Periodic Reporting for period 3 - Colorifix (A revolutionary dyeing process to help the textile industry reduce its environmental impact)
Période du rapport: 2022-01-01 au 2022-06-30
Colorifix has invented a unique, completely sustainable method for producing, transferring and fixing pigments onto fibres and fabric. This new disruptive process replaces chemical synthesis with biosynthesis, completely changing the way chemistry is used for dyeing. We look to the natural world, then copy the DNA responsible for pigment production from organisms, such as plants and insects, and transfer that information into non-pathogenic microbes. These microbes are then grown in a fermenter using sugar-rich waste streams to produce the pigments as programmed by their modified DNA. We engineer the production of textile pigments as well as the process of their application, using synthetic biology. Our process enables a wide range of dye colours to be produced, without using chemicals, with only minimal use of water (nearly a 50% saving) and significantly less (36%) use of energy for the dyeing step against conventional methods using synthetic chemical dyes. Our company mission is to transform textile dyeing from one of the most environmentally harmful industrial processes into an eco-friendly process, at no added cost.
Objectives:
1. To set up a pilot production line: construct and commission a pilot production line with daily fermentation and dyeing capacities of at least 0.2-0.4m3 and 20-100kg and/or 100m fabric (where approximately 1kg is equivalent to 5m of dry weight of fabric), respectively in the first instance.
2. Meet colour range and fastness expectations: successfully develop genetic pathways for the production of ten new colours that score the required 3/4 to 4/5 against the ISO105-B02 colour fastness standard.
3. Demonstrate biological dyeing in pilot plant: dye up to 100m (dry weight) fabric and/or garments per day using standard jet and garment dye machines and pigments fermented onsite from cane molasses or comparable feedstock for making the biological dye liquor.
4. Marketing and early commercialisation scale-up: continue to build brand presence and communicate the sustainability merits of our technology internationally, expand business development activities. T
Objectives:
1. To set up a pilot production line: construct and commission a pilot production line with daily fermentation and dyeing capacities of at least 0.2-0.4m3 and 20-100kg and/or 100m fabric (where approximately 1kg is equivalent to 5m of dry weight of fabric), respectively in the first instance.
2. Meet colour range and fastness expectations: successfully develop genetic pathways for the production of ten new colours that score the required 3/4 to 4/5 against the ISO105-B02 colour fastness standard.
3. Demonstrate biological dyeing in pilot plant: dye up to 100m (dry weight) fabric and/or garments per day using standard jet and garment dye machines and pigments fermented onsite from cane molasses or comparable feedstock for making the biological dye liquor.
4. Marketing and early commercialisation scale-up: continue to build brand presence and communicate the sustainability merits of our technology internationally, expand business development activities. T
All tasks and deliverables were completed successfully by the project end, but much of the specific detail is confidential ifnroamtion and cannot be discussed here;
Some highlights of our achievements and results:
Environmental Impact Category Savings: Colorifix vs. Conventional
Climate change excluding biogenic carbon (CO2 eq.) 11.07%
Climate Change including biogenic carbon (CO2 eq.) 16.96%
Fossil depletion, non-renewable resources 13.70%
Human toxicity, non-cancer 32.88%
The general statements from this first Life Cycle Analysis suggested;
• Compared to the conventional dyeing step for cotton, the Colorifix technology reduces water consumption by at least 49%, electricity by 35%, and CO2 emissions by 31% (based on the dyeing step only from our current LCA)
• The Colorifix technology transforms natural pigments into colourful industrial dyes at scale with zero petrochemicals and uses none of the hazardous substances necessary in conventional dyeing
We now have in place a pilot production line with daily fermentation and dyeing capacities of between 0.2-0.4m3 and 20-100 kg or meters dry weight fabric material and/or garments, respectively based on the capacities of the equipment purchased.
Wastewater is also treated, reused, and handled with utmost environmental concerns
As a result from the decision to implement new hardware, new IP has been developed over the course of the grant, bringing additional value to Colorifix and its customers. It is hoped that the new fermentor design will also serve a purpose in other markets (e.g. pharmaceutical, biotech, biomaterials) where high-end low-cost fermentation at commercially relevant scale is highly in demand.
Some highlights of our achievements and results:
Environmental Impact Category Savings: Colorifix vs. Conventional
Climate change excluding biogenic carbon (CO2 eq.) 11.07%
Climate Change including biogenic carbon (CO2 eq.) 16.96%
Fossil depletion, non-renewable resources 13.70%
Human toxicity, non-cancer 32.88%
The general statements from this first Life Cycle Analysis suggested;
• Compared to the conventional dyeing step for cotton, the Colorifix technology reduces water consumption by at least 49%, electricity by 35%, and CO2 emissions by 31% (based on the dyeing step only from our current LCA)
• The Colorifix technology transforms natural pigments into colourful industrial dyes at scale with zero petrochemicals and uses none of the hazardous substances necessary in conventional dyeing
We now have in place a pilot production line with daily fermentation and dyeing capacities of between 0.2-0.4m3 and 20-100 kg or meters dry weight fabric material and/or garments, respectively based on the capacities of the equipment purchased.
Wastewater is also treated, reused, and handled with utmost environmental concerns
As a result from the decision to implement new hardware, new IP has been developed over the course of the grant, bringing additional value to Colorifix and its customers. It is hoped that the new fermentor design will also serve a purpose in other markets (e.g. pharmaceutical, biotech, biomaterials) where high-end low-cost fermentation at commercially relevant scale is highly in demand.
Industrial textile dyeing is one of the most environmentally damaging manufacturing processes in the world. It is toxic and wasteful, consuming huge quantities of water, energy, and petrochemicals.
Textile dyeing involves two major stages: the production of the pigment, which is the source of the colour, and the application of the pigment to fibre, yarn or complete garments. Current conventional methods cause serious environmental harm at both stages.
Conventional dyeing involves the use of toxic chemicals... Vibrant colours and prints are liked by consumers, but many are manufactured using toxic chemicals, such as Glauber's salt, caustic soda, hydrosulphite, concentrated acetic acid,
dispersing agent and soda ash. In countries like Indonesia, India and Bangladesh, these chemicals are discharged into wastewater, with a very negative impact of the ecosystems of lakes and rivers and leading to unhealthy drinking water for the local population.
Very high water consumption... Conventional textile dyeing uses a lot of water during both pigment production and the dyeing process itself. The ratio of dye liquor to fabric mass varies depending on fabric type and dyestuff but typically ranges from 20:1 for cotton to over 50:1 for polyester. Because dyestuffs adhere imperfectly to textile fibres, however, further repeated wash cycles are required to remove unattached pigments. High water consumption is an issue in itself, but coupled with the amount of chemicals used, this also creates a serious water pollution issue. Statistics vary, depending on which source you use, b top three most polluting industries of clean water globally.
High energy consumption: The synthesis of textile pigments from hydrocarbons in the conventional process is highly energy intensive because of the need for near freezing conditions. Production of textile dyes requires 10 MJ per kg of pigment produced. The subsequent application of the pigment to fibre or fabric in the conventional dyeing process also consumes significant amounts of energy because of the need to prepare, dye and rinse at high temperatures (typically 90°C for cotton and 130°C for polyester) followed by rinse cycles ranging from 50°C to 100°C per batch. Our bottom-up calculations suggest the energy consumption is approximately 35 MJ per kg of dyed polyester and 13 MJ per kg of dyed cotton. T average daily electricity consumption in European households ranges between 35 and 45 MJ. This means dyeing a 150g cotton T-shirt consumes the equivalent of 7% of the average daily EU household electricity consumption.
Our proprietary and innovate technology (commercially sensitive so details not public) offers the potential to disrupt the textile dying industry and alleviate the above listed challenges by an order of magnitude.
received a further +200 new contacts within the fashion and dyeing sectors.
Press Release
Colorifix, a biotech company that has pioneered the first entirely biological dyeing process, has raised a Series B round of £18m led by H&M Group via its investment arm H&M CO:LAB. Existing investors, Sagana and Cambridge Enterprise also followed on, along with participation from Bombyx Capital, PDS Multinational, Regeneration.VC and newly-launched SynBioven. By replacing industrial chemistry with biology at every step of the textile dyeing process, Colorifix is at the forefront of the industry’s transition to a more sustainable era.
The company is now entering industrial scale-up following its first customer implementation at RDD (Valerius Group) in Portugal
Textile dyeing involves two major stages: the production of the pigment, which is the source of the colour, and the application of the pigment to fibre, yarn or complete garments. Current conventional methods cause serious environmental harm at both stages.
Conventional dyeing involves the use of toxic chemicals... Vibrant colours and prints are liked by consumers, but many are manufactured using toxic chemicals, such as Glauber's salt, caustic soda, hydrosulphite, concentrated acetic acid,
dispersing agent and soda ash. In countries like Indonesia, India and Bangladesh, these chemicals are discharged into wastewater, with a very negative impact of the ecosystems of lakes and rivers and leading to unhealthy drinking water for the local population.
Very high water consumption... Conventional textile dyeing uses a lot of water during both pigment production and the dyeing process itself. The ratio of dye liquor to fabric mass varies depending on fabric type and dyestuff but typically ranges from 20:1 for cotton to over 50:1 for polyester. Because dyestuffs adhere imperfectly to textile fibres, however, further repeated wash cycles are required to remove unattached pigments. High water consumption is an issue in itself, but coupled with the amount of chemicals used, this also creates a serious water pollution issue. Statistics vary, depending on which source you use, b top three most polluting industries of clean water globally.
High energy consumption: The synthesis of textile pigments from hydrocarbons in the conventional process is highly energy intensive because of the need for near freezing conditions. Production of textile dyes requires 10 MJ per kg of pigment produced. The subsequent application of the pigment to fibre or fabric in the conventional dyeing process also consumes significant amounts of energy because of the need to prepare, dye and rinse at high temperatures (typically 90°C for cotton and 130°C for polyester) followed by rinse cycles ranging from 50°C to 100°C per batch. Our bottom-up calculations suggest the energy consumption is approximately 35 MJ per kg of dyed polyester and 13 MJ per kg of dyed cotton. T average daily electricity consumption in European households ranges between 35 and 45 MJ. This means dyeing a 150g cotton T-shirt consumes the equivalent of 7% of the average daily EU household electricity consumption.
Our proprietary and innovate technology (commercially sensitive so details not public) offers the potential to disrupt the textile dying industry and alleviate the above listed challenges by an order of magnitude.
received a further +200 new contacts within the fashion and dyeing sectors.
Press Release
Colorifix, a biotech company that has pioneered the first entirely biological dyeing process, has raised a Series B round of £18m led by H&M Group via its investment arm H&M CO:LAB. Existing investors, Sagana and Cambridge Enterprise also followed on, along with participation from Bombyx Capital, PDS Multinational, Regeneration.VC and newly-launched SynBioven. By replacing industrial chemistry with biology at every step of the textile dyeing process, Colorifix is at the forefront of the industry’s transition to a more sustainable era.
The company is now entering industrial scale-up following its first customer implementation at RDD (Valerius Group) in Portugal