From the Sector

“Lenzing stands for a responsible approach to nature. For this reason, we use 100% of the natural resource wood, from the core to the bark – as pulp, bioenergy and biochemicals such as acetic acid”, explains Lenzing CEO Stefan Doboczky. “That is why we are very pleased that our pioneering role with respect to the issue of sustainability has gained worldwide recognition”, Mr. Doboczky adds.

The Lenzing Group produces dissolving pulp at its sites in Lenzing, Austria and Paskov, Czech Republic. All the valuable raw materials are extracted from the wood within the framework of a cascading use. Acetic acid is derived from beech wood in the pulp production process, is recovered in several process steps and processed into high quality, food-grade acetic acid, for example for the food industry. Furfural is a product utilized as a solvent in the refining of lubrication oil, to name one example. Magnesium lignosulfonate is found in animal food or fertilizers.            

An exciting new development, resulting from a Swiss collaboration between textile manufacturer Schoeller and auxiliaries and dyes specialists at Textilcolor. ecodye is a new auxiliary concept used, in particular, in polyester dyeing processes. The technology accelerates the dyeing process and contributes to cutting costs, while at the same time helping to preserve the environment with a low level of demand on resources.
Less time, less water, less energy – the new ecodye auxiliary concept allows eco-friendly and cost-saving dyeing processes for polyester yarns and piece goods. It shortens the heating phase, thus accelerating process time by more than 30 percent. At the same time, it reduces energy consumption by 20 percent and the water requirement by 25 percent, as the goods can be cleaned in the cooling dye bath.
In addition, ecodye improves the dyeing levelness in polyester textiles. Spots and dye agglomeration are almost completely avoided, and the precipitation on the goods that arises as a result of polyester oligomers are no longer evident. ecodye provides good shade stability and avoids reproduction problems from batch to batch, thus reducing the rate of double staining and increasing the capacity utilization and productivity of the dyeing mill on a long-term basis.

Following a successful launch phase, ecodye has already been able to provide numerous positive test results. The technology is being used by polyester-processing customers in categories including outdoor, sportswear and technical knitted fabrics, primarily in Europe, South and Middle America, Turkey, Bangladesh and China.