Reducing water use in textile manufacturing

This case study by GreenCape details how ACA Threads, a sewing thread manufacturer in Cape Town, reduced its water consumption by 70% between 2012 and 2017 through automation and process changes.

• Between 2012 and 2017, ACA Threads achieved a 70% reduction in water consumption, decreasing usage from 168 litres of water per kg of dyed thread in 2012 to 50 litres per kg.
• The water reduction was achieved through a total capital investment of R4.5 million, which included the purchase of new Dye vat controllers starting in 2012 to improve automation, the adoption of modified dye recipes, the use of recycled cooling water, and the implementation of a hot drop capability in the dyeing process.
• To further reduce dependence on municipal water supply due to water scarcity in the Western Cape region, ACA Threads plans to investigate groundwater extraction, the reuse of certain effluent streams, and extensive rainwater harvesting, including on-site storage and blending.

APA

Fundikwa, B. (n.d.). Reducing water use in textile manufacturing. GreenCape. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Case-Study_ACA-Threads-Final.pdf

Chicago

Fundikwa, Bridget. Reducing water use in textile manufacturing. GreenCape, n.d. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Case-Study_ACA-Threads-Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fundikwa |first1=Bridget |title=Reducing water use in textile manufacturing |publisher=GreenCape |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Case-Study_ACA-Threads-Final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fundikwandreducing, author = {Fundikwa, Bridget}, title = {{Reducing water use in textile manufacturing}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Case-Study_ACA-Threads-Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }