Spain's Inditex & Jeanologia jointly develop Air Fiber Washer

Inditex and Jeanologia have jointly developed Air Fiber Washer, the first industrial air system designed to extract microfibres during garment fabrication and thus reduce subsequent shedding in domestic laundering.

Microfibres are small particles with a length of less than 15 millimetres that are shed from textiles, especially during initial domestic washes. This is one of the great challenges for the textile industry due to existing limitations in current industrial capacities for water treatment.

Air Fiber Washer – which is being presented at the ITMA international textile technology fair in Milan - was created with the aim of reducing the release of microfibres in initial washes thanks to a new industrial pretreatment that effectively removes these particles.

With innovative technology, this new development makes it possible to reduce microfibre shedding by up to 60 per cent through the use of air, without employing water or thermal energy and without compromising aspects such as fabric quality. Its dynamic air flow extracts the microfibres from the garments and collects them in a containment bag for potential recycling, moving us closer towards a circular industry with zero waste. Each Air Fiber Washer will collect up to 325 kg of microfibres per year, depending on the type of fabric, and machine conditions such as loading and movement.

This technology will be shared with the industry with no strings attached, as part of the effort of both companies to mitigate microfibre shedding, Jeanologia said in a press release.

Enrique Silla, president of Jeanologia, emphasised that the goal of Jeanologia, a leading company in the development of eco-efficient technologies, is to offer cost-neutral technological solutions to manufacturers, brands and retailers so that they can act immediately.

“Working with Inditex is a great experience and a source of pride. This initiative is just the first step in the mission we have set for ourselves to minimise the impact of microfibre shedding in textile manufacturing and in the product life cycle,” Silla said.

Javier Losada, general director of Sustainability at Inditex, emphasised, “We must promote innovative solutions that allow us to respond to the challenges of our industry, such as microfibre shedding. This project with Jeanologia is an example of how we can collaborate with other industries to limit our impact on resources such as water right from the manufacturing stage.”