The denim industry is a major consumer of water, with production for a single pair of jeans using up to 4,000 liters, according to the research paper “Sustainability in Denim” in The Textile Institute Book Series.
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This high water usage comes from the cotton used as raw material, along with the dyeing, finishing and washing processes. Adding fuel to the fire, the wastewater generated by these processes can be highly polluting, containing large amounts of dyestuffs and alkaline chemicals.
To address this issue and reinforce its commitment to responsible water consumption, Vicunha Services, a subsidiary of the Vicunha Group focused on environmental services, developed its latest project, VSA, which reinforces the company’s commitment to UN SDG-6, related to drinking water and sanitation.
Overall, the project enables up to 90 percent reduction in dependence on water withdrawn from the environment, contributing to the preservation of water sources and rivers.
“Vicunha was founded in 1967 by the Steinbruch family. Its denim plant, located in northeastern Brazil, faced severe water shortages. To combat this, the company designed and built technologies for water reuse, minimizing reliance on external water sources,” said Marcos De Marchi, CEO of Vicunha. “While Vicunha has always emphasized minimizing water usage, our VSA project is another step in the right direction for [not only us], but the entire industry.”
The project, located in the state of Ceará, consists of two water treatment systems. The first, known as the Reuse Water Production Plant, employs dual filtration technology to purify domestic sewage generated by the municipality of Horizonte, producing high-quality reuse water. Industries in the region can utilize this water for various production processes. The treated domestic sewage is transported via a 12 km (roughly 7.45 miles) outfall from the Cagece-operated treatment plant in Horizonte.
The process consists of adding a flocculating agent to the water, causing the suspended solids to flocculate, or clump. The water then passes through the double filtration system, which consists of two pressurized filters—the first one with upward flow and the second with downward flow—filled with sand and activated charcoal, which retains the flocculated material.
The second system, the Industrial Effluent Treatment Plant, treats industrial wastewater using a combination of biological and physicochemical processes. This technology generates treated effluent that meets environmental legislation standards, allowing for its safe disposal in the Pacoti River through a 21 km (about 13 miles) outfall.
The project, which cost approximately $12 million, was developed in partnership with Cagece, the state water and sewage company of Ceará. This collaboration ensured “maximum efficiency,” reducing both costs and implementation time, according to De Marchi.
“The partnership between Vicunha and Cagece was crucial for implementing this project, allowing the government and the company to work together to secure financing, resources and technical knowledge,” De Marchi added. “This was necessary for the construction, operation and maintenance of the artificial sewage channel, the treatment plants and the infrastructure needed to connect the companies to the network, as well as for environmental licensing, supervision and project monitoring.”
Sustainability at its core
While the VSA project is new, sustainability and transparency have been fundamental to Vicunha’s business model since its inception.
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The company has launched several similar initiatives to aid Brazil’s Northeast region. For example, in 2019, Vicunha took a “significant step” toward sustainability with the Vicunha Water Footprint project in partnership with the NGO Iniciativa Verde, a third sector organization that contributes to the improvement of environmental services such as biodiversity, water and air quality, and Ecoera, a movement created in 2008 by Chiara Gadaleta, a sustainable fashion consultant and United Nations (UN) Global Pact ambassador in Brazil.
“The project’s goal was to measure, for the first time in Brazil, the water impact across the lifecycle of a pair of jeans, promoting transparency in the sector and encouraging brands, creators and consumers to seek water savings, whether in studios, manufacturing, laundries, or even at home,” De Marchi said.
In 2020, Vicunha continued its sustainable efforts by committing to the UN’s Global Compact and embracing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6—which seeks to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. As a goal, Vicunha aims to eliminate the use of spring water in the state of Ceará by 2030, in addition to having projects that favor the more efficient and economical use of water resources.
Vicunha has also committed to SDG 12 of the UN’s 2030 agenda, which aims to increase the production of sustainable fabrics—including recycled fibers and regenerative cotton—and reduce resource consumption such as water, chemicals and energy, as well as decreasing waste sent to landfills. In line with this commitment, Vicunha launched Regen, a project based on the implementation of locally sourced regenerative cotton for denim and twill products.
Fast forward to 2023, when Vicunha launched V.Laundry, “the first” innovation center in Latin America dedicated to the research and development of technologies and solutions for the denimwear textile chain. The 2,300-square-meter innovation hub is equipped with prototyping software and a showcase that enables product development and makes textile and laundry processes increasingly innovative and sustainable.
The space welcomes the company’s key stakeholders like clients, designers and industry professionals, providing networking opportunities, creative experiences and valuable national and international partnerships.
Now, in 2024, the company is focusing on expanding its business, with sustainable growth as a “guiding principle.”
“Vicunha’s investment in VSA is further evidence of the company’s commitment to leading the change toward a more sustainable textile industry through partnerships and collaborations with other companies and organizations that share the same vision,” De Marchi said. “We have a clear vision that sustainability is essential for long-term success. Therefore, we are constantly evolving and seeking processes and partnerships to enhance our practices and minimize the environmental impact of the textile industry.”
To learn more about Vicunha and its sustainable initiatives, click here.
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