France-based, Ever Dye turns vegetable-waste into color pigments for the textile industry (without using petrochemicals). The startups core tech is based on a novel dyeing approach. <Quick primer: traditional dyeing is an energy-intensive two step process: the 1st, which aims to whiten/ bleach the fabrics, requires heating them at 90 degrees for an hour. The 2nd, which aims to affix the color (pigments), requires heating the textiles at 130 degrees for 3-6 hours (usually in autoclaves)>. Ever Dye can bleach fabrics at 50 degrees (effectively “pre-treating” them for dyes to adhere more easily) & affix color at room temperature; the combined process takes 30 minutes/ 8x times faster and reduces energy consumption 15x. “As we’re only changing the chemistry of the (yarn, fabric or garment) dyeing process, our solution can be applied in all existing facilities”. The startup has just signed with Petit Bateau (after a 12 month POC at their plant in Troyes) & said to have already convinced “several other brands in the world of luxury”, “including fast fashion” (mainly in Europe). Ever Dye will use the new funding to 3x its workforce (up from 11 people currently) and evolve the dyeing process & pigment production to a “truly industrial scale”. Keep in mind, 52% of greenhouse gas emission from the textile industry come from dyeing & the latter is directly responsible for 20% of global water pollution! Ever Dye was founded in 2021 by Ilan Palacci (CEO) & Amira Erokh (CTO). The startup is an alumni of the Fashion for Good program & won the ANDAM Fashion Awards Paris – 2022 Innovation Prize. <Source: just-style.com, siliconcanals.com, businessinsider.com, maddyness.com, fibre2fashion.com, tech.eu>
