Twin Dragon, based in the US, has denim facilities in Mexico and Asia. By using pre-reduced indigo and adding eco-finishing processes, Twin Dragon has reduced chemical and water use compared with typical dyeing and finishing methods. The new processes have helped the company save water, minimize chemical use and speed up the garment production process.

The result is there has been an 85 per cent reduction in environmentally hazardous chemical discharge, which could become the new gold standard in the denim textile industry.

Using eco-finishing at the Twin Dragon mill in Mexico will result in an annual savings of 40 million gallons of water. By using pre-reduced liquid indigo, the company eliminates 700,000 pounds of sodium hydro sulphite from the process. Plus the new methods have improved the appearance of the final product. It has stabilized the shade of indigo, increased the color fastness in both dry and wet crocking, and the final denim product has a 3-D appearance.

Over the last decade, Twin Dragon has invested in several eco initiatives, including using eco-friendly fibers, such as Lenzing’s Tencel and Modal. The company has developed its own trademarked Forever Black process for black jeans, which reduces the environmental impact of the traditional black dye process.