Leading British clean-tech company Alchemie Technology has secured a major new grant to tackle pollution in the global textile finishing industry as part of a collaboration between the UK and Taiwan.

The grant, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, totals £742,254 and will enable Alchemie and JSRTEX Group, a Taiwan based leading textile manufacturing innovator, to drive the smart transformation of Taiwan’s textile industry.

Key objectives include eradicating the textile lamination processes through the development of an innovative, disruptive, and sustainable process to allow for the digital, non-contact application of polyurethane to fabrics.

The first R&D partnership of its kind between the two nations, the agreement will help cut emissions and wastewater in the supply chain. The global laminated textiles market was worth US$4Bn in 2021 and is forecast to reach $6.3Bn by 2030. The programme is expected to assist major fashion brands in reaching their ESG targets, creating a leaner, greener, and more accountable supply chain. 

Alchemie recently launched its Endeavour low-carbon digital textile dyeing production and officially opened its first-in-market production and demonstration facility in Taiwan, dedicated to dyeing woven polyester. Both initiatives represented significant milestones in Alchemie’s scaling-up journey.

Alchemie’s Endeavour digital dyeing production process reduces the carbon footprint of dyeing by up to 85%, eliminating up to 95% of wastewater and decreasing the required amount of chemicals by up to 30%.

The VIP launch event of its Global Endeavour production launch took place in Le Meridien, Taipei, attended by Ms. Chen Pei-Li, Deputy Director General, of Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and several other key members of the Taiwan Parliament. 

Addressing attendees at the event, Jessica Reilly, Deputy Director, British Office Taiwan, said: “Alchemie is revolutionising the textile industry, empowering fashion brands and dyehouses from all over the world to significantly reduce their carbon and chemical footprint while reducing costs by up to 50%.”

Alan Hudd, CEO and Founder at Alchemie Technology said, “The textile industry is all too aware of the challenges it faces when it comes to tackling emissions and pollution in the global supply chain. 

This new collaboration between the UK and Taiwan is a key milestone for the industry, with two nations working together to put practical solutions in place to completely transform the textile finishing process.”

He added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the strength of the shared purpose between our two nations, and the support from Innovate UK and the Taiwanese government to bring this project to life. 

This collaboration shows just how much can be achieved when countries work together to tackle high-stakes problems and we are calling on policymakers and businesses to join us on this journey.”