Singapore-based textile tech solutions company, Next Technologies & Xvantages (NTX™), has announced its revolutionary waterless dyeing technology – NTX™ Cooltrans™ is production-ready, with Adidas as the company's first significant customer.

According to NTX, the breakthrough is the result of advances in chemistry and machinery that allow for precise and accurate colorization of practically any fabric material without the use of heat, as well as up to a 90% reduction in water use and a 40% reduction in dye use, while retaining uncompromising colorfastness, hand feel, and functional performance.

The announcement was a significant step forward for the fashion industry, which has grown to utilize about 80 billion cubic meters of water per year in a world where roughly 2.7 billion people face water scarcity.

The process, according to NTX, is completely waterless, and the colorization that is transferred from a paper transfer onto a cellulose-based substrate takes place without the use of any heat, creating an exact pattern to the substrate with rich, vibrant colors and second-to-none color penetration and colorfastness.

According to the business, this procedure can be used with any natural, man-made, or synthetic fiber (apart from polypropylene), including high power stretch material.

Kalvin Chong, Chairman and Co-founder of NTX™, said that for decades now, the industry has been chasing the elusive goal of reducing the astounding amount of water and energy used in the dying process of textiles. They're pleased to announce that, with the introduction of NTX Cooltrans, they've finally reached a tipping point.

Ching added that the really exciting thing is the cost-effectiveness of incorporating NTX™ Cooltrans™ into the value chain for their brand partners. The savings associated with lower energy requirements and water usage enable them to provide this game-changing invention to environmentally conscious consumers all around the world without compromising final product manufacturing costs.

The coloration technique is believed to no longer resemble millennia-old hot temperature dye baths that required fabric mixing to obtain the appropriate finish. According to NTX, plants that use Cooltrans technology are quieter, use less energy, and do not require hazardous chemicals.

According to the firm, existing NTX Cooltrans production capacity in China and Cambodia would be expanded in 2022 with the addition of a plant in Indonesia and several Vietnam facilities in 2022.