“After extensive testing on Merino wool and wool blends, we realized the team at COLOURizd™ is on to something truly revolutionary for the wool industry,” said Woolmark General Manager Processing Innovation & Education Extension Julie Davies. “The QuantumCOLOUR™ process provides durable solutions, creating faded to saturated tonal depths of colour for wool and wool blends. And since it uses very little water, suppliers can choose to colour wool and wool blend yarns without the need for wastewater processing infrastructure.”

Traditional dyeing requires a variety of chemicals, including caustic soda, acids, bleach, and salts, all washed in with between 60 and 120 liters of water per kilogram of yarn. The COLOURizd™ method uses none of these chemicals, instead utilising a bluesign® certified pigment and binder injected into a yarn fibre bundle. The result is a process that allows for a range of colours and supple textures.?

“Woolmark represents the gold standard within the wool industry and they will be instrumental in helping to offer our lower impact, higher performance process to new markets,” said COLOURizd™ CEO Jennifer Thompson. “Our current clients include Kontoor Brands (Wrangler and Lee), Cone Denim, and GANT, and working with Woolmark will allow us to reach an entirely new market, bringing sustainability and performance solutions to wool manufacturers around the globe.”?

Successfully validated on 100% Merino wool, as well as blends with cotton, TENCEL™ and nylon, on a range of yarn counts from 30/2NM to 80/1NM, the COLOURizd™ QuantumCOLOUR™ pigment process meets all standards for colourfastness and durability. Assessed through authorised laboratory partners, Woolmark testing was carried out on yarns, fabrics and garments, showing the technology delivers consistent colour performance and long-lasting wear.?

Woolmark and COLOURizd™ will introduce this new technology during Pitti Immagine Filati, booth I/20, on July 1-3, in Florence, Italy. To schedule an appointment, please email Woolmark at meetwithus@wool.com.

Merino wool moves into China’s high-performance sportswear market

China’s leading sportswear brands are beginning to treat Merino wool not as a lifestyle material, but as a performance input as natural fibres move from the margins of sportswear into elite technical applications. That shift is increasingly evident in the material strategies of major domestic groups such as ANTA.

Cotton made in Africa partners receive top marks in independent verifications

Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) and CmiA Organic are two internationally recognised standards that aim to promote sustainable development in the African cotton sector south of the Sahara. To ensure the standards’ credibility among brands, retailers, and consumers, independent verifiers evaluate compliance on the ground. The verification results for 2025, now published in the Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, were very strong: The verifiers awarded consistently very good remarks regarding management, people, prosperity, and the environment.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Dedicated car seat model of SHIMA SEIKI’s P-CAM® R Cutting Machine unveiled

Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.