THE WHAT? Ralph Lauren is changing the way it dyes its clothes in order to drastically reduce its water waste, via a new dyeing platform named Color on Demand, according to a report by Bloomberg. 

THE DETAILS Heralded as the ‘world’s first scalable zero wastewater cotton system’, the company is aiming to implement the new method on 80 percent of its solid cotton products by 2025. 

The first phase will involve the Ecofast Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment developed by Dow Inc. It is said to cut water by 40 percent, use 85 percent fewer chemicals and 90 percent less energy, as well as a 60 percent reduction in carbon footprint in comparison to conventional cotton dying. 

Subsequent phases will use the new Color on Demand technology and machinery – a collaboration between Ralph Lauren, Jeanologia, Corob, Dow and Huntsman Corp. 

THE WHY? The company aims to reach zero wastewater for cotton dying once all the phases of the system have been implemented, with the focus on lessening its environmental impact and Ralph Lauren’s wider commitment to sustainability. 

Ralph Lauren’s Chief Product and Sustainability Officer, Halide Alagöz, said, “Traditional color dyeing is one of the most polluting practices in our industry, and as a global brand, we recognized the need to create a scalable solution.
“Color on Demand significantly reduces the environmental impact of dyeing cotton, and as an added benefit, will enable us to better balance inventory and meet personalized consumer demands faster than ever before.”