Jeanologia: innovation at the service of sustainability

At the Bankinter Innovation Foundation we have an ecosystem of innovation and knowledge that is nourished by multiple valuable sources: from our patrons to the startups in which we invest, including world-renowned experts, alumni of our Akademia program and the most innovative companies in the Spanish middle-market , which are part of the Cre100do Foundation.

We continue with a series of interviews with Cre100do companies to raise awareness of the importance of innovation in the most dynamic Spanish middle-market and its enormous capacity to generate wealth, employment and social progress. On this occasion, we interviewed Vicente Albert, Director of Product and Technologies (CTO) of Jeanología.

Jeanologia is the world leader in sustainable and efficient finishing technologies in the textile industry, with a presence in more than 70 countries, more than 4,000 machines and more than 1,000 customers. They lead the transformation of the textile industry through the development of disruptive technologies such as laser technology, G2 Ozone, e-Flow, SmartBox and H2Zero, which are capable of improving productivity, reducing water and energy consumption and eliminating waste and harmful emissions, guaranteeing ZERO pollution. Currently, 35% of the jeans manufactured in the world, including those of Levi’s, Inditex or luxury brands such as Chanel or Dior, use its technology.

Vicente Albert, a graduate in chemical sciences and process engineering with a specialty in instrumental analysis and water treatment, joined Jeanologia in 2004, where currently, as CTO of the company, he leads a team of 35 people located in 4 countries at the service of innovation and continuous improvement of the processes of the textile industry. Its mission, aligned with Jeanologia’s mission, is to collaborate through technology to the complete dehydration and detoxification of the denim industry by 2025. Their motto: “There is no innovation, without implementation“.

Below, we share the interview we had with Vicente Albert:

We would love to understand Jeanologia’s vision and mission. In addition to describing what the company does, could you tell us how and why Jeanologia was born and how its approach has evolved since its origins?

Since my beginnings at Jeanologia, some 20 years ago, I have had the privilege of being part of a significant transformation within the company and, by extension, in the textile industry. Jeanologia was originally born as a textile consultancy. In those early days, our core business was focused on creating collections for denim fashion. We offered companies in the sector advice on how to carry out their productions, detailing the techniques, times and types of washing necessary. It was a modest beginning, but deeply rooted in the experience and knowledge of the textile sector. Over time, our curiosity and passion for innovation led us to enter the technological world. We evolved from being a consulting firm to becoming a technology manufacturer, always with a focus on offering sustainable solutions. This transition marked a before and after in our journey, expanding our impact and ability to positively influence the industry.

Today, Jeanologia is positioned as a leader in the textile industry, thanks to our commitment to disruptive technologies. Among these, the use of lasers has been emblematic for us, recognizing us as pioneers in the manufacture of laser machines for tissue treatment. However, our vision goes beyond the laser. We have incorporated technologies such as G2 Ozone, eFlow, Smartbox and water treatment systems with H2Zero. These innovations allow us to improve productivity and, more importantly, reduce the consumption of water, energy and chemicals.

Jeanologia’s mission is clear: we want to create a textile industry that is ethical, sustainable and efficient. These values are at the heart of everything we do. We don’t settle for incremental improvements; Our ambition is to radically transform the industry to make it 20 or 30 times better than it is today. This vision is what drives us to continue innovating and looking for new ways to reduce our environmental impact, while promoting greater efficiency and ethics in textile production.

How do you foster a culture of continuous innovation and what impact has this had on the development of your technology and your positioning in the market?

At Jeanologia, our relationship with innovation is intrinsic to our identity. From the beginning, the company has been committed to R+D, in fact, it could be said that the whole team is R+D. We strive to constantly innovate within an industry as traditional and conservative as textiles, which has hardly changed since its origins, centuries ago. Our challenge has been and continues to be to change the mindset of industrialists so that they adopt technologies that allow more ecological, ethical, efficient and disruptive processes, despite the fact that many have been doing things in the same way for decades. Overcoming this barrier of resistance to change is not easy, but it is essential to achieve a good position in the market. Only when we get the industry to listen to us can we start to make a difference. At Jeanologia, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it means offering solutions that are not only environmentally sustainable, but also more economical than traditional methods. This is crucial because, if our proposal is not economically viable, it simply will not be adopted.

Disruptive innovation for us means going beyond being slightly better; We seek to be radically superior compared to conventional practices. And when we address the issue of sustainability, we focus our efforts on reducing the use of water, chemicals and energy in our processes, always with the aim of not only equaling, but significantly improving the results to which the industry is accustomed.

This approach defines how we operate internally and has strengthened our market positioning. Through this commitment to innovation and sustainability, we have managed to get the textile industry to pay attention to us and start adopting more responsible practices, which allows us to lead in the field of technological innovation and contribute to positive change in the sector.

What is the process you go through to select and create new technologies?

At Jeanologia, our philosophy for selecting and creating new technologies is centered on four fundamental pillars:

• respect for the environment,
• work ethic,
• productive and economic efficiency, and
• the disruptive nature of each innovation.

For a project to start, it must be eco-friendly, eliminating dangerous manual processes and the use of harmful chemicals. It must also provide efficiency in both production and costs and, above all, be disruptive in the market. Once a project meets these criteria, it enters our project funnel, where it goes through different stages of development. This selection process can be summarised in three key aspects: people, planet and productivity. It is crucial that projects move forward quickly; therefore, we establish a time frame of 12 to 18 months for its development. In a sector as volatile as fashion, where trends are constantly changing, delaying more could result in outdated solutions.

At Jeanología we work with the agility of a startup, despite having the structure of a multinational. This mindset allows us to be extremely agile and get to market quickly with our innovations. In short, our approach is based on being environmentally friendly, ethical, efficient and disruptive, always maintaining a speed of development that allows us to be at the forefront of the fashion industry.

As an example, I tell you about our recent foray into the world of color within the textile industry. Although Jeanologia has historically focused on the denim sector, recognized for its distinctive features such as the white weft and blue warp, our exploration does not stop there. We are entering new territories, such as the treatment and production of color in textiles, an area that presents its own technical and knowledge challenges.

Color in the textile industry has a rich history, dating back to Egyptian times with their mineral-based dyeing methods. Despite this long tradition, we are facing a critical moment where the specialized knowledge of colorists, based on unique and often undocumented methods and techniques, is at risk of being lost. At Jeanologia, we see this situation as an opportunity to innovate, making the dyeing process more accessible, efficient, and technologically advanced. Our goal is to simplify the color production process, making it easy for producers to move from a laboratory sample to large-scale industrial production, without having to face significant adjustment issues or changes in formulas. This reflects our commitment to technological innovation, production efficiency and sustainability, aligning ourselves with our vision of positively impacting people, the planet and productivity.

Thus, at Jeanologia, we extend our innovation efforts beyond denim, addressing challenges in other textile segments with the same disruptive, ethical and ecological approach that characterizes us.

Can you share any concrete examples of how your actions have had a positive impact on sustainability? And how do you measure and report the impact of these initiatives?

At Jeanología, we are very aware of the environmental impact generated by traditional industries. To give you an idea, here are two examples of what is achieved with our technologies: our Ozone G2 machine allows the fabric bleaching process, traditionally known as “bleach”, to be carried out in a much more sustainable way. Previously, this process required a huge amount of resources: for each kilo of fabric, up to 10 liters of water were used, which meant that to treat 100 kilos of fabric 1000 liters of water were needed, in addition to 25 liters of industrial bleach. Our G2 machine completely changes this landscape. Instead of using water and bleach, the machine works with ozone which, when in contact with the tissues in an airtight environment, achieves the same discoloration effect without the need for these resources. At the end of the process, the ozone is converted back into oxygen, and the garments come out with the desired effect, without having used either the 1000 litres of water or the 25 litres of bleach.

The second example is eFlow, our micronization technology designed for the efficient application of fabric softeners and other chemicals to garments. Traditionally, when softening a garment, approximately 200 cubic centimeters of fabric softener are used, of which only 20 cubic centimeters actually adhere to the garment, wasting the rest. With eFlow, we optimize this process by directly applying the required amount of product in micronized form, as a fine steam, inside the machine. This ensures that the garment receives the proper treatment with significant water savings and softener, up to 90% in water and 80% in chemical.

To measure and report the impact of our innovations, we take a practical and highly visual approach, focusing primarily on two key indicators: water savings and_CO2 emission reductions. Every year, we calculate how many cubic meters of water we have managed to conserve thanks to our technologies, which are designed to minimize the use of this vital resource, as well as energy and chemicals. This gives us a tangible measure of our contribution to the environment. For example, in 2023, we managed to save approximately 20 million cubic meters of water. This achievement provides an effective way to communicate our impact to the community and our stakeholders. In addition, we focus our efforts on reducing_CO2 emissions. In the same period, we managed to avoid the emission of about 98 million tons of_CO2, which is another fundamental indicator of our success in mitigating climate change. These numbers reflect the direct benefit to the environment and highlight our contribution to a greener and more sustainable economy.

Beyond these indicators, our adherence to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reinforces our commitment to responsible business management. We have adopted 10 of these objectives. which are the ones that best represent our values and objectives. To ensure that our actions are aligned with these commitments, we have established a sustainability committee within the company. This committee is responsible for producing an annual report detailing our activities, achievements and future plans in terms of sustainability.

In your international expansion, how do you select priority markets and what specific strategies do you use to adapt to the different needs and challenges of each region?

In our international expansion strategy, the selection of priority markets is a dynamic process and is closely linked to the trends and movements of the textile industry, which is as changing as fashion itself. Textile production, like many other sectors, is primarily guided by costs. This means that we have to be constantly evaluating and re-evaluating where these cost-efficient production sites are located in order to act quickly. By 2024, we have identified that Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and possibly Egypt will be of particular importance to us. The reason behind this selection is clear: these regions are emerging as key points where textile productions are mostly moving, due to their favorable cost structure and production capacity.

Our strategy to adapt to the different needs and challenges of each region is based on being agile and fast in positioning ourselves in these emerging markets. This implies having a local presence through R+D teams and commercial and technical hubs. We have R+D teams distributed in various countries such as Spain (in Valencia and Barcelona), Turkey and Italy. This equipment not only allows us to have a direct pulse on technological innovations and trends in the sector, but also to understand the particularities of each market and respond more effectively to its needs.

We adopt a startup mindset in this process, which means that even though we are already a large organization, we maintain flexibility, speed in decision-making, and the ability to adapt quickly to new environments and challenges. This approach allows us to strategically position ourselves in current and emerging markets and also offer the best possible service, without neglecting our commitments in other regions. It’s a delicate balance, but essential to our success in international expansion.

In a world where technology advances at a rapid pace, how does Jeanología stay at the forefront by integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data into its processes? Also, what is the company’s vision for the future in terms of innovation and adaptation to these changing technological trends?

At Jeanologia, our strategy to stay ahead of the curve in a fast-paced technological world focuses on continuous innovation and the effective integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data into our processes. As Director of Product and Technologies, I can say that our company, being a manufacturer of cutting-edge machinery and a technological entity par excellence, deeply values the development and application of advanced software that constantly improves and redefines efficiency and sustainability in the textile sector.

We have made significant strides in this area with the development of key software tools , such as EIM (Environmental Impact Measure) and eDesigner. EIM is a revolutionary software that measures the environmental impact of production processes, providing an intuitive interface that indicates the sustainability status of processes as if it were a traffic light: red, yellow or green. This tool is becoming a global standard for its ability to simplify and promote more sustainable production practices. In addition, eDesigner, our specific design software for laser machines, integrates multiple technologies, including a significant artificial intelligence component. This tool facilitates design and also optimises the use of machinery, improving efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of production. We are using artificial intelligence to predict errors in machines installed around the world, which allows us predictive maintenance and continuous improvement in the reliability of our equipment. This AI application is essential to increase the uptime of our solutions and ensure maximum productivity for our customers.

As for our vision for the future, we strongly believe in the importance of hyperautomation of processes and the use of big data. Automation is not only about efficiency and cost reduction, but also about enabling more sustainable production adapted to the changing needs of the market and the environment. Big data plays a crucial role in this scenario, as the collection and analysis of large volumes of data allow us to have a deep understanding of our processes, improving decision-making and the capacity for innovation.

What would you say is the most important innovation or technology that has led Jeanología to be what it is right now?

Well, I think that the technology that has made Jeanología grow the most, obviously, is laser technology. This is still the star product of the house, despite being a product that has been with us for 25 years. It is interesting to see how, over time, it has reached a point of stable maturity. However, we are seeing how other technologies, which until now were on their upward maturity curve, are beginning to approach their sweet spot. A clear example is ozone technology which, although it has been in the textile sector for some years, is still in the process of reaching more mature stages of development. In addition, there is a more incipient technology that I consider has great potential to further boost Jeanologia: the technology associated with water treatment and color. Although it is still in its early stages, we expect it to play a crucial role in the future growth of our company.

Finally, what does participating in the Cre100do Foundation program bring you?

Participating in the Cre100do Foundation program is an enriching experience for us at Jeanología, both personally and professionally. From my perspective, the main value that this program gives us is the opportunity to learn and network. Having the possibility of sharing experiences and knowledge with other managers and companies is very valuable. It has allowed me to see up close how other organizations run their R+D teams, how they launch new products or projects, and understand their business strategies and organizational structures. This exchange of knowledge is essential, as we can always learn something new that can be applied in our own context.

In addition, our collaboration with Schneider is a perfect example of the positive impact participating in Cre100do has had on us. This collaboration began thanks to a meeting organized by Cre100do, where Schneider presented its artificial intelligence solutions applied to industry. Since that time, we have been working together on several projects, including the development of systems for controlling machines using voice commands, which has been a significant advance for our operations.

Another relevant aspect is our participation in the artificial intelligence program promoted by Cre100do. Jeanologia was one of the first companies to be part of this program, which allowed us to be at the forefront in the development of predictive models for our laser machines.

Thank you very much, Vicente! And may the successes continue!

If you want to know more about the Cre100do Foundation, the companies that are part of the program and their activities, we invite you to visit their website.

You can read the interviews with other companies of the Cre100do Foundation that we have carried out from the Bankinter Innovation Foundation:

• Modern craftsmanship and eco-design: Andreu World’s success story
• The (R)evolution of GIRBAU: from electromechanical workshop to world leader in sustainable laundry
• TROPS, a model of innovation and sustainability in the agricultural sector
• Carinsa: Spanish innovation, internationalisation and commitment to the customer
• Logifruit: leading innovation in Circular Economy and Sustainability