Australia’s Deakin University in collaboration with Xefco, known for its innovations, has come up with a technology, which colours fabrics without the need for large quantities of water.
- The technology — Ausora — promises to bring the textile industry a step closer to more efficient and sustainable clothing manufacturing.
PARTNERSHIP & FUNDING: Deakin has signed a partnership agreement with Geelong-based Xefco as part of its Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) to conduct research to transform how clothing, including jeans, get its colour.
- The funding has come through Deakin’s REACH, supported by the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program, Xefco’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tom Hussey and Deakin scientists Associate Professor Alessandra Sutti and Dr Frank Chen from Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials.
- Backed by a $50 million grant from the Australian government’s inaugural Trailblazer Universities Program, with industry and university support taking the total project value to $380 million, REACH is facilitating the development of greener supply chains and accelerating business success as markets move from a throughput economy to a circular economy.
THE TECHNOLOGY: A water-free manufacturing solution, Ausora utilises an advanced plasma coating process to produce durable and functional effects on fabrics.
- This highly efficient process is completely water-free, producing no water discharge.
Ausora's ultra-thin and highly durable plasma coatings and plasma composite coatings can produce a range of functional properties including:
- Durable water repellency
- Moisture wicking
- Fire retardancy
- Self cleaning
- Anti-odour
PILOT PLANT: Xefco’s new pilot plant, housed at Deakin in Geelong, will test different materials, including specialised fabrics, such as waterproof items like outdoor jackets and jeans.
- This is the first stage of Xefco’s vision for the technology, with the REACH project focused on demonstrating the commercial viability of the technology at pilot scale and developing processes so it can be scaled up for commercial production.
