Specialty chemicals manufacturer, Archroma, has expanded its sustainable solutions offering with the addition of two new metal-free and halogen-free acid dyes to its Nylosan S line.

Archroma's Nylosan S range now includes two additional metal and halogen-free* acid dyes. Dark hues account for almost 80% of the outdoor and sporting textile sector, which is under pressure to create more environmentally friendly products. As a result, the new Nylosan Navy S-3R and Black S-3N, designed specifically for nylons and blends by Archroma, answer long-standing market demands.

The Nylosan S line provides alternatives to metal-containing dyes commonly used to colour nylon. The two new dyes go a step farther than the industry standard by providing a halogen-free option.

The Nylosan S range now includes a wide spectrum of colours, with these new dyes aimed at meeting the colour matching and fastness requirements of leading sporting brands' blacks and navies. Archroma makes colorimetric dye primaries available to mills to meet colour standards in order to enable this colour matching procedure.

The new navy and black dyes have the same colour consistency as several prominent colour standards, which means the colours created will be non-metameric to the colour standard under a variety of lighting conditions, whether artificial or natural, indoor or outdoor.

For industry-leading metal-free acid dyes, both dyes exhibit high fastness and buildup, as well as a wide shade gamut. They've been REACH-registered and given the bluesign seal of approval.

Creating long-lasting dark colours on nylon is a time-consuming procedure that consumes a lot of water and energy. The new Consciously Deep method from Archroma reduces a highly efficient scour dyeing process from six to two baths.

When compared to the traditional benchmark method, this results in a 36 percent reduction in process time, a 64 percent reduction in water consumption, a 46 percent reduction in energy, and a 41 percent reduction in CO2 emissions.

Mark Dohmen, Head of Competence Center Synthetics, said that they are combining safer ingredients free of metal and halogen, a more efficient process with less water, energy, and greenhouse gas, and enhanced value with a more desirable and durable article with the Consciously Deep system based on the new Nylosan S navy and black colours.