When the textile industry goes digital it will save waste, emissions and time

The textile industry has remained largely unchanged for centuries, but as calls for sustainability and digitisation spur new advancements in manufacturing, materials processing, and design systems, and some companies are rising to the challenge to reduce their environmental impact and make fabric manufacturing as efficient as possible.

An example is Portuguese textile group Impetus, who in a collaboration with ColorDigital GmbH can reduce waste by 100 percent, CO2 emissions by 99 percent and even resource depletion by 100 percent, according to comparative data collected on various efficiency and sustainability savings for producing a men's organic cotton boxer short within the sampling and prototype processes.

How it works

A digital workflow allows brands and their suppliers (from different levels of the supply chain) to collaborate in real-time across all areas of textile design, product development, and production, enabling fully digital product workflows using color technology, 3D technology and master data.

“The transformation to fully digital workflows enables us to make quick changes to colours, prints and fitting applied to a digital garment dressed on an avatar,” says Nuno Sousa, Graphic Designer at Impetus Group.

“Previously, these checks and changes would require us to create new samples, involving time-intensive processes such as weaving, knitting, dyeing and sewing, just to test it out.” Now garments can be visualized in 3D instead of being prototyped and are “of such high quality that we can use it for internal approvals and present items and collections directly to customers.”

“This data-supported study by Impetus is the perfect example of how interactive digital platformDMIx enables brands to improve the efficiency of their workflows, whilst also reducing their environmental impact,” says Gerd Willschütz, COO and Co-Founder of ColorDigital. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Impetus Group as they digitalize additional workflows, helping them to achieve their ambitious sustainability goals.”