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Dyecoo invented a new 100% water-free dyeing process thats set to revolutionize the fashion industry.
The water-free process means:
For Magnusson, its way past time for an upgrade.
The machines that are running this industry are 25 plus years old.
At the same time, this transition wont be easy.
Were a super small Dutch company trying to change a global industry.
So we need every support, visibility, push, and pull we can get, Magnusson said.
But he sees the current moving in the right direction.
This is the next change in our industry.
If you compare the sustainability movement with the IT movement, this is just as powerful.
I see the same attraction to capital, talent, and business models all moving towards ESG.
Now the current is there and its going to be very hard to fight against it.
Consumers are also playing a very important role in this transition.
If you dont disclose this information on a product, it wont sell.
I think the same will happen in the fashion industry, Magnusson told TNW.
Solarge: Does green always equal good?
Solar panels have long been considered the epitome of sustainable living.
Produce your own energy, lower your carbon footprint, and save money!
Nothing could sound more like a win-win than that.
But did you know that solar panels have a carbon footprint of their own?
It, therefore, takes roughly two years to offset the CO2 emitted during the production process.
The second thing to consider is, what happens at the end of your solar panels lifecycle?
Traditional glass panels are very difficult to recycle, requiring a considerable amount of energy.
And when theyre not disposed of properly,studiesshow that harmful chemicals can be soaked back into the ground.
This is a huge problem policymakers are only just beginning to grapple with.
By 2050 this number is projected to grow to 78 million metric tons.
Dutch startupSolargewas developed to address this relatively unknown dark side of the solar industry.
In total, this equals 25% lower CO2 emissions than traditional solar panels.
And theyre 100% recyclable.
But, as CEO Jan Vesseur explained, Theres very limited awareness of this problem.
When you think of solar, you think green and you automatically think good.
In the solar industry, most people just want the cheapest option, Vasseur said.
Government incentives targeted specifically at solar panels made with low carbon footprints could really help to change the game.
And this change better happen soon.
Now, imagine that every year 10 percent of those panels need to be replaced.
Thats 60 million square meters of solar panels that will have to be recycled every year.
But Vesseur is positive about Solarges potential.
And the future possibilities are endless.
As co-founder Quinten Selhorst told TNW:
Theres so much pollution due to the current transportation methods.
This means pressure on public spaces is also increasing because more people will live in a smaller area.
This way we have fewer resources that are needed to accommodate more people.
Check out more on their website.
Its time for change
Greenwashing and lip service arent going to get us anywhere.
As Magnusson said, If you want to make a change you gotta be bold.
The word change tends to have a positive connotation but it means that you actually need to sacrifice something.
So what are you willing to sacrifice?
Thats the question we need to ask ourselves when we want to drive change forward.
Change is up to you.
If you want change, prove it!
And Dutch innovation could just be the impetus we need to drive change.
So I think its very important that the Netherlands gets the right buzz around our technology.
