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Blue jeans are a pair of pants that are typically made from denim or dungaree cloth. First created by Levi Strauss during the California Gold Wash, they have stood the test of time. From its humble beginnings, blue jeans have become the most popular casual wear and a staple in the fashion industry.
But the traditional methods of dyeing denim to use a large amount of water is very environmentally unfriendly. Now,an Israeli startup, Sonovia which is located in Ramat Gan, has figured out a way to reduce the number of times a piece of thread must be bathed in dye in order for it to receive the denim color, reported NoCamels.
This innovative method is not only quick and cost effective, it also significantly lowers the amount of water that is used during the dying process, as well as the amount of toxic dye that leaches out into the environment.
Ultrasound Technology
Sonovia, which was established in 2013, didn’t set out to revolutionize the fashion industry. Instead, its focus was on using its innovative ultrasound technology to embed fabric with metal oxides which could slow the spread of viruses and bacteria, making it the optimal type of material to be used in medical settings.
However now, a decade later, Sonovia has moved on. According to Tex Fash, in late 2023 the start-up launched a line of denim using Sonovia’s D(y)ENIM technology together with the Italian fashion line Pure Denim.
By using the same ultrasound technology that they had used to create their fabrics for medical use, Sonovia has figured out a way to embed fabric with its own non-toxic dye with a single dip in a dye bath, NoCamels reported.In comparison traditional dyeing methods require up to twenty baths, wasting enormous amounts of water and energy.
“With the special dye we’ve developed and the mechanical force of the ultrasonic impregnation, the process becomes much faster, and much more efficient,” Roy Hirsch, the chief business officer at Sonovia told NoCamels.
Set Apart
In addition to its efficiency, Sonovia’s technology also has the advantage that it is easy and cheap to integrate into existing production lines. This sets it apart from other types of dyeing technology, which, though, like Sonovia’s technology, are more environmentally friendly than traditional methods, they are extremely costly to implement.
According to the Sourcing Journal, Sonovia’s ingenious idea has paid off. As mentioned above, it has launched a line denim with Pure Denim. Additionally, in May of 2023, the French luxury group, Kering, also entered into an agreement with Sonovia in which it would adapt Sonovia’s technology for its own production lines.
A pair of comfy jeans is worth their weight in gold. But comfy jeans also come with an environmental price. Luckily there are companies like Sonovia, Pure Denim, and Kerig that are working hard to ensure that consumers can continue wearing the clothing they love without jeopardizing the planet they love.
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