Archroma has won awards in the Innovation and Social categories at the 2024 Just Style Excellence Awards.
The Just Style Excellence Awards celebrate the greatest achievements and innovations in the industry. Powered by the business intelligence of GlobalData, the programme provides a platform to recognise the people and companies that are driving change.
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While the Innovation award recognises Archroma’s groundbreaking innovations AVICUERO® and SUPER SYSTEMS+, the Social award recognises the company’s impactful social initiatives.
The AVICUERO® system tackles the environmental issues linked to conventional tanning methods, whereas the SUPER SYSTEMS+ suite confronts broader industry challenges, including water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and chemical management.
Sustainable leather tanning
The leather industry has long been scrutinised for its environmental impact, with chrome tanning being the most widely used method due to its efficiency and versatility. Chromium exposure might pose significant risks to human health, and traditional tanning methods discharge harmful wastes into the environment.
Archroma’s AVICUERO® directly addresses these issues, offering a chrome and metal-free tanning method without sacrificing quality or performance.
Developed in collaboration with UK-based leather technology expert Dr Leather Ltd, Archroma’s AVICUERO® system utilises patented technology with innovative molecules BLACK SL and TR22, introducing a fresh spectrum of coloured tanning agents devoid of metals, aldehydes, and bisphenol.
These organic compounds achieve simultaneous tanning and dyeing effects with high fastness, providing manufacturers with versatile options to achieve any desired colour.
The AVICUERO® system’s high exhaustion technology platform significantly reduces CO2 values attributed to wet-end processing, especially when combined with specific retanning and fatliquoring technology.
The Archroma ONE WAY Impact Calculator estimates that the system can save up to 25% in energy and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 23% compared to traditional chrome tanning.
The benefits of AVICUERO® extend beyond environmental impact. Tanners enjoy shorter processing times, elimination of the pickling process, and a reduction in common salt usage, leading to improved effluent discharge loads.
Furthermore, Archroma established a partnership with Trumpler, a leader in leather chemicals, to make this brand-new technology accessible to the leather industry.
Advancing sustainable textile manufacturing
Archroma’s SUPER SYSTEMS+ has been recognised for advancing sustainable textile manufacturing. SUPER SYSTEMS+ is a comprehensive suite of solutions that caters to the growing demand for sustainable garments and textiles.
SUPER SYSTEMS+ addresses the textile industry’s key challenges, including water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, circularity, and chemical management complexity.
By providing end-to-end, fibre-specific solutions that enhance process efficiency and offer intelligent effects, SUPER SYSTEMS+ enables mills and brands to meet their sustainability targets and consumer demands effectively.
The system’s plug-and-play feature allows for the integration of economic and environmental sustainability goals without necessitating additional investment. This feature is crucial for businesses looking to streamline their operations and reduce their ecological footprint without incurring significant costs.
Moreover, the end-to-end solutions are designed to significantly reduce resource use across various stages of textile production, from pretreatment to finishing. This comprehensive approach not only ensures reliability but also addresses the industry’s significant water consumption issue, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and responsible industry.
The suite’s intelligent effects are engineered for enhanced functionality and circularity, ensuring durability and contributing to a regenerative economic model. With the support of Archroma’s implementation and benchmarking, brands and mills can witness measurable resource savings and productivity improvements.
Archroma’s portfolio is future-proofed, leading the shift to cleaner chemistries by removing hazardous or restricted substances. This proactive stance not only helps brands and mills stay ahead of the regulatory curve but also reduces the environmental and health impacts associated with the manufacture, use, and disposal of chemicals.
The SUPER SYSTEMS+ is organised into four quadrants within the Impact Matrix (Foundation, Foundation+, Impact, and Impact+), which guide businesses in making informed decisions about using cleaner chemistries, resource-saving solutions in processing, and improved durability in consumer use.
The suite is a core pillar of the ‘PLANET CONSCIOUS+’ vision, reflecting Archroma’s commitment to sustainability and the positive evolution of the textile industry.
Archroma’s community engagement initiatives
Archroma is recognised in the Social category for its holistic and enduring commitment to community engagement. The company’s multifaceted initiatives, which span early childhood development, agricultural education, the empowerment of women, and the provision of student scholarships, have significantly contributed to the socio-economic advancement of communities in the vicinity of Baroda, India.
A notable social endeavour by Archroma during the award consideration period involved setting up an Anganwadi Centre. These centres play a crucial role in rural India, offering services that include nutrition and health education to pre-school non-formal learning. The newly established centre is crafted to be child-centric, featuring enhanced sanitation facilities, waterproof ceilings, and educational resources to bolster cognitive growth. This emphasis on cultivating a supportive environment is in harmony with Archroma’s ethos of encouraging early childhood development and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.
Archroma’s community involvement extends past the Anganwadi project, including aid for local farmers, rural women, and students. The company’s collaboration with the BAIF Development Research Foundation at the Kisan Mela provided farmers with modern agricultural methods and insights, thereby enhancing their livelihoods. This mirrors Archroma’s acknowledgement of agriculture’s pivotal position in rural economies and their proactive advocacy for sustainable farming practices.
The inauguration of a Household Biogas Plant in Umraya village is another example of Archroma’s sustainable initiatives. The conversion of manure into clean renewable energy by the plant tackles several issues, such as cutting down greenhouse gas emissions, efficient farm waste management, and enhancing soil health. The biogas plant also has a direct positive impact on the lives of rural women, liberating them from the health risks associated with conventional fuel sources and affording them additional time for economically beneficial activities.
Furthermore, Archroma’s scholarship programme for students from the Industrial Training Institute in Padra, Baroda, signifies its investment in the future workforce. By facilitating students’ completion of their studies and the development of vocational skills, Archroma contributes to forming a skilled talent pool poised to propel the region’s future economic expansion.
Archroma’s social endeavours not only embody its corporate social responsibility but also its aspiration for a sustainable and inclusive future.
Company Profile
Archroma is a global, diversified provider of specialty chemicals serving the branded and performance textiles, packaging and paper, and construction markets.
Headquartered in Pratteln, Switzerland, Archroma operates with more than 4,500 employees located in 42 countries and with over 30 production sites.
Archroma is passionate about delivering leading and innovative solutions, enhancing people’s lives and respecting the planet. The company is committed to the principles of “The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, Efficient, Enhanced. It’s our nature!”; an approach reflected in its innovations, world-class quality standards, high service levels and cost-efficiency.
Contact Details
Website: www.archroma.com
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