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sportstylemag.com • sportstyle November/December 2023 • 17 elimination of harmful chemicals (along with a 50 percent reduction in energy consumption). e company recently worked with Kontoor Brands (Lee and Wrangler) to sustainably color its ATG by Wrangler shirts using yarn with QuantumCOLOUR technology. ATG by Wrangler is a collection of everyday outdoor styles that keep the wearer dry and comfortable in all climates and conditions. Beyond the ecological benefits, COLOURizd CEO Jennifer ompson noted that "the yarns also offer enhanced aesthetics and function- ality." Brands can achieve "a washed-down look without the need for additional pro- cessing." In June 2023, the firm announced it would strategically partner with specialty chemical company Archroma to extend its network, tapping into Archroma's expertise in development. Archroma adds value to the QuantumCOLOUR process with solutions including JUST COLOR, which is a form- aldehyde-free pigment coloration system delivering so fabrics with high fastness and durability, plus energy and chemical savings. "Archroma has worked with brands for 25 years to help them more efficiently develop and implement their seasonal color palettes into production," said Paul Cowell, VP of innovation, brands and sustainability for Archroma Textile Effects. Tools such as the Color Atlas provide a wide selection of supply-chain-available colors for designers and merchandisers. Custom colors can also be developed and are engineered to be achievable and reproducible in manufacturing (to help shorten and streamline the color process, from inspiration to execution). e company's EarthColors range of biosynthetic dyes are synthesized from natural waste products (from agriculture and herbal industries), leaving the edible section in-tact for food consumption. During the process, the entire raw material is transformed into a new dyestuff. "e fact that food waste is upcycled from other industries contributes to a circular economy," noted Cowell. "ere is a lot of waste created in the color process, producing unnecessary emissions and polluted wastewater. It is Coloro's mission to minimize that," commented Sansan Chen, managing director for Coloro. e firm's Color Feasibility Intelligence solution provides dyeing and testing data in real-time, so designers can avoid picking hues that are unable to be achieved on different fabrics within their brand's specs. Designers can also choose colors ready for production with ZDHC compliant dyes, for more sustainable processes. "All of this results in fewer lab dip runs, fewer products in colors that don't sell and fewer air shipments to send fabrics that took too many tries to achieve," Chen noted. Coloro also houses an extensive color library and provides a full-service solution to ensure the colors can be accomplished. Twice a year, Coloro partners with trend forecasting sister firm WGSN to predict the five key colors of the season. And if you're inspired by people you see on the street or things you see in your travels, Coloro Creative Intelligence allows for uploading an inspirational image from your phone to get a Coloro palette generated automatically, based on image recognition. Taking it a step further, the program enables the ability to plug in a competitor's color palette to see "how closely aligned your color strategies are – for whitespace opportunities and to avoid overlap," Chen concluded. n Cotopaxi Del Día bags Archroma EarthColors

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