Nearly 80 percent of the globe's wastewater is dumped into the world untreated. And this untreated water destroys our water quality and depletes the oxygen levels as the waste decomposes. But, what if we could tap into using wastewater, saving it from entering our environments and eliminating our need for fresh water?
The synthetic dyeing and textile industry is the third-largest consumer of water in the world, gobbling up nearly 2.4 trillion gallons of water a year, and pouring out over 70 toxic chemicals into the hydrosphere and unfortunately, a lot of manufacturing hubs don't have a way of properly treating or dealing with wastewater.
Part of the reason we've gotten a bad rap for being such a resource intensive product is because water is used in basically every stage of producing a jean. But, waterless technology is becoming more available and one advancement in particular shows us the possibilities of never using fresh water again!
Arvind Limited is the first mill to operate entirely on reclaimed water using Membrane Bio Reactor technology. This process treats domestic wastewater that is drawn from the surrounding communities, as well as a new pipeline that will draw wastewater from the local municipal line! Not to mention without the use of any chemicals.
c/o MBR Schematic
You can think of the treatment processes as a combination between microfiltration or ultrafiltration and mircroorganisms/bacteria eating away at the waste.
Having systems and partners in place to treat and use wastewater would be an amazing way to put those allegations of being a very thirsty garment to bed, but there are also fantastic developments that are eliminating wastewater altogether.
Keep an eye on the #DiligentDenim blog or the @SimplySuzette Instagram for more on the technology xcc! In the meantime, STAY DILIGENT FRIENDS!