Progress on permanganate replacement from CHT Group
Specialty chemicals manufacturer CHT Group has said new developments in its OrganIQ Seek platform can advance the transition towards permanganate-free denim bleaching.
The group first launched its OrganIQ line in 2015. Following recent, extensive testing and research, it has confirmed that the bleaching system can now be used “with remarkable effectiveness” as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach.
In its efforts to achieve the characteristic “used look” in many jeans collections, CHT said the global denim sector “continues to rely heavily on potassium permanganate”.
Its internal calculations are that approximately 250,000 litres of permanganate solution are consumed daily in denim production around the world.
However, the Tu¨bingen-based group added that, despite growing regulatory pressure and brand commitments under European sustainability frameworks, the adoption of more sustainable alternatives has been limited. It said this was because of technical challenges such as inconsistencies in colour loss, fibre sensitivity and equipment corrosion.
According to its assessment, affordability is one of the main reasons why early products from its OrganIQ line have not yet achieved “broad industry adoption”. Developing OrganIQ Seek in spray bleach applications represents what it called “a meaningful step toward reducing and ultimately replacing permanganate use technically and economically”.
