Waste Not: A Factory's Commitment to Water Recycling
Our commitment to organic farming and sustainable manufacturing stems from a global need to protect the Earth. We devote so much of our energy to promoting the “organic” part of our mission, but in truth, it’s so much bigger than just what happens on the farm. That’s why we choose our partners carefully, seeking people who care about their impact as much as we do.
We are proud to carry products from trailblazing factories that recycle up to 98% of their wastewater using “zero discharge” textile processing units. These facilities use limestone to filter out the residual pigment from the dying process, then divert that sediment to solar beds where it’s dried—and then used to make cement at a plant just down the road. Not one liter of wastewater leaves the plant. These factories recycle and reuse the wastewater in the form of freshwater and salt solution, with only a small percentage lost to natural and mechanical evaporation.
The Managing Director of one of these facilities was kind enough to connect with us, sharing his enthusiasm and vision for a cleaner, healthier road to creating beautiful things.
“At the factory, we are committed to going one step beyond regulations to ensure better wastewater treatment standards, as it’s a win-win situation! Yes it’s expensive to treat the waste water stream, but what most factories do is to look at the system in isolation and not as an integral part of the overall process. We were one of the first factories in our region to install and run a zero-discharge treatment facility; this was done with the idea of recovering water for reuse, reducing our need to purchase fresh water and the treatment was in fact a byproduct, and that’s a different mindset compared to a traditional factory that looks at wastewater treatment only as a cost center!
Recently, we focused on volume of water as a parameter to work on and set about to bring the volume used per kilo of yarn to as little as possible. A year ago we were using about 90 - 110 lts of water per kilo of yarn processed, and through R&D this has come down to about 65 - 70 lts! This gives us a major savings not only in the purchase of fresh water needed for processing, but also savings of up to 12% in usage of chemicals & dyes. Plus, this has allowed us to expand our production capacity without expanding the water treatment facility - win-win again!”
Choosing cleaner, safer methods to create things helps to reduce waste and protect the environment from harm. Coyuchi favorites like our Rippled Stripe Organic Duvet Cover, Women's Solstice Organic Short Robe, and Women’s Solstice Organic Romper are all created at these innovative water recycling factories. Filling your home with these organic additions is an easy way to keep your home safe and cozy, while fighting climate change in the process.
Our Top Water Conserving Organic Cotton Products
Coyuchi is—and always has been—100% natural. We go to great lengths to keep our linens clean and toxin-free. Each Coyuchi piece is designed with care and consideration for not only the environment, but also for the people who make and use them.
That’s why we use only 100% organic cotton. Our organic cotton consumes 98% less water than conventional cotton due to the sustainable farming practices of our suppliers. The methods and materials that go into farming organic cotton are designed to have the lowest impact on the environment. While conventional farming practices result in less asorbant soil and increased water use, organic agriculture is able to grow crops using primarily rainfed water. In addition, organic farming methods enable the the soil to hold more water—putting much less stress (and zero pesticides) on water resources.
