Archroma, a global leader in speciality chemicals towards sustainable solutions, Kipas Denim, a leader in integrated textile production based in Turkey, and Jeanologia, a sustainable textile solutions company, are collaborating to pioneer a new denim finishing process for enhanced aesthetic appeal and greater sustainability.

Combining their advanced technologies, the three textile innovators are behind the launch of Kipas Denim’s new Contra Denim concept – a breakthrough in denim dyeing and finishing that enables brands to create stunning and long-lasting distressed looks and designs effects, including intricate patterns, whiskering and fades, through cleaner processes that save water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Denim has traditionally been challenging to produce, especially for black and indigo fabric with a worn or distressed look, requiring significant water usage, harmful chemicals and intensive manual labor. The Contra Denim collection is laser- and laundry-friendly, with colours that are deep and durable. Stunning wash-down vintage effects and high contrasts are achieved via washing or laser techniques. Contra Denim is based on Archroma’s Denim Halo, a new approach to denim production that incorporates resource-saving pretreatment that includes Dirsol RD and dyeing processes to produce easy-wash laser-friendly denim. It delivers a substantially reduced environmental footprint compared to the industry-standard denim finishing process while reducing yarn shrinkage and improving garment tensile strength.

The Contra Denim’s vintage looks are achieved with advanced laser marking technology from Jeanologia. Thanks to the combination of Archroma and Jeanologia technologies, manual hand scraping or potassium permanganate spraying harmful for workers and the environment are completely eliminated.

“Part of Archroma’s Super Systems + portfolio of end-to-end solutions, Denim Halo is empowering our partners Kipas Denim and Jeanologia to deliver denim with measurable environmental impact through the EIM software, as well as the colours and effects that consumers crave,” Umberto De Vita, Market Segment Director – Denim, Archroma Textile Effects said. “This collaboration is a notable example of our planet conscious roadmap at work combining innovation and partnership with a focus on consumers and the environment.”

Initially producing a ContraBlack Denim collection, Kipas Denim has now extended the Contra line to classic indigo and other colours from the Diresul RDT range. The ContraBlack collection earned a Jeanologia Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) score of 11 on stone wash versus the ring dyeing market standard score of 67. This confirms the low impact of the ContraBlack range in both water and energy consumption, chemical impact and worker's health.