For the Greater Good
Novozymes effort to introduce sustainability in the textile industry
What is the story of Novozymes?
Novozymes’ roots date back to the year 1925 when Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium and “Nordisk Insulin Laboratorium were established in Copenhagen, Denmark. Enzyme production began in 1941 and later in the 1950 the company started to use microbial fermentation to make amylases and first enzyme for textiles was introduced in 1954 which could remove starch from fabrics.
Our real story begins in the year 2000 when Novo Nordisk decided to carve out Novozymes as a separate entity which focused on Industrial Enzymes and Microorganisms.
Today, Novozymes is the world leader in bio-innovation. Together, we find biological answers for better lives in a growing world. ”Let’s Rethink” Tomorrow: this is Novozymes’ purpose statement. We have 7000 plus granted patents, having footprints in 130 plus countries where we are providing solutions to more than 30 plus industries include household care, agriculture, bioenergy, food and beverages, textile, pulp and paper, leather, wastewater solutions and many more. Novozymes strives to have great impact by balancing good business for our customers and our company, while spearheading environmental and social change.
Novozymes has been working tirelessly to introduce sustainable ways to produce textile. How has Novozymes grown in Bangladesh?
Novozymes has been in Bangladesh over two decades. Since the beginning of the textile firms, Novozymes had the pleasure to witness the entire journey. In the beginning we had to explain to the textile manufacturer the idea behind using enzymes for the production of textiles. Little by little, we were able to build our business and credibility by getting proof-of-concept of many innovative concepts like CombipolishTM, BioPrep®, which is helping us to create our story of enzymes in textile more credible.
I believe we have grown in Bangladesh by addressing industry challenges every day together with our partners and would surely like to grow further. The textile industry in Bangladesh has continued to expand and with those, challenges too have expanded multifold. With our persistent efforts, I am happy to let you know that many leading mills and laundries in Bangladesh have adopted Novozymes sustainable concepts like CombipolishTM & BioPrep® process. However, we are committed to work together with our partners to support the industry to embrace these technologies.
Novozymes has previously launched innovative products such as CombiPolishTM. How is BioPrep Fusion adding to the sustainability initiative of Novozymes?
The pre-treatment process is an important step in the textile fabric production which requires high amount water and harsh chemicals prior to dyeing. The conventional scouring process accounts for 25% of total water consumption in the manufacturing of knits fabric and add a high load of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the effluent due to the use of strong alkaline and bleaching chemicals. Furthermore, the conventional process takes place at a very high temperature. With depleting natural resources e.g. ground water in Bangladesh, there is pressing need for Industries to look for alternate technology in the pretreatment process
We, together with our partners, are introducing second generation of enzymatic Bioscouring – BioPrep® Fusion. It is easy and reliable pre-treatment of cotton knits, a proven Novozymes innovation that allows textile mills to do quick, yet gentle enzymatic scouring that works at neutral pH and below conventional scouring temperatures. BioPrep® Fusion is a 1 bath process, whereas conventional alkaline scouring requires 3 baths. This leads to substantial water, time and energy savings and secure a more sustainable profile for both mill operation and fabric output. Fusion process saves 67% of the water, 50 % of the energy and 50 % of the time used in the pre-treatment. Fabrics pre-treated with BioPrep® Fusion show an even dyeing result on medium and dark colours and will have a reduced strength and weight loss compared to conventionally pre-treated fabrics. Finally, enzymatically pre-treated fabrics remain soft for longer.
The sustainable efforts usually translate as higher costs for firms, while there is increasing competition to reduce the price of textile products even further. In your opinion, how should textile producers balance sustainability and profitability?
It is certainly a difficult balance to achieve given the situation we are in today. The textile wet processing is very energy intensive and involve huge amount of water to produce a fabric When brands and large companies issue a work order to the textile mills they are not only concerned with the cost of a piece of garment but also how it is being produced and what impact it would have on the environment.
Sustainable solution may seem to cost a little more if viewed from narrow, short-term perspective. But over the long-term sustainability is proven to be financially attractive. Furthermore, I think we need to be more transparent so that the consumers can decide for themselves the kind of garment they want to purchase. Our solutions for the textile industry are contributing to the environmentally sustainable growth of the whole society as well as the financially sustainable growth of textile producers by providing solutions with shorter process time, milder process conditions, improved quality and increased overall productivity.
Consumer behavior plays a huge role in achieving sustainable goals. Is there any way Novozymes can influence sustainable consumer behavior?
Novozymes have been working with several stakeholders in the Textile Value Chain (TVC) to raise awareness regarding the sustainability benefits that enzymes are introducing into the textile industry. We conducted consumer surveys with independent research agency couple of years ago to understand what matters to consumers when they buy a T-shirt. When we asked ordinary consumers on the streets of Europe, we found that consumers seek long-lasting garments. Our 3rd generation patented CombipolishTM solution will extend the durability of garments while processing the cloth with less consumption of water and energy. Many brands are promoting their product as long-lasting garments which are based on Novozymes innovation – CombipolishTM
We are participating in several forums, such as Launch Nordic, where we talk to the different stakeholders to understand crucial factors such as fashion trends, choice of raw material or process of production. We are hoping to influence the consumers by making this value chain transparent to them.
Having said all that, I believe that changing consumer mindset will take a long time as there is a lot of misconception. But we are taking this one step at a time and we are hoping to get there sooner rather than later.
Where do you see the future of processing of enzymes based textile in Bangladesh? Is there a possibility of all textile processing to be enzymes based?
It would be naive of us to think that all textile products will be enzymes based but rather we should focus on textile processing which requires high water consumption, energy, and usage of harsh chemicals. We will always be working towards low temperature and less water consuming process where enzymatic solutions bring the possibility to combine process and treat the fabric at low temperatures. Any switch of processes in the textile industry, from traditional to sustainable, will be an achievement for us.
We also certainly see possibilities in specific textile products to be processed with only enzymes. Let me give you an example of the Terry Towels. These towels have been around for a long time and Novozymes have been able to introduce an innovative way of producing this item. These towels require large quantities of bleach, dyes and other chemicals to be processed and produced. However, Novozymes has been able to produce it without any chemicals at all! The catch is that these towels are only available in natural cotton color which is synonymous to being unclean for many consumers. This means that there is a need for a shift in mindset, for both consumers and producers, about these towels if they want to introduce more sustainable alternatives.
What has been the greatest challenge in developing, distributing and adopting bio scouring methods for Novozymes?
It has been a strenuous journey for us at Novozymes. As you know, we try to introduce newer and innovative, second-generation process while many of our clients are willing to stay comfortable in their old processes. Processing companies are often scared to make a switch because they are often set in their old way of running textile mills and they are afraid of making mistakes if they do decide to switch to newer ways of processing. Our partners face a lot of resistance but we have always believed in educating, therefore we support with training during and after the introduction of new concepts in the market.
With experience, we have learned that demonstrating the technology increases the likelihood of its adoption. We have been developing tools to demonstrate how enzymes are working. E.g. for Bioprep Fusion process, Novozymes developed a pectin removal kit. The kit will showcase efficiency of Bioscouring through pectin removal before and after the application of enzymatic Bioscouring. This helps to have a dialogue about technology.
Where do you see the Bangladeshi textile processing industry progressing in the next 5 years? Where does Novozymes fit in this picture?
We can clearly see that the Bangladesh textile industry will continue to grow as they have unique advantages compared to other competing countries. They have set ambitious targets for themselves and with the active collaboration of the entire textile value chain, they are determined to achieve it. I think the big brands and consumers will also come into focus about the choices they make regarding sustainability. If certain products require less water, it must be highlighted, since we can no longer afford to waste our resources. Sustainability needs to be the end goal for the textile industry. Novozymes is already forefront in bringing new innovations to the textile industry, we will continue to create awareness and drive sustainable solutions with the knowledge we have in the field of biotechnology.
