BluConnection introduces BluWit, a natural reducing agent
BluConnection, a manufacturer of pre-reduced indigo, is introducing BluWit, a plant-based reducing agent that eliminates hydrosulfite usage in indigo dyeing processes with pre-reduced indigo.
The current standard reducing agent for indigo is sodium hydrosulfite, which generates difficult to treat effluent. The introduction of pre-reduced indigo was a first step in lowering the quantities of hydrosulfite used in indigo dyeing. Since its founding in 2010, BluConnection focuses exclusively on denim dyeing processes with pre-reduced indigo.
BluWit is presented as a natural, more sustainable and safer alternative to hydrosulfite. The plant-based reducing agent is said to be odourless, biodegradable, and easy to handle.
In production trials conducted at denim mills, the use of BluWit as a reducing agent has been found to lead to 95% sulphite-free effluent, having 60% less salt, and reducing chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 5%. In wastewater, total dissolved solids (TDS) can be brought down by up to 61%.
In addition to these significant contributions to a cleaner and more sustainable process, the new reducing agent is also said to provide the authentic denim look that the industry expects.
“We have partnered with two denim mills that have tested DenimBlu30 using BluWit and have found that it delivers a truly authentic look without any compromise,” Peter Zinser, BluConnection co-founder, tells Inside Denim. After processing, jeans present a bright shade and fresh tone, he adds.
The company is now reaching out to key brands and retailers and believes that, if adopted on a large scale, BluWit could be a potential game-changer for the denim industry.
2022 marks the125th anniversary of synthetic indigo: Inside Denim covers the major milestones here.
Image: Inside Denim
