The company says that the use of the system, called TexChroma, can reduce the consumption of energy, dyes and chemicals by more than 30% compared with conventional continuous pad batch dyeing using steam, and up to 50% compared with exhaust reactive dyeing. Further, the system enables reactive dyestuffs and alkali fixation chemicals to be mixed just seconds before their spray-application, which eliminates any ‘tailing and listing’—the uneven application of dye and variations in colour along the length of the fabric.
Sales Leader for Textiles at Baldwin's parent company (BW Converting, which has its headquarters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA, and a facility in, among others, Arlöv, Sweden), Yiannis Vasilonikolos, says: “We have conducted successful trials of TexChroma with pigment, reactive, acid and disperse dyes on both cotton and synthetic fibres.”
Baldwin's introduction of TexChroma follows the launch of its non-contact precision-spray finishing system (TexCoat G4)(1) in 2019. “TexCoat G4 spray technology was developed in Sweden from our off-set printing business, and we initially focused on installing units in Europe and the USA,” explains Vice President of Global Business Development for Textiles, Rick Stanford. “In the past two years, however, we have been very active in Asia, with 35 units sold—and many of these customers have been asking for a similar technology for the dyeing process.”
The first TexChroma system will be installed at the plant of an Italian continuous dyer, which is part of a larger textile manufacturing group, so that the system can be tested fully in an industrial environment before going into series production.
“Our first customer is close by our facility in Sweden, has the practical dyehouse skills we can learn from, and is a satisfied TexCoat G4 customer,” Stanford says. “We believe a major benefit of TexChroma will be in eliminating much rework, which is common in dyehouses, but we have been very cautious about providing details on TexChroma too early. The dyeing process is unforgiving, and we must get it right the first time. The market has been ready for quite some time and now, so are we.”
ITMA Asia + CITME will take place in Singapore on 28-31 October 2025.