Banana Republic announces waterless dyed denim for 2020

Banana Republic has partnered with Spanish denim mill Tejidos Royo to bring to market a line of denim through an innovative indigo foam-dyeing technique that allows the Gap Inc.-owned brand to use a drastically decreased amount of water.

Tejidos Royo calls its process Dry Indigo. It reduced water usage by up to 99 percent, uses 89 percent less chemicals, reduces energy usage by 65 percent and eliminates water discharge. Dry Indigo works with a foam dye that adheres to yarn, resulting in a denim fabric that compares to traditionally-dyed denim in look, feel and performance.

Banana Republic will be one of the first brands to utilize Tejidos Royo's exclusive Dy Indigo technology.

The brand will produce a special collection of Dry Indigo denim for both men and women. The company will use selectively-sourced, sustainable materials for pocketing and trims and will manufacture the lines at Saitex. Both lines will be released in Spring 2020 and pricing information has not yet been released.

“Leveraging this revolutionary new dyeing process directly supports Gap Inc.’s manufacturing goal to conserve 10 billion liters of water by the end of 2020, as well as Banana Republic’s recently unveiled sustainability goals to produce eco-friendly denim, reduce water impact and promote cleaner chemistry,” Gap Inc.’s EVP of Global Sourcing, Christophe Roussel said in a statement.

“Tejidos Royo is a trusted partner and true pioneer in sustainable innovation. We are thrilled to work with them on this exciting new venture and have no doubt that this will change the future of denim manufacturing.”

Images: Gap Inc. Media Center