Denim is the only fabric with yarns initially dyed and then washed out to achieve its signature look. By challenging the way denim is traditionally made, Pakistan-based Soorty is saving an average of 28,815 gallons of water per day.
The vertically integrated denim manufacturer developed Cascara, a simplified process allowing yarns to wash out efficiently, requiring minimal effort and resources in laundry to achieve authentic looks.
With Cascara, Soorty can reduce the load on the effluent treatment plant, meaning it has much lower biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand compared to conventionally made denim as it releases cleaner wastewater. The process uses only green chemicals, eliminates the need for pre- and post-washers in dyeing, eschews caustic soda pre-treatments, and reacts well to dry finishes.
Fabrics that wash down quicker and react to laser finishing more efficiently have been an area of focus for the denim supply chain.
Finishing technology firm Jeanologia has developed the Advanced Light Sensitive Fabric test that helps determine if a fabric is viable for sustainable laundry processes, using minimal resources, without hazardous chemicals and safeguarding workers’ health. Spanish denim manufacturer Evlox recently presented fabrics that don’t need to be washed.
Describing fashion as “one of the primary contributors of global warming,” Soorty said it believes in “design for purpose” and considers design as a tool of improvement.
It approaches production as an “ongoing process of evolution and consider[s] designing systems and philosophies that will bring the positive impact that the industry needs.”
Soorty is the only company to feature LEED Platinum and Cradle2Cradle Gold certification across both its denim fabric mill and garment factory, a testament to its commitment to the circular economy and mass sustainable production. The company’s recent venture into organic cotton farming, Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative, is building capacity for organic cotton and enhancing livelihoods through financial inclusion, vocational training for women, and access to clean water.