Italian finishing specialist Tonello feels it’s close to achieving “an all-around responsible solution” to washing and dyeing with the introduction of Ecofree 2 technology.
The technology, according to Tonello marketing executive Alberto Lucchin, combines previous processes that reduce water usage in garment manufacturing, a long-time industry problem.
“In order to reduce the amount of water used during processing garments, for many years Tonello has been involved in the development of increasingly efficient and clean production processes,” Lucchin said. “Core, NoStone and UP are just a few of the technologies that have come to light and are helping to reach an all-around responsible solution. Now, thanks to the latest application of ECOfree 2, this goal has never been so close.”
A denim ozone treatment, Ecofree 2 adopts cold plasma generators to obtain higher concentrations of ozone, but consuming less oxygen and electrical energy than traditional systems, according to Tonello.
Adding to the system, the NoStone denim-washing aspect is designed to overcome the economic, mechanical and environmental limitations of the stone-washing process. Core technology creates uniform or contrasting effects, while UP technology reduces the liquor ratio, saving water and energy.
By combining all of the Tonello technologies, the company said it’s possible to reduce the water consumption in manufacturing a pair of jeans to an absolute minimum, and at the same time offering an endless range of aesthetics and looks, Lucchin noted.
“It’s an all-in-one system which includes the latest washing technology and ozone in air and ozone in water technologies,” Lucchin said. “Thanks to this combination of technologies, it is now possible to treat a pair of jeans with a worn-look with just five liters of water, while normally it would have required at least 50 liters.”
