Ternua and Archroma Collaborate on recycling and upcycling nutshell waste into Apparel

Using Archroma’s  EarthColors patented technology, selected for the Eco Era segment at ISPO Textrends for Fall/Winter 19/20, Ternua has created a capsule collection of recycled tee-shirts and sweatshirts, collecting, recycling and upcycling agricultural waste from the Basque region in Spain after food consumption.

Archroma’s EarthColors is a traceable concept of plant-based dyes, sourced from up to 100 percent renewable resources. Developed using non-edible waste products, from agriculture and herbal industries, to replace petroleum derived raw materials. For brands who are focusing on the sustainable credentials of fabrics can also apply to dyes. This gives brands an alternative when looking for more natural ways of dyeing garments, and the tones that can be achieved have a warmth about them.

Ternua’s vision was to collect walnut shells during the cider season, when cider houses typically serve walnuts with cider. It is estimated that up to 55,000kg of walnuts are consumed in the Basque region’s cider houses. The collaboration with Archroma aimed at using walnut shells to make biomass-based dyes to color Ternua’s garments.

“With EarthColors, Archroma puts into action its commitment to continuously challenge the status quo in the deep belief that we can make our industry sustainable, because it’s our nature!” said Nuria Estapé, Director of Marketing Promotion, Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, Archroma.

The fabric, a blend of post-consumer recycled cotton and polyester, is dyed using the shells collected from four nearby cider houses and then converted into dyestuff by Archroma in its Barcelona facilities. Supported by the Department of the Environment of the Gipuzkoa province government, and by the province’s National Cider Association, the Nutcycle collection will be available in shops in February 2019.

“These are our most sustainable tee-shirts and sweatshirts we have made since our creation”, said Edu Uribesalgo, Group Innovation and sustainability Director at Ternua. “Using recycled material is one step into creating recycled clothes with a soul. Colorants from nature on the other hand are quite the holy grail for conscious brands. We were so excited when we found an innovation partner like Archroma to help us convert humble natural biomass source into warm earthy colors.”