The Member of Parliament for South Cambridgeshire toured Alchemie’s headquarters with its Founder, Dr Alan Hudd, to see its waterless, low energy textile dyeing technology, which dramatically reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with clothes manufacture.
Alchemie, which has financial backing from major clothing brand H&M, makes its Endeavour dyeing machines in Duxford which are then exported to textile factories all over the world.
The Endeavour machines use 85 percent less energy and 95 percent less water - which cuts carbon emissions and eliminates wastewater pollution from textile dyeing, whilst maintaining the highest standards.
Traditional dyeing processes are highly polluting to the environment. In fact, textile dyeing, and finishing is responsible for over 20 percent of global industrial water pollution and three percent of global carbon emissions.
Anthony Browne, MP, who is also Vice-Chair of the All-Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Environment said: “It was fantastic to visit another exciting business applying brilliant science and engineering to solve one of the world's major environmental problems.
Traditional dyeing techniques use huge amounts of water, around 30 tonnes of water for every tonne of fabric. It also uses large quantities of toxic substances, which often end up being washed into rivers and waterways, mostly in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
Alchemie, based in Duxford, has developed revolutionary digital technology to dye textiles. Their precision technique uses needles as tiny jets to 'inject' nanodroplets of dye directly into the fabric. This massively reduces the amount of water and dye needed.
The machines designed to deliver Alchemie's ground-breaking dyeing process are being manufactured in South Cambridgeshire and the company has committed to the UK for its production.
“It is fantastic to see such an inventive and ambitious company using its expertise and talents to grow the local economy and tackle a major global environmental issue.
“I wish Alchemie all the best as they grow their business and will continue to support them on their journey to revolutionise the textiles industry.”
Dr Alan Hudd, Founder, Alchemie Technology, said, “I am thankful to Anthony Browne, MP, for taking the time to visit us in Duxford. We were able to show how the waterless textile dyeing technology we have developed here in Cambridgeshire can have a real global impact, and dramatically reduce the fashion industries contribution to climate change. The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters on our planet, and the process of dyeing the clothes we wear is the most damaging part of clothing production. We are on a mission to change that."
Alchemie, which employs over 30 people at its base near Duxford Airfield, is on track to export 15 of its Endeavour machines this year. It aims to sell more than 60 machines by end of 2023.
Founder Alan Hudd is a former rocket scientist who went on to be a pioneer of inkjet printing technology in Cambridge. He previously founded and sold another local company called Xennia, which revolutionised the way colour is printed on to tiles.
For further information on Alchemie Technology please visit: www.alchemietechnology.com
