Crescent Bahuman Limited (CBL) has always sought to keep raising the sustainability bar for the entire denim industry. With the recent launch of its Blue Infinity technology, CBL aims to further build on that goal, taking indigo out of the denim-dyeing process.
According to Zaki Saleemi, vice president of strategy, “Indigo has been the traditional coloring agent of denim since its modern inception. Innovation requires a free spirit way of thinking. With Blue Infinity, our aim is not to create an indigo alternative, but to create a more responsible technology for a better future.” The manufacturer’s team believes there is a new way forward to reduce the amount of dye and water used in the fabric’s production.
For Blue Infinity, it’s all in the name. The technology enables CBL to offer a near-infinite number of shades that can be applied to its denim products.
In a recent fireside chat with Edward Hertzman, founder and president of Sourcing Journal and Rivet, Saleemi described Blue Infinity as “a proprietary concept that is achievable in combination of dyeing and garment washing,” and “a new way to cover denim warps,” with the shades ranging from “brilliant to neutral, strong-souled to luxury and classical to contemporary.”
The Blue Infinity collection debuted at the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam on April 20-21, 2022, with the Pakistan-based manufacturer introducing it as a warp-dyeing solution appropriate for denim garments sold across retail verticals, from mass merchants to boutique luxury sellers.
According to Saleemi, a 2021 Rivet 50 winner, it took nine months to develop the innovation from conception to execution. He identified the equipment as the biggest challenge, as he said the entire production line had to be modified in order to achieve the desired results. Additional control devices were added to ensure consistency, and operators received extensive training to keep the process running seamlessly.
All chemicals used in the process are GOTS 6.0-approved. Blue Infinity is also designed to meet all restricted substance list (RSL) requirements from major brands and retailers.
The process reportedly produces fewer effluents and pollutants than standard indigo. The technology is part of a more compact dyeing range, which requires fewer dye boxes and less water. In total, CBL uses 70 percent less water and energy than the standard indigo dye process.
Adding onto these benefits, the new process can result in less waste as is reduces both salt effluent and resource consumption across the fabric dyeing and garment treatment processes.
“We have a proven set of evidence of environmental stress reduction in this,” Saleemi said of the low-impact dyeing process.
Blue Infinity also gives product developers more flexibility than standard indigo, as it provides greater range in wash-down treatments. Garment wash downs can be performed mechanically, with smart chemicals.
CBL’s newest technology comes as more brands and consumers alike recognize the environmental impact issues of the traditional indigo dyeing process. This process has considerable room for improvement, especially given how manufacturers often use substantial amounts of chemicals, water and energy to infuse yarns with the conventional indigo dyes. Blue Infinity has been well received by designers and creative directors as a way to explore new shades and looks, in an environmentally friendly way.
Blue Infinity is just one of the latest innovations from CBL. The company has also developed another new denim collection, A Lighter Touch, in collaboration with design consultant Miles Johnson. This rigid style is produced with the intent for wearers to wash the denim by hand and dry the garment in the sun. With the new collections, CBL can build on its ongoing goal to establish “the greenest ecosystem that denim has ever seen.”
The latest Blue Infinity collection will be available for review at Kingpins New York on July 20-21 on appointment basis. Visit our exhibition booth to book your appointment with the CBL team.
Learn more about Crescent Bahuman Limited and Blue Infinity here.