Mexican researchers to patent volcanic ash for textiles

07 Aug '13

2 min read

Researchers at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) Puebla Campus in Mexico, have filed a patent to the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) for the collection of volcanic ash to use it in the textile industry.

The volcanic ash is to be collected from Popocatepetl, an active volcano in the Puebla region of Mexico.

Said Robles Casolco, professor at ITESM and a member of National System of Researchers (SNI), said that volcanic ash can be used in the process of creating faded denim, in order to generate different textures, reports pueblaonline.

The academics at the institute estimate that the cost of making the garment would be reduced by 50 percent with the use of volcanic debris instead of the pumice commonly used to create washed out clothes.

Mr. Casolco said to create 20 kilograms of washed out fabric one kilogram of pumice is required, whereas in the case of volcanic ash only 250 grams of ash would be required to create the same amount of fabric, which would further lessen the management costs.

The invention would be registered under the title ‘Process of Volcanic Ash Adaptability as Abrasive for Textile Industry’, he added.

The use of volcanic ash would help in eroding the fabrics without the use of large machinery or expensive components and thereby reduce the price of the garment.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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