In today's world, sustainability is no longer a buzzword but a critical imperative.
For Smartex, sustainability isn't just a goal; it's a measurable achievement & something we work hard to calculate for our clients, investors & employees.
We're thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our journey – over 100 million liters of water prevented! But how do we calculate these water savings, & why do they matter? Let's dive into the details, because they are essential.
Why Water Savings Matter
Water scarcity is a growing global concern, & the textile industry plays a significant role in depleting this finite resource. Excessive water usage not only strains natural resources but also contributes to pollution & environmental degradation. Textiles alone account for a substantial 20% of annual global wastewater, primarily due to dyeing processes.
At Smartex, we're committed to reducing the textile industry's environmental footprint. In this blog, we will openly walk you through how we currently quantify the water savings achieved by our innovative solutions, emphasizing the urgency & importance of addressing water conservation in the textile industry.
The Smartex Methodology
Our water savings calculation methodology is grounded in real-world numbers & data-driven analysis. Here's a breakdown of how we calculate the 100 million liters of water saved (& counting):
1. In order to calculate water saved, we first have to calculate the amount of fabric saved & then determine the amount of water it took to produce each meter. One of our foundational considerations is the Smartex Golden Stop, as illustrated below, which showcases our rationale behind whenever a defect is generated within textile production which would spread to an entire roll of fabric without Smartex intervention.
2. Data-Driven Analysis: We started by collecting more & more data from our vertically integrated customers' production processes (i.e. those with dyehouses as well as knitting facilities). This includes information on water usage & other relevant variables. It’s important to note that, according to Cotton Inc., ~85% of the water used in textile processing goes into the dyeing process. Therefore, we only consider this stage to calculate our savings.
3. Baseline Estimation: Next, we establish a baseline measurement for water consumption before implementing our technology. This baseline helps us understand the industry-standard water usage for a particular process.
4. Post-Implementation Analysis: Once our solutions are integrated into our clients' production processes, we closely monitor & measure the impact. Based upon the number of golden stops per customer, we can estimate not only how much water waste our solutions have prevented - but also the energy & CO2 which would have been used in defective production. We’ll share those calculations in a future blog, but let’s focus on water for now.
5. Cumulative Savings: Over time, the water savings accumulate across multiple production cycles & clients. These cumulative savings of the past three years & over 100 clients have now surpassed 100 million liters.
Note: While we’ve done our best to create a solid & transparent system for gathering our metrics, it is our hope that over time they will continue to improve. If any reader has suggestions or questions about how we calculate our impact, please feel free to contact us.
The Impact Beyond the Numbers
While the numbers are impressive, it's essential to recognize the broader impact of these water savings. Here's how our efforts extend beyond the statistics:
Preventing Waste at the Source: Our solutions prevent defects from occurring, saving defective material that would have gone through the dye house process & then been discarded. This includes fabrics that are not dyed with defects.
Reducing Water Use Across the Supply Chain: By preventing waste at the source, we also reduce the water used to produce fibers & yarn that would otherwise go to waste.
What's Next for Smartex
Reaching the milestone of 100 million liters of water prevented from waste is a testament to our commitment to sustainability & innovation. But we're not stopping here.
We're continuously developing new technologies & solutions to reduce waste further & promote sustainable practices in the textile industry.
Join us in celebrating this achievement & stay tuned for more updates on our journey towards a more sustainable & eco-friendly future.
Want to know more about Smartex? Contact us today.