This paper examines the digital transformation of the textile and fashion industry, focusing on the alignment with sustainability principles through the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies. The introduction highlights the urgency of transitioning from conventional production methods to innovative, digitally enabled systems that promote a circular economy and resource efficiency. The main research questions address the contribution of Industry 4.0 elements to sustainable solutions, the directions of digitalization within the apparel sector, and the significant impact of digital technologies on the achievement of sustainability goals. The theoretical framework examines sustainability in the textile industry and emphasizes the need for a green transformation facilitated by digital technologies to reduce environmental impacts. Industry 4.0 concepts, as discussed in The Concept of Industry 4.0 in the Textile and Apparel Sector, are revolutionizing production through technologies such as IoT, AI, and blockchain, enabling traceability, customization, and energy-efficient operations. The paper also explores the evolution of the fashion and apparel industry into a high-tech sector, highlighting advances such as CAD-CAM systems, digital printing, and 3D technologies that improve precision, reduce waste, and support sustainable practices. In its conclusion, the paper emphasizes the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration, regulatory frameworks, and investment in skills development to overcome the challenges of implementing digital and sustainable practices. It posits that a strategic embrace of digital ecosystems and Industry 4.0 technologies is essential for creating a resilient and sustainable textile industry that is aligned with environmental and societal goals.

In this paper the possibility of applying natural dyes on cellulose fibres were researched with respect to the impact of cotton material pre-treatment (scouring, chemical bleaching, mercerization and mordanting), using renewable sources of natural dyes (waste as a source). As mordants, metal salts of copper, aluminium and ferrum were used, and the influence on colour change as well as on fastness properties were analysed. The natural dyes were extracted from onion peel (Allium cepa L.) and pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.). In spectrophotometric analysis performed of the plant extracts, the onion extract has peaks at 400 and 500 nm, resulting in red-orange colourations and the pomegranate extract shows a maximum at 400 nm, i.e., in the yellow region, which is characteristic of punicalin. Results show significant influence of cotton pre-treatments on colour appearance and fastness properties, caused by pre-treatments affecting the properties and structure of the cotton itself. The positive effect of mercerization on dye absorption and bonding is confirmed. For wash and light fastness properties, more satisfactory results have been obtained for yarns dyed with pomegranate peel natural dye, and the key importance of mordants for fastness properties has been confirmed.

This article deals with cationization of cotton during mercerization and its effects on trichromatic vat dyeing. If cationization is carried out during the after-treatment, regardless of cotton pretreatment, the reaction takes place on the surface and blocks cellulose groups, subsequently resulting in uneven coloration. However, when cationization is carried out with an epihalohydrin during the mercerization process, new cellulose is formed in which the cationic compound is uniformly distributed and trapped between cellulose chains, resulting in uniform coloration after the dyeing process. The reaction time for the process during mercerization is 24 h, thus a more favorable process was researched. Based on electrokinetic analysis, it was found that 5 h was sufficient for the reaction with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC). The cationization of cotton contributed to the processes of vat dyeing. The change in charge upon cationization resulted in very high adsorption of vat-dye anions, indicating that ionic bonding occurred in addition to van der Waals forces. The color depth improved by more than 10 times. It should be emphasized that the colors with higher chroma and targeted color hue, especially in trichromatic dyeing, were obtained on cationized cotton, in contrast to standard cotton fabrics. The color differences obtained under the different light sources indicate the occurrence of metamerism. Considering the color fastness to laundering, vat-dyed cationized fabrics of all colors may be used in hospitals or other environments where high hygiene and oxidative bleaching are required.

Textile materials are an essential part of contemporary architecture, the environment, and urban spaces due to their unique appearance and qualities, as it is now possible to achieve both a structural function and an aesthetic quality with textiles. As colour is one of the most important characteristics of textile material, it is also important to understand the relationships between colour and textile material with different surface qualities. In order to explain the complexity of different textile materials and the appearance of colours, which consequently affects the colour properties, this paper analyses this phenomenon. The presented research analyses the dependence of the reproduction quality and colour appearance on fabrics of different construction and structural characteristics, i.e., the texture of the textile material, printed using digital inkjet technology. The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of various structural features of textiles on the colour appearance of digitally printed textile substrates, to monitor the quality of colour reproduction, and to analyse the behaviour of a reactive dye droplet on textile substrates. Printing of a particular shape was performed using a Dimatix Materials Printer DMP-2831 piezoelectric inkjet device (provided by the J. Stefan Institute, Ljubjana, Slovenia; manufactured by Fujifilm Dimatix Inc., 2230 Martin Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, USA). The behaviour of the ink delivered by the needle of the tensiometer DSA20E, Kruess GmbH (provided by the J. Stefan Institute, Ljubjana, Slovenia; manufactured by Kruess Scientific Instruments (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Futong Dong Dajie 10 Baoneng Center, Tower B, Room 605 Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, China), on the surface of the fabric was analysed. The samples were digitally printed on a Mimaki digital printer Tx2-1600 (provided by University of Ljubljana Faculty of Natural Science and Engineering, Slovenia EU; manufactured by Mimaki, 2182-3 Shigeno-Otsu, Tomi-city, Nagano, Japan), with reactive dyes, which were first pretreated in a bath with a specific solution. The statistical method of image analysis and microscopic imaging were used to obtain the characteristics of the porosity, texture, and roughness parameters. All results are presented from colouristic analysis based on the objectification of colour and colour differences. The objective values of the parameters of lightness (L*), chroma (C*), and hue (h°) show the significant influence of the structure and properties of the substrate on colour reproduction, and significant changes were obtained, which were confirmed by the evaluation of the colour differences. The results confirm the influence of the substrate structure on colour properties. Furthermore, it is essential to consider this complexity in the context of environmental colour design when utilising (coloured) textile installations/materials in architecture and urban spaces, i.e., in the environment.