The Hollanders ColorWash XL benefits from a number of upgraded features, announced today by the Dutch textile printing equipment manufacturer, which reduce energy use and streamline production. The systems are used to wash printed polyesters before finishing.

A new suction system on the 3.2m machine offers a more efficient, lower-energy drying method, replacing the blow-drying on previous versions. Energy used during vacuuming is then used to heat the rinse water. Hollanders claims power savings of some 30 percent and a reduction in 'overall resources', including water use, by up to half.

"After talking to customers, we realised that using water suction in the pre-drying stage is a more effective method than blow-drying the fabric," comments Peter Hollanders, chief technology officer. "We also wanted to reduce noise levels as well as increase efficiency. Instead of having fans and tubes, the entire construction and operation is now far simpler and more effective, with noise kept to a bare minimum."

The forced water rinse tube design has also been reengineered to improve dye particle removal. Overall, more ink residue is removed, leading to a 'cleaner' fabric that is easier to iron.