Inditex-Jeanologia air washer extracts 60% of microfibres
Technology developer Jeanologia and fashion group Inditex, both based in Spain, have presented their new Air Fiber Washer at industry trade event ITMA in Milan.
The machine is the first industrial air system of its kind, the partners said, built to extract as much as 60% of microfibres (particles less than 15 millimetres in length) during garment manufacture, using a combination of dynamic airflow and microfiltration technologies. Each system will have capacity to gather up to 325 kilograms of microfibre per year.
The more microfibre that can be extracted at the production stage, the less will be shed in home laundering cycles, they suggested. Airflow technology captures the particles in a containment bag for potential recycling or repurposing, in a bid to further reduce textile waste.
“Working with Inditex was a great experience and is a source of pride,” commented Jeanologia co-founder and president, Enrique Silla.
“This initiative is just the first step in the mission we have set for ourselves to minimise the impact of microfibre shedding in textile manufacturing and in the product life cycle.”
Image courtesy Jeanologia.
