#Textile chemistry

2019-07-03

ARCHROMA to introduce new eco-advanced "indigo clone" solution

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, has recently launched at the ITMA exhibition its new Diresul® Smartdenim Blue, a liquid sulfur blue dye designed to mimic indigo.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue liquid was developed in compliance with “The Archroma Way: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. The approach finds its origin in Archroma’s deep belief that it is possible to make the textile industry sustainable, economically and ecologically.

The new product will be the core of Archroma's Indigo Reflection, a coloration system that behaves like indigo, with an even more sustainable and efficient application process compared to indigo.

With this new innovation, Archroma completes its spectrum of eco-advanced denim coloration solutions, from this new indigo-mimicking Diresul® Smartdenim Blue which is aniline-free* and can be used in Archroma’s water-saving Advanced Denim technology, to its recent launch of the purest indigo, the aniline-free* pre-reduced liquid Denisol® Pure Indigo liquid.

The sulfur-based Diresul® RDT Indicolors dyes have been introduced by Archroma back in 2007 to offer a water-saving alternative to indigo for blue denim, especially when applied with Archroma’s recommended Advanced Denim application processes, Denim-Ox and Pad-Sizing-Ox.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue is a liquid sulfur dye that behaves like liquid indigo in elegant neutral-green blue tone and in the most common wash-down processes.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue has been especially designed to address the limitations of the Indicolors earlier technology. The new Diresul® Smartdenim Blue has a greener shade, better fastness to minimize back staining, and allows to create overall wash-downs much closer to actual indigo than any other dyestuff, whilst avoiding greyish cast especially in bleaching with hypochlorite.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue can be applied in all the standard dyeing methods recommended for sulfur dyes, including pad-ox, pad-steam, exhaust, denim in all its variations (color denim, bottoming and topping of indigo), as well as in the Advanced Denim procedures (Denim-Ox, Pad-Sizing-Ox).

The innovation is the brain child of the Global Competence Center for Denim & Special Dyes experts in Archroma’s Castellbisbal plant, near Barcelona, Spain, where Diresul® Smartdenim Blue is produced.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue meets the requirements of the major brand and retailer manufacturing restricted substances list (MRSL) and eco-labels such as C2C**, and it is aniline free*.

“In the current context of tight availability of indigo precursors,” says Albert Llort, Head of Archroma’s Global Competence Center for Denim & Special Dyes, “Archroma offers with Diresul® Smartdenim Blue an alternative dyestuff to create new blue denim articles that is aniline-free* and light in water consumption, but also offers a reliable supply source. Because it’s our nature!”

Archroma expands denim possibilities at Kingpins Amsterdam

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, will present a portfolio of six sustainable denim innovations at Kingpins Amsterdam from April 15-16, 2026. Under the theme “Creating Possibilities in Denim”, the showcase reflects Archroma’s commitment to giving brands and mills solutions that are as commercially compelling as they are environmentally responsible.

Archroma brings high-impact textile innovations to Colombiatex 2026

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, is proud to announce its participation in Colombiatex 2026, one of the most influential textile and apparel industry events in the Americas. The event will take place in Medellín, Colombia, from January 27 to 29, where Archroma will welcome visitors at Booth PC006.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.