AirDye – An Revolution in Fabric Dyeing

We all line in a colorful and vibrant world, with our clothing and interiors designed in a myriad of colors. The fact that almost all of the fabrics need to be dyed with the appropriate colors is something we all would quite agree with. As we get to become more conscious of our environment, there has been a spurt in the usage of natural fabrics and dyes. However, as we move towards optimizing our daily activities and reducing our dependence on natural resources and prevent over-usage wherever possible, let’s ponder to how much water would dyeing a fabric consume?

On an average, each fabric goes through several stages of dyeing, with an estimated 5-15 gallons of water required to dye a regular fabric with a single color. Considering the fact that water is scarcely available in our planet, with a vast majority of people without access to drinking water, it would quite be useful if we have a mechanism by which we can reduce the water consumption in dyeing of fabrics, or omit it all together. One such relevant way of saving water is by the revolutionary AirDye technology which eliminates the need for water while dyeing fabrics.

Going by an example from the water saver calculator on their site, a regular tee-shirt would cost 7.75 gallons of water when dried using traditional dyeing methods.

Air Dye is a technology from Colorep®, Inc. which is a California based company dealing with sustainable technologies for human life. The technology used air instead of water to apply dye on a surface, which can be a fabric or interiors. This does not damage the fabric and color etches into the fabric as good as any conventional form of dyeing. It also reduces waste and consumes up to 85% lesser energy when compared to conventional dyeing methods. It is already in use by brands as varied as Patagonia, Hunter Douglas, Julie Apple as well as renowned fashion house Costello Tagliapietra. Air Dye technology also suits print to order fabric dyeing and can be an asset to the fashion and apparel industry.

To know more, access the below link.

http://airdye.com/

Eco Friendly Clothing From Rapanui Clothing

The past decades have seen an increase in the usage of natural fibers in our clothing needs. They are environment friendly, degradable and require less energy while in production. One such international brand is Rapanui Clothing which not uses natural fibers for their ranges, but also uses renewable energy in its production units. Their units are powered by solar power and windmills, and deliver a vibrant and snazzy range of clothing which comes with a natural softness

The range commits itself to being environment friendly and practices ethical fashion. The journey of their products can be traced right from its origin to the store, with a complete transparency of using eco-friendly material and practices in creating their products. They are also working with the European parliament to develop an eco-labeling system which would let consumers know as to how much environment friendly a product is.

The brand has a wide range of casual wear, which is made from natural fibers such as organic cotton, hem, Bamboo and recycled PET.  Their manufacturing facilities are powered by renewable energy sources, so you can be assured that your purchase is in harmony with nature.

You can view their collection on their website, and can also purchase online.  They have a wide range of casual wear for men and women, along with caps, shorts, socks and polo tees.  Their products come in all sizes and in a wide range of vibrant colors. If you still think that natural fiber and eco-clothing would be quite dull, this is one collection that’s going to prove you wrong. You can also buy a gift card and can give it as a gift for a special occasion.

The site also has a print shop feature where you can have your own design or logo printed on their range.

One advantage of using this label is that you get to choose from natural fibers, which are safe and do not involve harmful chemicals or animal tests. Using natural alternatives in our daily life is one way of showing our solidarity with the environment.

Their range is retailed across many stores and boutiques across UK. You can access the below link for more information on their retailers, or can use the store locator link in their site.

http://www.rapanuiclothing.com

Rapanui clothing is located in Isle of Wight, England. It had won the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) award for maintaining production processes which do not involve cruelty to towards animals.

Bamboo Fiber- A new Trend in Eco-Friendly Clothing

All of us are familiar with bamboo- the tall shoots that decorate parks and gardens. Bamboo is actually a type of reed or grass and is known to grow fast,  requires very less water and often grows in bunches. Bamboo is widely used in handicrafts, agricultural implements, housing needs and in the manufacture of paper. Bamboo can also be used to generate a fiber which can be used for clothing needs.

Momo bamboo is a very coon variety of bamboo which is native to China, and is most suitable for obtaining fiber for clothing needs. The process involves using the bamboo leaves and the tender insides of the shoot to produce cellulose, which is then converted into fiber.

Bamboo sustains harsh weather conditions, and can also grow with litter irrigation. It’s a type of grass and would grow again if cut. In fact, some reaches indicate that the yield is much better in case of regular harvesting by cutting the top portion of the shoot. Bamboo also grows very fast, and in some cases has a yield in 8-10 weeks. Natural bamboo doesn’t require any fertilizers or manure. Many varieties of bamboo contain a natural antimicrobial agent which itself insulates the plant against common infections. All the above properties of bamboo have made it a very economically viable cash crop, and its being extensively cultivated even in regions with less rainfall. This makes it one good crop alternative in semi-arid areas, where water supply is scarce. Cultivation of bamboo not only gives an alternate fiber for our uses, but also provides a source of livelihood for farmers. It requires little care and maintenance and gives a yield many times more than cotton.

Let us look at the advantages of bamboo fibers:

1)      It has natural antibacterial properties which also make the plant resistant to common infections

2)      Its natural and biodegradable.

3)      Using bamboo fiber provides a living to bamboo cultivators, who often are from poor and arid regions, and cannot cultivate other cash crops.

4)      Bamboo fiber has a lot of tiny free spaces which allow the fabric to absorb moisture easily and also support ventilation. This makes clothing from bamboo fibers very cool, and non-sticky. On a broader viewpoint this makes them less allergenic, and more suited for the sensitive skin types.

5)      Its strong and at the same time can be easily spun. Often bamboo fiber is used as a whole, or is used in combination with other fibers such as cotton, hemp silk etc to give a blended fiber.

Most of bamboo fiber is cultivated and processed in China, with a Chinese firm Hebei Jigao Chemical Fiber Company holding a patent for a widely used form of bamboo fiber processing.

This fiber is now being used for many clothing needs, and is slowly forming an alternative to other plant and synthetic fibers.  Litrax AG, Switzerland has developed an environmentally safe technology while processing the bamboo into fiber and retaining all its inherent qualities.  This technology is one of the path breaking innovations in use of natural fibers by making their synthesis totally environmentally safe, and without the use of harmful chemical widely used in fabric manufacturing.

Vine.com -Your one Stop Eshop for Eco-Friendly Goods

Quidsi.com today launched vine.com which is an exclusive store for Eco-friendly products. You can now shop from thousands of Eco-friendly brands across a wide range of categories in the comfort of your home. All items are backed by Vine.com’s 365-day return guarantee policy.

All of their products are thoroughly reviewed to ensure that they are either from natural organic sources, or are non-polluting, or have been through an Eco-friendly manufacturing process. This ensures that you shop with a sense of pride for having contributed in safeguarding the environment.

You can search products by name, brand, category, certifications and also by criteria such as organic, gluten-free, cruelty-free, fair trade or energy efficient. A dedicated team of phone and email customer support staff would be available 24/7 to help you with your issues. You can also check the exclusive “Vine Picks” which are individually certified by their team. You also have an option to search for local retailers within a geographic range. By this you can promote local businesses and also reduce the environmental impact that shipping would have.

They have a huge selection of products which included apparel and accessories, sports and leisure goods and also gifting ranges. You can also shop for fair trade, made in USA and cruelty free listings. They also have an exclusive section for pets as well as for health and wellness.

The site offers gift certificates from $25 to $1500 which can be redeemed on merchandize through vine.com and their family of sites . Your referrals would get a flat 15% discount on their first purchase. The site offers free shipping for orders above $49 or $39 for combined purchases from their other sites. Shipping is fast, and you would get the product within 2 business days.

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