Denim continues to get a bad rap for its high-impact dyeing processes, and the industry is forever on a quest for more sustainable solutions. Founded in 1959, Karachi, Pakistan-based Siddiqsons has been in the denim industry since 1984, and in addition to denim, also produces knits and unique indigo knits. In this exclusive Q&A, Hertzman Global Intelligence spoke with Scott Gress, president of North American sales and marketing at Siddiqsons, about the denim mill and manufacturer’s latest introduction: CRYO.
HGI: Let’s talk about CRYO. When did you first introduce it, and what problem were you trying to solve?
Scott Gress: Targeting the sulphur rope dyeing and overdyeing processes, CRYO first broke onto the scene at Kingpins in New York, as part of our goal to become more sustainable in what we do. The idea was simple: save energy, save water, save chemicals, but make it cost-neutral. You know, everybody wants something sustainable, but nobody’s willing to pay for it. CRYO saves 50% of water, electricity, chemicals, VODs, CO2—all while being cost-neutral. And that’s the key—it’s hard to say no when it has all these benefits and doesn’t cost more.
HGI: How does CRYO achieve those sustainability benefits?
SG: The big difference is dyeing at room temperature instead of 85°C to 90°C. You don’t have to heat the dye bath, you don’t have to cool it down, and that’s where most of the energy and water usage comes from. CRYO doesn’t necessitate steam generation and subsequent washing steps, both of which are highly energy intensive.
The BluWin study backs it up: With CRYO rope dyeing compared to conventional rope dyeing, there’s 60% water reduction, 69% steam reduction, 58% electricity reduction and 58% CO₂ equivalent reduction. We also save chemicals in wastewater, though we’re still using sulfur dyes—it’s just done more efficiently. We’re eliminating the pre- and post-washing stages. In wastewater, the average total effluent load is decreased by BOD 52.4%, COD 54%, total dissolved solids (TDS) 48.4%.
HGI: Obviously, any sustainable solution must be comparable if not better in its performance. How does CRYO compare?
SG: CRYO actually improves the product. In the BluWin study, color fastness and crocking (dry and wet) tests were conducted, and the results indicate a significant improvement in overall color fastness, with no compromise observed in either dry or wet crocking performance when compared to the conventional process. We also discovered it improves tensile and tear strength by 10-15%.
And you get these really authentic wash-down effects—the black yarns or knits look natural, they don’t flare red or yellow, and the highs and lows are very real. That’s a bonus people don’t expect.
Black is a popular iteration, but hardly the only one. We can do any sulfur color—greens, browns, grays, khaki tobacco color—and even blues that mimic denim. Brands tend to focus on black or Indigo because that’s what the market wants, but the process itself is flexible. It’s a very authentic wash down.
HGI: How was CRYO received when you first showed it at Kingpins?
SG: Initially, people were intrigued but cautious. We had something cool and sustainable, but we didn’t have all the refined numbers yet. Now, with the BluWin study, we can show measurable water, energy, chemical and CO₂ savings. That changes the conversation and makes it far more compelling to brands.
HGI: Can you walk us through the technical process?
SG: The CRYO innovation is yarn-dyeing. All yarns are dyed before weaving or knitting. We can over-dye fabrics, but the key is that pre- and post-wash stages are eliminated, which is where most water and energy usage comes in traditional dyeing. And it’s patent-pending, by the way. Whether we sell fabric to a brand or their vendor, they don’t have to do anything differently. It’s a drop-in system and we handle everything.
HGI: What would you say to brands that are still hesitant about sustainable technologies?
SG: There’s a lot of shiny pennies out there—biodegradable polyester, mushroom leather—but you have to be careful. Every endeavor has a cost, and not everything is commercially viable. CRYO is different: it’s sustainable, cost-neutral and improves quality. That’s a combination that’s hard to ignore.
HGI: Is Siddiqsons planning to switch all of its production over to CRYO?
SG: We haven’t decided yet, but since it’s cost-neutral, why not save the world one yard at a time? That’s the mindset—we’ll expand wherever it makes sense.
