Officina39 balances costs with solutions for brighter, cleaner denim
A package that enhances denim colour depth and an extension of its ZeroPP solutions led the new offerings on show at Kingpins Amsterdam by chemicals and dyes producer Officina39, as well as a collection highlighting some of its most visionary collaborations of the past three years.
Smart Bright is a package designed to enhance denim brilliance while maintaining fabric integrity, and includes:
• Smart Bright Washing: anti-backstaining and dispersing agents ensuring garment cleanliness
• Smart Bright Post-Treatment: featuring Deterpal Bluecast for a vibrant bluish cast, avoiding the typical yellowing and greying effects of post-bleaching treatments; and
• Smart Bright Finishing: with Noamin AZ 2.0, an anti-yellowing agent protecting indigo against ozone and nitrogen oxides.
“Our detergent gives very blueish and bright colours, compared to the conventional way,” Officina managing director Andrea Venier tells Inside Denim. “Another benefit is we can make fabrics look more luxurious, just with this detergent. Many brands are talking about reducing costs, so this means they could use more economical fabrics and gain a more expensive look. It improves the aesthetic of the fabric.”
Officina has also upgraded its ZeroPP system (solutions to replace potassium permanganate) with the introduction of ZeroPP All In. This upgrade allows the application of Novascraper Indigo and Smart O3 directly on raw garments, completing the process in a single machine cycle.
“Again, we are saving costs,” said Mr Venier. “We are doing everything on the raw garments – we are cutting time and processes, reducing at least one drying step. There is a big advantage in productivity as the longest process is the drying time, so it saves energy too. We say that with all these advantages, it is cost neutral to PP.”
At Kingpins Amsterdam, the Italian company also presented creative ranges: Dyed-Up and Colordust. The Dyed-Up range features layered, brilliant colours and textured effects, while the Colordust Collection is inspired by desert landscapes and creates dusty, colourful effects on garments. “We can also apply shiny effects or glitter,” adds Mr Venier.
It has also expanded its Pull Up coatings range, with more pronounced effects and leather looks for denim. “Demand is increasing for special effects on knitted fabrics, too,” explained Mr Venier. “We developed a liquid version so it can be sprayed.”
In a special showcase section accessed by a spiral staircase (pictured), Officina presented The Power of Collaborations, highlighting some of the forward-thinking partnerships with companies that “share its vision for sustainability and creativity”. These included partnerships with Cocircular Lab, Endrime and Naveena, Lenzing and Meidea, Pacific Knit Division, Paolo Gnutti’s ISKO Luxury by PG, SFI/Artistic Milliners and Tonello – demonstrating Recycrom, Easyndigo, and the Trustainable and ZeroPP ranges, as well as the Marvel Coating Series. “We are using the best of their fabrics and Tonello technology and we reduce the impact – that’s why we say masterpieces can happen when we work together,” added Mr Venier.
