From Shweshwe to Ankara, fashion in SA tells stories of the rich, eclectic history and diversity of culture through bold colour and pattern. But behind those bold designs may lie an invisible cost looming over the local fashion industry. The global textile industry is amajor consumer of waterand contributes significantly to industrial water pollution worldwide.
Textile wet processing, including dyeing, printing and finishing, consumes substantial volumes of water, withresearchshowing that dyeing alone can use around 100 litres to 125 litres of water per kilogram of fabric. Much of this water re-enters the environment ascontaminated wastewater, carrying leftover dyes and harmful chemicals. For a country already facing water stress, the way we make and remake fashion needs to change.
Digital textile printing is transforming how designs come to life on fabric. Unlike traditional dye-based processes, which involve multiple stages of washing and rinsing,Epson’s Monna Lisa ML-13000printer uses advanced pigment inksthat can reduce water use by up to 97%. It eliminates the need for pre-treatment and constant rinsing, while maintaining colour vibrancy and detail.
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This shift from analogue to digital enables designers to print shorter runs while customising designs and producing only what’s needed, cutting down on overproduction and waste. For independent South African labels that thrive on originality, this flexibility goes a long way. Because Epson’s printers are compact and adaptable, local studios can print high-quality fabrics on demand, respond faster to seasonal trends and avoid the environmental toll of long supply chains.
This saves the industry from having to be tied to large industrial facilities or overseas suppliers. It’s an approach that aligns with the growing sustainable fashion movement here, from small ateliers reworking fabric offcuts to designers creating limited collections inspired by heritage prints. The tools of global innovation are now supporting distinctly South African creativity.
Epson’s research extends beyond printing. Its Dry Fiber Technology prototype defibrates used textiles into reusable fibres, which can then be transformed into non-woven fabrics without using water,requiring only moderate humidity for the transformation. Applied at scale, it could help solve not only the problem of excessive water consumption, but also another global fashion industry challenge: the low rate of textile-to-textile recycling. Currentlyonly around 1%of materials are made into new fabrics.
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