Archroma, a provider of specialty chemicals for sustainable solutions, recently introduced the NTR printing system, which makes bio-based pigment printing commercially possible for the first time. It is based on renewable raw materials and has been developed for safer chemistry. It helps apparel and textile brands reduce their environmental footprint while producing brilliant blacks on garments that are both comfortable and durable.
Bio-based pigment printing is an emerging technology that is attracting a lot of interest from brands looking to use pigments from natural sources, such as plants, in the production of eco-friendly textiles. So far, however, bio-based pigments have not achieved color fastness comparable to synthetic pigments. The color quality and production performance were not sufficient to support commercial scale production.
Archroma's NTR printing system is the first to use renewable raw materials for pigment dispersion, binders and fixatives. Crucially, it ensures good wet and dry rub fastness as well as excellent softness on all types of fabrics. In addition, it is suitable for most common application technologies, including printing, coating and continuous pigment dyeing, and offers excellent runnability for efficient production.
