SwitchDye, a University of Leeds spin-off, claimed the top prize at the Dornbirn GFC Innovation Days 2026 on September 17 for a CO₂-switchable polyester dyeing technology that the company reports cuts chemical use by around 90% and water consumption by roughly 40%.

The award came at the 65th edition of the Dornbirn Global Fibre Conference in Austria. SwitchDye was one of ten finalists presenting at the dedicated Innovation Day, where pitches covered new fibres, textile-to-textile recycling, biodegradable polymers and filtration.

What does the chemistry do differently?

Conventional disperse dyeing on polyester requires auxiliary chemicals, followed by washing and clearing stages to remove residual dye and meet colour-fastness standards. SwitchDye uses CO₂-responsive dyes that shift behaviour when a small amount of carbonated water is injected into the dyebath, removing the need for those auxiliaries.

"Our technology makes it easier to dye the fibre without other auxiliaries by injecting a small amount of carbonated water into the dyebath," Professor Richard Blackburn, co-founder, said. "This triggers the unique switching behaviour of the dyes within the polyester fibres."

Tests during development indicate the chemistry maintains conventional colour, performance and fastness on polyester and extends to nylon and elastane.

Why the drop-in framing matters for sourcing teams

SwitchDye has been developed as a drop-in for existing dyeing equipment, not a new production line. That positioning matters for mills weighing capital outlay against compliance pressure, since the process reduces rinsing steps, wastewater load and processing time on machinery that dyehouses already operate.

That commercial logic now has a manufacturing partner. Manchester-based John Hogg Technical Solutions took a significant minority equity stake in SwitchDye during 2026 and is providing manufacturing, technical and product stewardship support as the technology moves from laboratory to dyehouse.

John Hogg's stake follows its 2024 acquisition of textile chemistry and performance-additives specialist Avocet, giving SwitchDye access to established textile chemical manufacturing and customer networks in Europe.

What does it change for textile-to-textile recycling?

Recyclers at Dornbirn this year repeatedly pointed to dyed finishes as the constraint on polyester-to-polyester recycling yields and colour options. SwitchDye positions its chemistry as reversible, allowing colour to be stripped from the fibre before recycling more readily than conventional dye systems permit.

"Polyester is highly durable, and straightforward to recycle, however the main issue is the colour in the fabric," CTO Dr Harrison Oates said. "SwitchDye can be more easily removed from the fibre, making the clothes much more recyclable."

If validated at scale, that property would affect sourcing decisions tied to recycled polyester content targets and to the colour range brands can specify from r-PET streams.

What is the next milestone?

Industrial trials in Europe are set to demonstrate reproducibility, colour quality and fastness while confirming reductions in chemicals, water, energy and processing time under commercial conditions.

The data from those trials will determine whether the headline 90% chemical and 40% water savings translate from bench to bulk production, and whether brands specifying polyester programmes can route the technology through their existing dyehouse base.