Vancouver-based Viridis Research has completed a major industrial pilot in Dhaka, Bangladesh with H&M Group and three textile mill partners, validating its electrochemical oxidation technology as a scalable solution for textile wastewater recycling.
The pilot demonstrated that Viridis’ system can operate under real-world manufacturing conditions, treating wastewater from dye baths, equalization tanks, wastewater treatment plants, and reverse osmosis reject streams. The company achieved 99.56%–99.94% color removal from dye baths while reducing organic contamination to target thresholds, confirming the ability to recover valuable chemicals and reuse treated water in subsequent dye cycles.
Viridis’ technology fully mineralizes organic contaminants such as dyes, surfactants, and auxiliary chemicals into gas, enabling treated water to be fed back into dyeing operations within a closed-loop system. On full deployment, the approach has the potential to significantly reduce freshwater intake and effluent discharge in textile production — one of the most water-intensive industries globally.
“We set out to prove that water reuse in textile manufacturing is achievable under real operating conditions — and this pilot confirmed it,” said Dr. Macarena Cataldo, CEO and Founder of Viridis. “Working alongside H&M Group and our mill partners, we demonstrated that responsible water stewardship can align with industrial performance.”
Viridis is a member of the BC Tech Association.
BC Tech is the largest member-led technology non-profit in British Columbia, and we’re dedicated to turning startups and scaleups into the anchor companies of tomorrow. Our work supports members to grow and diversify their talent pool, acquire new customers, access capital and accelerate their scaleup journey. Technology is a key industry for BC’s future and builds resiliency in every industry. Today, every company is a tech company. Join now.
Sharif Hoque, Water Impact Lead for H&M Group, added: “Our pilot program with Viridis shows what credible innovation can achieve in real factory conditions, with the potential to lower freshwater intake and minimize effluent pollution while supporting supplier performance.”
The milestone also highlights the strength of BC’s cleantech ecosystem. Viridis advanced early-stage research through Simon Fraser University’s 4D LABS, refined its commercialization strategy via the MaRS Women in Cleantech Accelerator, and accelerated development through the University of British Columbia’s HATCH Venture Builder and VentureLAB’s Hardware Catalyst Initiative. Access to advanced research facilities, venture-building support, and hardware scaling infrastructure helped position the company for global deployment.
For Vancouver’s growing water-tech sector, the successful pilot underscores how locally developed climate technologies are increasingly finding validation — and opportunity — in global industrial markets.
Viridis is now exploring broader deployment opportunities within textile manufacturing supply chains as it advances toward commercial scale.
Leave a Reply