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20.01.2023

Third edition of the project "CirculART"

Art meets sustainable fashion in the third edition of the project "CirculART", the initiative that sees companies, artists and fashion designers working together with Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto, showing how new balanced forms of production, design and sharing can be explored through a careful choice of materials and of sustainable supply chains. Three key concepts underpin the circularity of sustainable fashion and therefore this project: Reduce - reducing the consumption of raw materials, Reuse - reuse of raw materials, Recycling - regeneration.

The project CirculART is conceived and developed in collaboration between Fashion B.E.S.T. and UNIDEE Residency Programs, and led by the Foundation's team of curators.

Art meets sustainable fashion in the third edition of the project "CirculART", the initiative that sees companies, artists and fashion designers working together with Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto, showing how new balanced forms of production, design and sharing can be explored through a careful choice of materials and of sustainable supply chains. Three key concepts underpin the circularity of sustainable fashion and therefore this project: Reduce - reducing the consumption of raw materials, Reuse - reuse of raw materials, Recycling - regeneration.

The project CirculART is conceived and developed in collaboration between Fashion B.E.S.T. and UNIDEE Residency Programs, and led by the Foundation's team of curators.

Fashion B.E.S.T. - Better Ethical Sustainable Think-Tank, Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto’ sustainable fashion office, was created by artist Michelangelo Pistoletto and Franca Sozzani. Since 2009, B.E.S.T. has been working on the development of sustainability in the textile sector, to lead to a contamination between art, which assumes social responsibility, and the world of fashion, which is looking to define a new ethical and sustainable model.

CirculART proposes a new link between fashion and art, engaging both in a conscious and innovative combination of sustainability, sensitivity, beauty and union. The project links territory and production factories, bringing together actors from the different sectors making up the textile supply chain that work on the basis of a circular economy with companies that have chosen to embrace the ideal of sustainability and develop an innovative business model.

The protagonists of this year’s edition are two international artists and two international fashion designers, selected through an open call launched by Cittadellarte: Augustina Bottoni, Lucia Chain, Huge Sillytoe and Rebecca Sforzani, young talents called upon to create a work with fabrics produced by partner companies, focusing on dialogue and on the enhancement of the textile industry production chain.

In early 2023, the programme will give the four selected artists the opportunity to visit and work actively with the partner companies that have joined the initiative.
These are: Achille Pinto S.p.a, manufacturer of textiles and textile accessories for the main international fashion brands; Albini Group, Europe's largest manufacturer of cotton fabrics for shirts; Erica Industria Tessile, a leading company in the creation of textile prints, original and customised designs; Filatura Astro, eco-sustainable regenerated yarns; G2B S.r.l., a chemical and environmental analysis laboratory working with vertical cultivation from which indigo is obtained; Lampo by Ditta Giovanni Lanfranchi S.p.A., leader in the creation and production of zips for fashion; Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti, a Biella-based weaver for haute couture; Lenzing, world leader in the production of fabrics made from fibres derived from renewable wood raw material; Milior, a producer of high quality fabrics; Officina +39 – Chemistry plus creativity, a chemical company with thirty years' experience dedicated to research and chemical application in textiles; Tessuti di Sondrio, a factory inspired by the century-old local textile tradition of processing cotton, linen, hemp and wool; Tintoria Emiliana, garment-dyed production and sustainable practices; Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia, a manufacturer of 100% Made in Italy fine combed and carded yarns.

 

Source:

Officina +39 / Menabò Group srl

Archroma and Jeanologia Launch Eco-conscious Denim Cleaning (c) Archroma
Archroma and Jeanologia launch an eco-advanced alternative to the denim cleaning process, one of the most water intensive and pollutant processes of denim fabric finishing.
19.01.2022

Archroma and Jeanologia Launch Eco-conscious Denim Cleaning

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, and Jeanologia, a world leader in sustainable and efficient technology development, joined forces to launch an eco-advanced alternative to the denim fabric washing process, including in some cases the mercerization, one of the most water-intensive and pollutant processes of denim fabric finishing.

It all starts with the spinning step where the cotton is turned into yarn. The second step is a pretreatment that will prepare the yarn for the dyeing step. The dyed yarn then goes through the sizing process, which is a treatment preparing it for weaving. At this stage, we have obtained a denim fabric that will go through a few more steps. First, the fabric may undergo a washing treatment or, in some cases, mercerizing treatment which consists of treating it with caustic soda in order to obtain a more lustrous, flat and less reddish blue and black denim.

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, and Jeanologia, a world leader in sustainable and efficient technology development, joined forces to launch an eco-advanced alternative to the denim fabric washing process, including in some cases the mercerization, one of the most water-intensive and pollutant processes of denim fabric finishing.

It all starts with the spinning step where the cotton is turned into yarn. The second step is a pretreatment that will prepare the yarn for the dyeing step. The dyed yarn then goes through the sizing process, which is a treatment preparing it for weaving. At this stage, we have obtained a denim fabric that will go through a few more steps. First, the fabric may undergo a washing treatment or, in some cases, mercerizing treatment which consists of treating it with caustic soda in order to obtain a more lustrous, flat and less reddish blue and black denim.

In both traditional ways to clean the fabric, washing or mercerizing, multiple highly water intensive washings are required in order to restore optimal fabric pH and remove unfixed dyestuff and any undesired deposits or impurities from the fabric. One of such impurities released in the washing process is aniline, a substance that is classified as a category 2 carcinogen and considered toxic to aquatic life.

That is why Archroma and Jeanologia decided to team up and develop an alternative to the traditional fabric cleaning process and its subsequent water-intensive and water-polluting washings.

  • The breakthrough alternative to the fabric cleaning concept presented by Jeanologia and Archroma combines the use of the aniline-free* PURE INDIGO ICON dyeing system of Archroma, and the water-free** and chemical-free “G2 Dynamic“ finishing technology of Jeanologia.
  • The Archroma/Jeanologia solution allows to create aniline-free* denim, and improve the final aspect of the fabric through a fully chemical-free and almost water-free** cleaning alternative treatment.
  • The Archroma/Jeanologia solution can also be used with additional Archroma coloration systems such as INDIGO REFLECTION or PURE UNDERTONES.

Umberto Devita, Business Development Manager at Archroma’s Competence Center for Denim & Casual Wear, who was the project leader for this new development, comments: “At Archroma, we strive to develop solutions in line with our principles of “The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. It was therefore very inspiring to work with a partner who shares the same values of developing efficient new processes to bring all know-how to our customers to maximize value – for denim that looks as good as the good it creates.”

For Jean-Pierre Inchauspe, Business Director of G2 Dynamic at Jeanologia, “this association is another step to change traditional, more polluting and water consuming processes in the textile industry for new ones using technology, improving, and boosting subsequent production stages up to the finishing of the garment, making them more efficient and allowing companies to be more competitive, increase productivity and offer a product that is completely sustainable with high quality.”