Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Denim announced its latest fabric development in color denim. Coined VaraBlue, the fabric is capable of achieving virtually any color via a unique garment dyeing process, which utilizes a specially developed yarn-treatment method.
The process involves pre-treated warp yarns, while the fill yarns are left alone so the dyes adhere to the warp only. This enables the designer to create a traditional yarn-dyed indigo denim effect via garment dyes in any color they wish.
This new process can also achieve a ring-dyed effect on the yarns, which will crock and chip off in areas of higher wear just like traditionally yarn dyed indigo, the company added.
Natural highs and lows of classic denim are said to come through in any color, and like classic indigo denim, once the garment has been dyed, it can be laundered in a number of ways including stonewashing, sanding, enzyme washing and laser treatments.
The denim supplier added that the ‘ready-to-dye’ fabric is also more eco-friendly and more cost effective than typical garment dyeing because it is faster, requires less amounts of water, does not use salt and is nearly totally exhausted in the dye bath.
“This translates to far less waste from the dyeing process as well as less energy consumption,” according to Cone Denim.
Appropriate for men’s and women’s garments, VaraBlue is offered in rigid, comfort-stretch and Cone Denim’s SGene options. The material is available for sampling now and will be on view at the New York Kingpins trade show July 22-23.