Navy and Black Colors for Sportswear

Navy and Black Colors for Sportswear Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals for sustainable solutions, has expanded its Nylosan® S range to include two new metal-free* and halogen-free* acid dyes. Dark shades account for roughly 80% of the outdoor and sportswear textile market, which is also under pressure to offer more environmentally friendly products. The new Nylosan® Navy S-3R and Black S-3N, developed specifically for polyamides and blends by Archroma, meet four long-standing market demands for blacks and navies in this context. First, the Nylosan® S range offers metal-free* alternatives to dyestuff generally used to dye polyamide and nylon and which usually contain metals. The new Nylosan® Navy S-3R and Black S-3N are taking the industry standard one step further by offering a halogen-free* option to those manufacturers, brands and retailers who are looking to offer the safest grade available. Second, the Nylosan® S range now includes a wide range of colors, with these new dyes aiming to match the color matching and fastness specifications of major sportswear brands' iconic blacks and navies. Archroma makes colorimetric dye primaries available to mills in order to (re)match color standards to support this color matching process. Third, the new navy and black dyes have the same color constancy as dyes used in many leading color standards, ensuring that the navy and black colors created with Nylosan® S are non-metameric to the color standard under a variety of lighting conditions, whether artificial or natural, indoor or outdoor. And fourth, the introduction of the new Nylosan® Black S-3N makes dyeing a metal-free* black on polyamide finally possible – something that was not available before. Both dyes display the other usual features allowed of the Nylosan® S range, i.e., high fastness and buildup, and a wide shading gamut for industry-leading metal-free* acid dyes. They are REACH registered and bluesign® approved. In addition, with the new Nylosan® Navy S-3R and Black S-3N at the core of its new CONSCIOUSLY DEEP system, Archroma is offering another very welcome benefit in the production of polyamide articles: resource saving. As most sportswear manufacturers and brands know, creating durable dark colors on nylon is a complex process that uses massive amounts of water and energy. Archroma therefore designed the new CONSCIOUSLY DEEP system to allow a highly efficient scour dyeing process reduced from 6 to 2 baths. This results into reducing the process time by up to 36%, water consumption by up to 64%, energy by up to 46%, and CO₂ emissions by up to 41% compared to conventional benchmark process. “Innovation is a key enabler of the Archroma Way to a sustainable world,” explains Mark Dohmen, Head of Competence Center Synthetics. With the CONSCIOUSLY DEEP system based on the new Nylosan® S navy and black colors we combine all three: safer ingredients free*of metal and halogen, a more efficient process with less water, energy, and greenhouse gas, and enhanced value with a more desirable and durable article. That is how Archroma helps to transform our industry – because it’s our nature.” * Below limits of detection according to industry standard test methods. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Reference