Xefco, Deakin reach for water-less garment dyeing

Deakin University has announced another project through the new Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH), linking up with textile technology company Xefco for R&D on a waterless dyeing process for garment manufacture.

Xefco has previously worked with Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials through the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre to develop its water-less dyeing process, named “Ausora”. It has been described elsewhere as a “plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition” method to apply dyes and coatings.

The company has a new pilot plant at the ManuFutures facility on Deakin’s Geelong campus, which will be used to test Ausora on different materials, including specialised fabrics such as waterproof items like outdoor jackets and jeans. 

The IFM’s Associate Professor Alessandra Sutti said it was exciting to be working to commercialise Xefco’s technology.

“If successful, the Ausora technology, which colours fabrics without the need for large quantities of water, will put us a step closer to more efficient and sustainable clothing manufacturing,” said Sutti in a statement. 

“This is the first stage of Xefco’s vision for the technology, with the REACH project focused on demonstrating the commercial viability of the technology at pilot scale and developing processes so it can be scaled up for commercial production,” added Xefco CEO Tom Hussey.

Xefco was founded in 2018, employs 17, and its XReflex technology – which reduces consumption of insulation materials – is used by apparel brands including The North Face.

The announcement follows news earlier this month that REACH had partnered with Geelong’s Clean Energy Resources (CER) to develop processes for converting end-of-life tyres into electricity, hydrogen and other resources.

The value of the projects with Xefco and Clean Energy Resources were not shared. 

REACH is funded for $50 million through the federal government’s Trailblazer program. 

Trailblazer funding is worth $362 million funding in total, with the project aimed at improving the commercialisation of publicly-funded R&D. Each of Trailblazer hubs has a term of four years.

Picture: Research Fellow Frank Chen, Research Fellow Marzieh Parhizkar, and Associate Professor Alessandra Sutti (supplied)

Further reading

Xefco, PPK announce antibacterial facemask JV

Commercial trials expected in 2023 for Australian-developed waterless dyeing process

Deakin partners to convert old tyres to electricity

IMCRC awards grant to project that could cut textile industry’s water use