ISRAEL, a country often beset by drought, is home to a clutch of startups that help textile manufacturers keep chemicals out of the water supply.

Browzwear, with its headquarters in Singapore and a research and development hub in Raanana, Israel, builds 3D software to cut down design time, counting Adidas AG, Nike Inc. and Columbia Sportswear Co. among its customers. Less time spent testing clothes means clients “wash nothing, throw nothing away, and avoid wasting water,” said Lena Lim, Browzwear’s commercial president.

That kind of conservation is important for an industry that accounts for about 8 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to Quantis, a sustainable business consultancy. It also is responsible for 20 percent of industrial water pollution, the World Resources Institute said.

“There’s consumer pushback on how much the industry is polluting,” and companies are reacting, Lim said.

Patagonia Inc., an environment-friendly sports clothing maker, donates 1 percent of its sales to environmental organizations. Casual wear manufacturer Uniqlo Co. started a recycling initiative in 2006.

The environmental and social impacts of selling cheap clothes have come under scrutiny, with fashion designer Stella McCartney calling on business leaders and politicians to help the industry reduce its environmental impact.

“It’s clear the textile industry will become digital,” said Benny Landa, founder of Indigo, one of the world’s first digital printing companies, which HP Inc. bought for as much as US$882 million in 2001. “Textile is one of the largest water polluters in China, so there are many reasons for the industry to go digital.” (SD-Agencies)