Cleveland-based laser technology firm RevoLaze announced Wednesday that it had partnered with Acticell GmbH, an Austrian-based chemical research company, to commercialize a breakthrough non-hazardous chemical/laser treatment.
The new laser treatment eliminates the need for potassium permanganate (PP) spray, a hazardous chemical. The new process is able to replicate the same look as PP spray on denim garments using lasers.
Not only was the neutralizing step successfully eliminated, but the need for hand sand touch ups was no longer necessary. This results in a major increase in production per laser machine, helping to keep costs competitive with PP spray.
According to Acticell CEO, Christian Schimper, the results from early adopters of the technology have been very positive.
“Major denim companies in U.S., Mexico, India and China have been able to successfully replicate original standards from several top denim brands,” he said. “This chemical has already proven to be a significant advancement in the industry and to our knowledge, the only one that is truly 100 percent eco-friendly. We look forward to the worldwide launch and working together with the entire denim community to produce sustainable garments.”
RevoLaze and Acticell selected SingleSource Apparel, a Mexican denim manufacturer, to be the first major jean producer in the Americas to use the new technology. In the meantime, the companies said several patents have already been filed.
