Anthony Browne MP has praised the work of local Duxford firm Alchemie Technology for its mission to transform the textile industry by make textile dyeing more sustainable.
The Member of Parliament for South Cambridgeshire toured Alchemie’s headquarters with its Founder, Dr Alan Hudd, to see its waterless, low energy textile dyeing technology, which dramatically reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with clothes manufacture.
Alchemie, which has financial backing from major clothing brand H&M, makes its Endeavour dyeing machines in Duxford which are then exported to textile factories all over the world.
The Endeavour machines use 85 percent less energy and 95 percent less water which cuts carbon emissions and eliminates wastewater pollution from textile dyeing, whilst maintaining the highest standards. Traditional dyeing processes are highly polluting to the environment. In fact, textile dyeing and finishing is responsible for over 20 percent of global industrial water pollution and 3 percent of global carbon emissions.
Anthony Browne, MP, who is also leader of the All-Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Environment said: “Visiting Alchemie Technology’s base in Duxford was an eye-opening experience about the damaging impact of the textile industry on the environment.
“It was wonderful to see this exciting business apply brilliant science and engineering to solve one of the world’s pressing environmental problems.
“It is worrying that the textile industry uses so much of the world’s water resources and is also the world’s second largest contributor to industrial water pollution. It is essential that proactive and innovative action is taken to steer this industry towards a more sustainable future.
“I am proud that Alchemie Technology has committed to the UK for its production, and I will be supporting them on their journey to revolutionise the textiles industry.”
Dr Alan Hudd, Founder, Alchemie Technology, said, “I am thankful to Anthony Browne, MP, for taking the time to visit us in Duxford. We were able to show how the waterless textile dyeing technology we have developed here in Cambridgeshire can have a real global impact, and dramatically reduce the fashion industries contribution to climate change.
“The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters on our planet, and the process of dyeing the clothes we wear is the most damaging part of clothing production. We are on a mission to change that.
Alchemie, which employs over 30 people at its base near Duxford Airfield, is on track to export 15 of its Endeavour machines this year. It aims to sell more than 60 machines by end of 2023.
Founder Alan Hudd is a former rocket scientist who went on to be a pioneer of inkjet printing technology in Cambridge. He previously founded and sold another local company called Xennia, which revolutionised the way colour in printed on to tiles.
For further information on Alchemie Technology please visit:
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About Alchemie Technology
Textile dyeing and finishing processes are some of the most polluting manufacturing processes on the planet and are responsible for over 20% of global industrial water pollution and 3% of global carbon emissions, expected to rise to 10% by 2030
To address this urgent issue, Alchemie has developed breakthrough digital dyeing and finishing technologies that deliver a dramatic reduction in energy consumption and eliminate contaminated wastewater emissions.
Alchemie’s mission is to transform the textile industry with digital manufacturing solutions that eliminate the environmental impact of polluting processes and stop 500 million tonnes of CO2 emissions being produced by the fashion industry by 2030.
Notes to editors: For further information, contact alchemietechnology@thephagroup.com or visit www.alchemietechnology.com.