NEWS RELEASE

BASF Wins Prestigious SDC Colour Innovation Award

• MOOO> Dyeable Polypropylene Fibre Takes Top International Accolade
• Prize: £1500 plus specially-commissioned trophy made of dichroic glass

The three finalists for the most highly sought-after international award for colour technology were honoured at an SDC awards dinner on Friday 18 April in Bradford, UK. With much-awaited anticipation, the overall winner was announced and the SDC Colour Innovation Award 2008 went to BASF for the development of MOOO> dyeable polypropylene fibre technology, an invention which demonstrates a novel and distinct new coloration process for polypropylene in the textile and apparel industry.

The level of interest for this award – the fifth biennial competition of its type run by SDC – was unprecedented and resulted in the three finalists from Germany, Switzerland and the UK being selected out of those entries submitted from 17 countries around the world. Along with the winning innovation from BASF, the other two finalists included ‘Neutral Grey-Colouring Photochromic Dyes’ from James Robinson Ltd (UK) and ‘Novacron NC Reactive Dyes’ from Huntsman Textile Effects (Switzerland).

The MOOO> fibre incorporates innovative ImPPulse technology which allows fabrics from colourless MOOO> fibre to be dyed, which is unique for polypropylene. Comments Dr Pia Baum, BASF Performance Chemicals Innovation Europe manager, ‘This technology has solved the key problem of dyeing polypropylene in an efficient and flexible way. We are happy to have had the chance to participate in this competition and are naturally proud to have won the SDC Colour Innovation Award.’

It was Sue Williams, in her newly-appointed capacity of SDC president, that made the presentation to Dr Baum, the BASF representative responsible for the winning project. On behalf of the winning organisation, Dr Baum received a a prize of £1500 – to be spent on education and training in the field of colour – as well as the SDC Colour Innovation Award trophy and two years’ membership of the SDC Patron Supporter Scheme.

Notes to editors:

About MOOO> Dyeable Polypropylene
MOOO> dyeable polypropylene is a novel and distinct new coloration process for polypropylene in the textile and apparel industry from BASF. The BASF technology has solved the key problem of dyeing polypropylene in an efficient and flexible way. The BASF invention allows dyeing from aqueous media in a standard industry process in an easy coloration with disperse dyes. Brilliant colour shades are available to meet the fast-moving market trends.

About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s high-value products and intelligent system solutions help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to meet the challenges of the future and open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future.
www.basf.com

About the SDC
The SDC is an independent, not-for-profit educational charity and the world’s only chartered, professional body dedicated to colour. It is the natural focus and authority on all matters relating to colour application, control, standards and performance. It has more than 80 years of experience in the development of colour-related standards and has been responsible for introducing many of the standards used today for the colour fastness performance of textiles and colour measurement. It has held the secretariats of both BSI and ISO standard bodies.
www.sdc.org.uk 

About the SDC Colour Innovation Award 2008 trophy
The specially-commissioned trophy, designed by Laura Johnston, is made of dichroic glass which is a material that has unique optical properties that are constantly shifting in hue and intensity as the angle of light changes. Depositing multiple thin films of oxides onto the glass surface under vacuum creates the dichroic effect. Precise control results in the selective transmission and reflection of specific wavelengths of light, resulting in colour production.
www.laurajohnston.com 

Judging Panel for the SDC Colour Innovation Award 2008
The expert contribution of the judging panel in selecting the finalists and overall winner is acknowledged: Adrian Abel (pigment specialist), Wayne Hemingway (designer), Dr Ian Holme (author and lecturer), Prof. David Lewis (dye chemist), Janet Robinson (fabric technologist) and Sue Williams (colour consultant).

Other Innovation Award finalists
Neutral Grey-Colouring Photochromic Dyes
James Robinson Ltd (UK)
James Robinson Ltd is the leading supplier of photochromic molecules and hair dye intermediates, built on over 100 years experience in colour chemistry, supplying the world’s most dynamic companies operating in personal care, ophthalmic, brand protection and security markets. James Robinson Ltd has developed the new class of single molecule neutral grey-colouring photochromics for ophthalmic lenses, which for the first time removes the problems of matching fade rates and temperature dependencies inherent when using several molecules.

Novacron NC – A New Generation of Reactive Dyes
Huntsman Textile Effects (Switzerland)
Huntsman Textile Effects creates, manufactures and markets a broad range of dyestuffs and chemicals that enhance the performance of finished textiles and materials providing added value effects to its customers. By radically rethinking the traditional approach to the ever popular earth tone shades (sand, beige, khaki, olive, grey), Huntsman provides a solution to a long standing and difficult problem faced by dyers and finishers the world over. Highly contrasting recipes based on classical yellow/red/blue reactive dye combinations are replaced by non-contrasting Novacron Yellow NC, Brown NC, Olive NC and Grey NC that demonstrate tremendous benefits for dyers, machines suppliers, brandhouses and consumers.

 
Press photos are available on request

For further information about the BASF innovation contact:
Joyce Yeung.
 

For more information about this release contact the SDC press office.