Thai Acrylic Fiber Co. (TAF), of the Aditya Birla Group, has partnered with Bangladeshi textile manufacturer Simco; a collaboration through which the duo will combine the former’s Radianza fibre with recycled Cyclo cotton. Bringing together TAF’s gel-dyed textile – said to yield water, energy and chemical savings during processing comparative to conventional cotton – and Simco’s cotton, the companies hope to capitalise on mounting market demand for sustainable alternatives.
Satyaki Ghosh, CEO of Aditya Birla’s domestic textiles and acrylic fibre business, commented: “With Radianza we have been trying to address the issue of water consumption and water pollution and we are glad to find a partner in Simco to further strengthen our cause.”
This summer, TAF – of the Aditya Birla Group – released details of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) relating to its newly-rebranded gel-dyed Radianza fibre. The textile – which uses gel dyeing technology to impart the colour whilst the material is in liquid state – “has shown very promising results as compared to acrylic as well as other fibres,” the company says.
“The gel-dyeing technology is the key factor behind the impact as it consumer much less resources and thereby pollutes the nature much less,” it added. The fibre’s global warming potential, measured per kg CO2 eq/ kg fabric, was found to total only 12.9kg, whilst cotton scored 22kg CO2, wool scored 19kg and viscose 23kg.
The material will now be used in equal measure with Simco’s recycled cotton, and the company notes the greater output versatility this will yield as a result. With various colour options, it says customers can mix and match for both fibre types to yield unique fabric blends.
“We are a company that specializes in recycled yarns. Our brand Cyclo is getting popular with a lot of brands and retailers around the world,” noted Mustafain Munir, Cyclo’s Director. “We are committed to providing sustainable products to the apparel industry. With Radianza we found a solution that is both sustainable and fashion-friendly.”
