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Robot system (c) STFI
20.03.2024

STFI: Highlights of textile research at Techtextil 2024

STFI will be presenting high-end textile products and solutions at Techtextil 2024. The highlights from current research results and innovations provide an insight into the digitalisation of textile production, show applications for 3D printing and smart technical textiles and provide examples of particularly sustainably designed products as well as innovative approaches for protective and medical textiles.

The central highlight of STFI's presence at Techtextil is a robot system that demonstrates the automated processing of a bobbin frame on a small scale. The pick-and-place application demonstrates camera-supported gripping of the bobbins. The robot is part of the STFI's “Textile Factory of the Future” which demonstrates automation solutions for the textile industry in a laboratory environment.

STFI will be presenting high-end textile products and solutions at Techtextil 2024. The highlights from current research results and innovations provide an insight into the digitalisation of textile production, show applications for 3D printing and smart technical textiles and provide examples of particularly sustainably designed products as well as innovative approaches for protective and medical textiles.

The central highlight of STFI's presence at Techtextil is a robot system that demonstrates the automated processing of a bobbin frame on a small scale. The pick-and-place application demonstrates camera-supported gripping of the bobbins. The robot is part of the STFI's “Textile Factory of the Future” which demonstrates automation solutions for the textile industry in a laboratory environment.

From the field of sustainable products and solutions, a sleeping bag with bio-based and therefore vegan filling material and a natural fibre-based composite element for furniture construction, in which LEDs and capacitive proximity sensors for contactless function control have been applied using embroidery technology, will be on show. Printed heating conductor structures demonstrate current research work for the e-mobility of the future, as the individually controllable seat and interior heating should ultimately reduce weight and save energy compared to conventional heating systems.

While a protective suit for special task forces protects against the dangers of a Molotov cocktail attack, a shin guard and a knee brace with patellar ring illustrate the process combination of 3D printing and UV LED cross-linking. Other highlights from lightweight textile construction include the rib of a vertical rudder of an Airbus A320 and a green snowboard made from recycled carbon fibres.

More information:
STFI Techtextil Smart textiles
Source:

Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI)

DITF: Lignin coating for Geotextiles Photo: DITF
Coating process of a cellulose-based nonwoven with the lignin compound using thermoplastic processing methods on a continuous coating line.
27.10.2023

DITF: Lignin coating for Geotextiles

Textiles are a given in civil engineering: they stabilize water protection dams, prevent runoff containing pollutants from landfills, facilitate the revegetation of slopes at risk of erosion, and even make asphalt layers of roads thinner. Until now, textiles made of highly resistant synthetic fibers have been used for this purpose, which have a very long lifetime. For some applications, however, it would not only be sufficient but even desirable for the auxiliary textile to degrade in the soil when it has done its job. Environmentally friendly natural fibers, on the other hand, often decompose too quickly. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing a bio-based protective coating that extends their service life.

Textiles are a given in civil engineering: they stabilize water protection dams, prevent runoff containing pollutants from landfills, facilitate the revegetation of slopes at risk of erosion, and even make asphalt layers of roads thinner. Until now, textiles made of highly resistant synthetic fibers have been used for this purpose, which have a very long lifetime. For some applications, however, it would not only be sufficient but even desirable for the auxiliary textile to degrade in the soil when it has done its job. Environmentally friendly natural fibers, on the other hand, often decompose too quickly. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing a bio-based protective coating that extends their service life.

Depending on humidity and temperature, natural fiber materials can degrade in the soil in a matter of months or even a few days. In order to significantly extend the degradation time and make them suitable for geotextiles, the Denkendorf team researches a protective coating. This coating, based on lignin, is itself biodegradable and does not generate microplastics in the soil. Lignin is indeed biodegradable, but this degradation takes a very long time in nature.

Together with cellulose, Lignin forms the building materials for wood and is the "glue" in wood that holds this composite material together. In paper production, usually only the cellulose is used, so lignin is produced in large quantities as a waste material. So-called kraft lignin remains as a fusible material. Textile production can deal well with thermoplastic materials. All in all, this is a good prerequisite for taking a closer look at lignin as a protective coating for geotextiles.

Lignin is brittle by nature. Therefore, it is necessary to blend the kraft lignin with softer biomaterials. These new biopolymer compounds of brittle kraft lignin and softer biopolymers were applied to yarns and textile surfaces in the research project via adapted coating systems. For this purpose, for example, cotton yarns were coated with lignin at different application rates and evaluated. Biodegradation testing was carried out using soil burial tests both in a climatic chamber with temperature and humidity defined precisely according to the standard and outdoors under real environmental conditions. With positive results: the service life of textiles made of natural fibers can be extended by many factors with a lignin coating: The thicker the protective coating, the longer the protection lasts. In the outdoor tests, the lignin coating was still completely intact even after about 160 days of burial.

Textile materials coated with lignin enable sustainable applications. For example, they have an adjustable and sufficiently long service life for certain geotextile applications. In addition, they are still biodegradable and can replace previously used synthetic materials in some applications, such as revegetation of trench and stream banks.

Thus, lignin-coated textiles have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint: They reduce dependence on petroleum-based products and avoid the formation of microplastics in the soil.

Further research is needed to establish lignin, which was previously a waste material, as a new valuable material in industrial manufacturing processes in the textile industry.

The research work was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection as part of the Baden-Württemberg State Strategy for a Sustainable Bioeconomy.

Source:

Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung Denkendorf (DITF)

Dyneema® SB301 to Enable Weight Savings of up to 20% in Protective Body Armor Image Avient
10.10.2023

Dyneema®: Weight Savings of up to 20% in Protective Body Armor

Dyneema® announced the launch of a next-generation unidirectional (UD) material innovation based on its third-generation fiber at the polymer level: a development poised to enhance the safety and mobility of law enforcement officers and military forces through molecular engineering.

This evolution enables a higher-tenacity fiber – resulting in increased ballistic stopping power when used in the new UD material, Dyneema® SB301, for protective armor applications. The seismic shift in performance enables body armor manufacturers to design soft armor vests 10–20% lighter than previous protective solutions.

Beyond strength, Dyneema® SB301 has the advantage of being made from bio-based Dyneema® fiber, which enables a carbon footprint up to 90% lower than generic high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fiber.

Now available for use in law enforcement vests for the US market, Dyneema® SB301 material is manufactured in Greenville, North Carolina, in compliance with the Berry Amendment, with additional markets to follow.

Dyneema® announced the launch of a next-generation unidirectional (UD) material innovation based on its third-generation fiber at the polymer level: a development poised to enhance the safety and mobility of law enforcement officers and military forces through molecular engineering.

This evolution enables a higher-tenacity fiber – resulting in increased ballistic stopping power when used in the new UD material, Dyneema® SB301, for protective armor applications. The seismic shift in performance enables body armor manufacturers to design soft armor vests 10–20% lighter than previous protective solutions.

Beyond strength, Dyneema® SB301 has the advantage of being made from bio-based Dyneema® fiber, which enables a carbon footprint up to 90% lower than generic high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fiber.

Now available for use in law enforcement vests for the US market, Dyneema® SB301 material is manufactured in Greenville, North Carolina, in compliance with the Berry Amendment, with additional markets to follow.

“In every situation, weight is now considered to be the top priority after ballistic stopping power,” said Marcelo van de Kamp, global business director for personal protection at Avient. “That’s because survivability is directly tied to weight savings when speed and agility determine outcomes. We’ve long been known as the ‘world’s strongest fiber™,’ but that won’t stop us from finding new opportunities to get stronger. This new product is the latest demonstration of our commitment to both innovation and protection.”

Source:

Avient Corporation

(c) Schoeller Textil AG
05.10.2023

Schoeller Textil presents FLEX SHIELD collection at A+A

Modern lifestyles require more than just functionality. Consumers are seeking products that offer a perfect balance between protection and comfort. The FLEX SHIELD collection offers a range of textiles that provide these functions without compromising on freedom of movement to maximize the wearer’s experience.

The Flex Shield Collection reflects Schoeller’s commitment to creating textiles that empower individuals to embrace their activities with confidence, knowing their gear will not fail and is designed for challenging conditions.

Every article in the collection is equipped with at least one of Schoeller’s pioneering textile technologies. These innovations ensure breathability, thermal regulation, as well as wind and water resistance.

Modern lifestyles require more than just functionality. Consumers are seeking products that offer a perfect balance between protection and comfort. The FLEX SHIELD collection offers a range of textiles that provide these functions without compromising on freedom of movement to maximize the wearer’s experience.

The Flex Shield Collection reflects Schoeller’s commitment to creating textiles that empower individuals to embrace their activities with confidence, knowing their gear will not fail and is designed for challenging conditions.

Every article in the collection is equipped with at least one of Schoeller’s pioneering textile technologies. These innovations ensure breathability, thermal regulation, as well as wind and water resistance.

One highlight is the schoeller®-ceraspaceTM technology, which owes its outstanding protective properties to a unique composition of special ceramic particles anchored in a polymer matrix. The ceramic particles are nearly as hard as diamonds and are firmly attached as a 3-dimensional coating to the textile. A textile with schoeller®-ceraspaceTM abrasion resistance performs significantly better than high-quality leather in terms of abrasion resistance. A fabric equipped with schoeller®-ceraspaceTM can also be more engineered to fulfill the required stretch properties, and its production process results in significantly less waste material compared to leather.

Source:

Schoeller Textil AG

One-third increase in exhibitors at Cinte Techtextil China 2023 (c) Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
04.10.2023

One-third increase in exhibitors at Cinte Techtextil China 2023

Since the rapid growth brought about by the pandemic, the technical textiles and nonwovens markets are stabilising towards a new normal – one in which technological innovation, sustainable development, and intelligent manufacturing are the most sought-after qualities. Held from 19 – 21 September 2023 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the fair amplified this new industry direction, both through its fringe programme and across the booths of the 40,000 sqm show floor. With a nearly one-third increase from 2021, 467 exhibitors representing 13 countries and regions engaged a significantly international visitor flow, numbering 15,542 total visits from 52 countries and regions. Suppliers showcased up-to-date products for multiple application areas, with various equipment, technical textiles and nonwovens for agriculture, automotive, protective apparel, and medical and hygiene especially prevalent.

Since the rapid growth brought about by the pandemic, the technical textiles and nonwovens markets are stabilising towards a new normal – one in which technological innovation, sustainable development, and intelligent manufacturing are the most sought-after qualities. Held from 19 – 21 September 2023 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the fair amplified this new industry direction, both through its fringe programme and across the booths of the 40,000 sqm show floor. With a nearly one-third increase from 2021, 467 exhibitors representing 13 countries and regions engaged a significantly international visitor flow, numbering 15,542 total visits from 52 countries and regions. Suppliers showcased up-to-date products for multiple application areas, with various equipment, technical textiles and nonwovens for agriculture, automotive, protective apparel, and medical and hygiene especially prevalent.

Speaking at the fair’s close, Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, had an optimistic outlook for the future of the sector: “Sustainability and innovation often go hand-in-hand, and walking through the various halls, zones, and pavilions these past few days the evidence for this was widespread. With environmental protection more important than ever, and buyers across application areas increasingly sourcing eco-friendly solutions, our exhibitors were well-placed to meet that demand. This fair is consistently at the leading edge of technological progress, and with the global and domestic markets showing signs of improving further, we are already looking forward to what we can offer at next year’s edition.”  

With many overseas exhibitors making a comeback, this year’s fair was marked by the return of the Taiwan Pavilion and the 40-exhibitor strong European Zone. Beyond the international areas, domestic pavilions were organised by Beijing Guanghua, China Hang Tang Group, Funing, Jiujing, Shenda, Tiantai, Xianto, and Xiqiao, showcasing nonwovens for various sub-sectors, including filtration and medical. Valuable insights were exchanged at multiple fringe events, including the 11th China International Nonwovens Conference, the Advanced Technical Textiles Industry Chain Synergistic Innovation Development Forum, various events covering marine textiles and rope netting, and the “Kingsafe Dangs” National University Students' Nonwovens Development and Applications Showcase. Visitors, meanwhile, were pleased with the innovation on show across the entire platform.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

OETI purchases ECS to expand its PPE portfolio photo: OETI
12.07.2023

OETI purchases ECS to expand its PPE portfolio

OETI – a member of the internationally active TESTEX Group – has bought the German company ECS to expand its service portfolio in the field of personal protective equipment (PPE).

OETI has been offering testing services for textile work clothing since 1983 – for about 40 years. Since the introduction of CE labelling for personal protective equipment and the enactment of the PPE Directive by the European Union in 1993, OETI has not only been testing textile personal protective equipment, but now on also certifies it in conformity with EU standards. In 1995, OETI was certified in Brussels as a Notified Body (0534) for type-examinations and quality assurance monitoring of personal protective equipment end products. Testing and certification is carried out in accordance with the current PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425.

Testing and Certification Body for Eye and Face Protection, based in Aalen, was founded 15 years ago and is a globally active institution for testing and certification of eye and face protection equipment. The company is one of the leading independent testing institutions for personal protection products in laser applications and for welding work.

OETI – a member of the internationally active TESTEX Group – has bought the German company ECS to expand its service portfolio in the field of personal protective equipment (PPE).

OETI has been offering testing services for textile work clothing since 1983 – for about 40 years. Since the introduction of CE labelling for personal protective equipment and the enactment of the PPE Directive by the European Union in 1993, OETI has not only been testing textile personal protective equipment, but now on also certifies it in conformity with EU standards. In 1995, OETI was certified in Brussels as a Notified Body (0534) for type-examinations and quality assurance monitoring of personal protective equipment end products. Testing and certification is carried out in accordance with the current PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425.

Testing and Certification Body for Eye and Face Protection, based in Aalen, was founded 15 years ago and is a globally active institution for testing and certification of eye and face protection equipment. The company is one of the leading independent testing institutions for personal protection products in laser applications and for welding work.

ECS tests and evaluates occupational health and safety goggles with and without a filter action, passive and active switching protection filters and shields for welders, and laser protection filters, goggles, and shields. The company also tests the optical properties of sunglasses, sports glasses, ski goggles, swimming goggles and motorbike goggles.

With OETI’s takeover, the ECS location in Aalen is retained, and all employees will continue working at ECS. The new Managing Director of ECS GmbH as of 1 July 2023 is Dipl.-Ing. Rolf Diebolder.

‘We are present on the European market, on the American market and, via a representative office, on the Chinese market. With the aid of the new distribution channels through OETI and TESTEX, we want to steadily advance ECS’ expansion and be present on all five continents’, says Managing Director Rolf Diebolder, explaining his strategic plans for ECS. ‘I would like OETI and ECS to develop a joint strategy in order to be able to offer existing and new customers of both companies a complete package which, when combined, will give us a unique selling point in the marketplace’, says Diebolder.

Diebolder also sees further potential in the cooperation with regard to protective laser clothing. According to him, this is where the laser laboratory commissioned by ECS could be used to make textiles laser-safe. In the future, there will be more and more ‘hand-held’ devices, i.e. laser welding devices, for which gloves and protective jackets are needed.

Source:

OETI - Institut fuer Oekologie, Technik und Innovation GmbH

12.04.2023

Comeback of CIOSH trade fair in Shanghai

As a trade fair for safety and occupational health in China, the 104th China International Occupational Safety & Health Goods Expo (CIOSH 2023), organized by China Textile Commerce Association (CTCA) and Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (MDS), will be grandly held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) Hall E1-E7 from 13-15 April 2023. Following three years of epidemic prevention and control measures, the situation has stabilized in China, allowing the labor protection market to enter a phase of rapid recovery and rebound. CIOSH 2023 will attract over 1,500 exhibitors from 14 countries, showcasing their latest protective equipment and technology in an exhibition area exceeding 80,000 square meters.

As a trade fair for safety and occupational health in China, the 104th China International Occupational Safety & Health Goods Expo (CIOSH 2023), organized by China Textile Commerce Association (CTCA) and Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (MDS), will be grandly held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) Hall E1-E7 from 13-15 April 2023. Following three years of epidemic prevention and control measures, the situation has stabilized in China, allowing the labor protection market to enter a phase of rapid recovery and rebound. CIOSH 2023 will attract over 1,500 exhibitors from 14 countries, showcasing their latest protective equipment and technology in an exhibition area exceeding 80,000 square meters.

Integrating Online and Offline Platforms
CIOSH 2023 encompasses four major sectors: Safety at Work, Security at Work, Health at Work, and Emergency Rescue Management. Renowned domestic and international exhibitors, including 3M, Honeywell, Ansell, SATA, JSP, MSA, DELTAPLUS, Lakeland, Cortina, UVEX, CM Chaomei, Xing Yu Gloves, DS, East Asia Glove, Hanvo, SOMO Zhongmai Safety, SAFETY-INXS, and TELPS, will assemble on site. At the same time, CIOSH 2023 has introduced an innovative online platform - CIOSH VIRTUAL. By offering online displays, live streaming, interactive features, and real-time communications, it breaks time and space constraints, facilitating exhibitors and visitors to continue their business exchanges and cooperations beyond the physical exhibition. So far, nearly 1,300 companies have joined the CIOSH VIRTUAL, showcasing more than 3,000 products online and attracting over 70,000 views.

CIOSH Industry Technical Seminar, Sustainable Development Emerges as the Key Focus
The annual Industry Technical Seminar, held concurrently with CIOSH, serves as a platform for professionals to discuss product solutions, share industry insights, and exchange ideas on relevant policies. In 2021, China integrated climate change mitigation measures into its 14th Five-Year Plan, established a 2030 carbon peaking action plan, and proactively pursued the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Under the development objectives of "carbon peaking" and "carbon neutrality," the sustainable development of the personal protective equipment (PPE) industry has become the primary theme of this year's seminar. Experts from China Carbon Low-carbon Certification (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., China Certification Centre, Inc., and SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd., will examine related policies, the effects of "carbon neutrality" on the PPE industry chain and the industries using PPE from different angles. They will also explore the future direction of PPE and offer professional guidance for the transformation of relevant enterprises.

Fall Protection Zone
Falls from height are one of the most common accidents that cause serious injury or death to workers. Effective fall protection requires not only protective equipment, but also professional instructions and training. Therefore, CIOSH set up a new Fall Protection Zone in 2021, which received unanimous acclaim. CIOSH 2023 has continued to invite SKYLOTEC, rothoblaas, JECH, Mode and NTR Safety, five companies that specialize in protection at height, to conduct on-site demonstrations on fall testing, fall protection solutions and aerial rescue, and provide visitors with the most professional fall protection guidance and training.

Occupational Health
CIOSH has always implemented the strategy of expanding the business scope in a diversified way, which devotes itself to providing innovative opportunities and new driving forces for the sustainability of the occupational safety and health industry. This year, focusing on the "occupational health" sector, the exhibition will launch an Ergonomics Zone and an Exoskeleton Technology Zone for the first time.

(c) Fraunhofer ICT
06.01.2023

Fraunhofer CPM develop programmable material for ergonomic lying position

Many people across the world are bedridden – be it due to illness, an accident or old age. Because those affected often cannot move or turn over by themselves, they often end up with very painful bedsores. In the future, it should be possible to avoid bedsores with the help of materials that can be programmed to entirely adapt their form and mechanical properties. For example, the body support of mattresses made from programmable materials can be adjusted in any given area at the push of a button. Furthermore, the support layer is formed in such a way that strong pressure on one point can be distributed across a wider area. Areas of the bed where pressure is placed are automatically made softer and more elastic. Caregivers can also adjust the ergonomic lying position to best fit their patient.

Many people across the world are bedridden – be it due to illness, an accident or old age. Because those affected often cannot move or turn over by themselves, they often end up with very painful bedsores. In the future, it should be possible to avoid bedsores with the help of materials that can be programmed to entirely adapt their form and mechanical properties. For example, the body support of mattresses made from programmable materials can be adjusted in any given area at the push of a button. Furthermore, the support layer is formed in such a way that strong pressure on one point can be distributed across a wider area. Areas of the bed where pressure is placed are automatically made softer and more elastic. Caregivers can also adjust the ergonomic lying position to best fit their patient.

Materials and microstructuring
Materials for applications requiring specific changes to stiffness or shape are being developed by researchers from Fraunhofer CPM, which is formed of six core institutes with the aim of designing and producing programmable materials. So, how can we program materials? “Essentially, there are two key areas where adjustments can be made: the base material – thermoplastic polymers in the case of mattresses and metallic alloys for other applications, including shape memory alloys – and, more specifically, the microstructure,” explains Dr. Heiko Andrä, spokesperson on the topic at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM, one of the Fraunhofer CPM core institutes. “The microstructure of these metamaterials is made up of unit cells that consist of structural elements such as small beams and thin shells.” While the size of each unit cell and its structural elements in conventional cellular materials, like foams, vary randomly, the cells in the programmable materials are also variable – but can be precisely defined, i.e., programmed. This programming can be made, for example, in such a way that pressure on a particular position will result in specific changes at other regions of the mattress, i.e., increase the size of the contact surface and provide optimal support to certain areas of the body.

Materials can also react to temperature or humidity
The change in shape that the material should exhibit and the stimuli to which it reacts - mechanical stress, heat, moisture or even an electric or magnetic field - can be determined by the choice of material and its microstructure.

The journey to application
A single piece of material can take the place of entire systems of sensors, regulators and actuators. The goal of Fraunhofer CPM is to reduce the complexity of systems by integrating their functionalities into the material and reducing material diversity. We always have industrial products in mind when developing the programmable materials. As such, we take mass production processes and material fatigue into account, among other things,” says Franziska Wenz, deputy spokesperson on the topic at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, another core institute of Fraunhofer CPM. The initial pilot projects with industry partners are also already underway. The research team expects that initially, programmable materials will act as replacements for components in existing systems or be used in special applications such as medical mattresses, comfortable chairs, variable damping shoe soles and protective clothing. “Gradually, the proportion of programmable materials used will increase,” says Andrä. Ultimately, they can be used everywhere – from medicine and sporting goods to soft robotics and even space research.

Source:

Fraunhofer ITWM

Photo: OCSiAl
24.11.2022

OCSiAl: Graphene nanotubes expand textiles’ functionality

  • ESD protection in harsh environments:
  • Polymer-coated chemical-resistant fabrics and fireproof special textiles with expanded electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety function have been developed.
  • Graphene nanotubes used as an electrostatic dissipative material make it possible to add ESD protection without compromising resistance to aggressive environments.
  • Efficient working loadings starting from 0.06% are sufficient for stable anti-static properties fully compliant with safety standards and position graphene nanotubes far ahead of other conductive materials.

Protective clothing, upholstery, and industrial fabrics that experience harsh conditions require advanced performance. Depending on the final application, specialty textiles can be augmented with flame retardancy, durability, chemical protection, and other properties. Additionally, ESD protection is obligatory in the chemical, rescue, mining, oil & gas, automotive manufacturing, and many other industries that are subject to safety regulations.
 

  • ESD protection in harsh environments:
  • Polymer-coated chemical-resistant fabrics and fireproof special textiles with expanded electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety function have been developed.
  • Graphene nanotubes used as an electrostatic dissipative material make it possible to add ESD protection without compromising resistance to aggressive environments.
  • Efficient working loadings starting from 0.06% are sufficient for stable anti-static properties fully compliant with safety standards and position graphene nanotubes far ahead of other conductive materials.

Protective clothing, upholstery, and industrial fabrics that experience harsh conditions require advanced performance. Depending on the final application, specialty textiles can be augmented with flame retardancy, durability, chemical protection, and other properties. Additionally, ESD protection is obligatory in the chemical, rescue, mining, oil & gas, automotive manufacturing, and many other industries that are subject to safety regulations.
 
In applications where multifunctionality of textile is required, graphene nanotubes overcome the limitations of other conductive materials such as unstable anti-static properties; degradation of strength, or chemical or fire resistance; complicated manufacturing processes; dusty production; carbon contamination on the material’s surface; or limited color options. Recent developments show that graphene nanotubes provide ESD protection to textiles in full compliance with safety standards and without degrading the textile’s resistance to harsh environments, greatly enhancing the value of textiles.
 
One such example is textiles coated with fluoroelastomer (a polymer that is highly resistant to chemicals) augmented with graphene nanotubes from OCSiAl. Nanotubes provide the material with surface resistivity of 10^6–10^8 Ω/sq compliant with EN, ISO, and ATEX standards for personal protective equipment. This new technology opens the door for the fabric to be used in high-level protective suits, combining exceptional protection from chemicals with electrostatic discharge protection.
 
Another example is how graphene nanotube technology is being acknowledged as a replacement for metal yarns in fireproof and anti-static textiles, protecting against sparks, splashes of molten metal, high temperatures, and the risk of sudden electrostatic discharge. While metal yarns require a specific knitting process and storage conditions, incorporating nanotubes in a fabric does not require any changes in the manufacturing process as the water-based dispersion is introduced into the fabric at the fluoro-organic treatment stage. The fabric with OCSiAl’s graphene nanotubes has been proven to maintain the pre-set level of ESD protection (surface resistance of 10^7 Ω) after numerous washes.
 
Permanent and stable electrical conductivity, facilitated by graphene nanotubes, is not only a matter of safety but brings additional value in augmenting dust-repellent properties and touchscreen compatibility for comfort and time savings. At the same time, the ultralow nanotube concentrations result in maintained manufacturing processes and mechanical properties, and improve product aesthetics by making it possible to use a wide range of colors. Altogether, these benefits allow textile manufacturers to create next-generation special textiles with expanded functionality.

 

16.11.2022

AkzoNobel launches sustainable biocide-free range for boaters

Recreational boaters now have an easy way to be more sustainable following the introduction of a new biocide-free (B-Free) fouling control range from AkzoNobel’s Yacht Coatings business.

The first product to be launched from the new B-Free range is B-Free Explore. It features a specially-developed, unique silicone polymer technology which produces an exceptionally smooth and slick hull – helping to reduce drag.

Fouling is controlled by preventing microorganisms such as barnacles, slime and algae from forming strong bonds with the hull of the boat. Any that do adhere can be simply wiped away by hand or water jet.

“We’ve developed high-performance technology which allows boaters to maintain a clean, smooth hull,” explains Simon Parker, Director of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protective Coatings business. “It’s based on proven technology and exemplifies the restless spirit of innovation which has been the cornerstone of our International brand for more than 140 years.”

Recreational boaters now have an easy way to be more sustainable following the introduction of a new biocide-free (B-Free) fouling control range from AkzoNobel’s Yacht Coatings business.

The first product to be launched from the new B-Free range is B-Free Explore. It features a specially-developed, unique silicone polymer technology which produces an exceptionally smooth and slick hull – helping to reduce drag.

Fouling is controlled by preventing microorganisms such as barnacles, slime and algae from forming strong bonds with the hull of the boat. Any that do adhere can be simply wiped away by hand or water jet.

“We’ve developed high-performance technology which allows boaters to maintain a clean, smooth hull,” explains Simon Parker, Director of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protective Coatings business. “It’s based on proven technology and exemplifies the restless spirit of innovation which has been the cornerstone of our International brand for more than 140 years.”

Adds Jemma Lampkin, Global Commercial Director for AkzoNobel’s Yacht Coatings business: “Boaters are becoming more aware of the impact they can have on the environment, but they still require technologies that deliver high-performance fouling control. B-Free Explore provides a stand-out solution for both of these challenges.”

Specially crafted for the leisure boat market, B-Free Explore is the culmination of a five-year development program. It can be applied to new hulls or directly to existing antifouling, without the need for the removal of the previous antifouling coating. This makes it simple for boaters to upgrade from their traditional coatings to the new technology.

The new product is also better for the marine ecosystem. Being biocide-free, it provides a smooth surface for improved hull efficiencies, which can lead to a reduced carbon footprint.

Currently being introduced in Northern Europe, B-Free Explore will be rolled out across Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden in January 2023.

More information:
AkzoNobel Coatings Polymere
Source:

AkzoNobel

31.10.2022

Cinte Techtextil China announces exhibitors for December Edition

From 7 – 9 December 2022, Cinte Techtextil China will welcome visitors sourcing solutions for 12 application areas of technical textiles and nonwovens at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

A number of countries and regions are represented at the fair’s International Zone, with companies from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the US. Standout international exhibitors include:

From 7 – 9 December 2022, Cinte Techtextil China will welcome visitors sourcing solutions for 12 application areas of technical textiles and nonwovens at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

A number of countries and regions are represented at the fair’s International Zone, with companies from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the US. Standout international exhibitors include:

  • TESTEX, an international, independent Swiss institute which specialises in the testing and certification of textile and leather products. The organisation is a founding member and official representative of the OEKO-TEX® Association, and will present their certification services at the fairground.
  • Cotton Council International (CCI) is a non-profit trade association that promotes US cotton fibre and manufactured cotton products, with their COTTON USA™ Mark. At this year’s fair they will showcase cotton spunlace fabric, wipes, kitchen tissues, facial masks, cosmetic removers, and more, with their products particularly applicable to Agrotech, Clothtech, Medtech, and Sporttech.
  • Graf + Cie AG is a subsidiary of the Rieter Group, and a leading supplier of clothing for carding and combs for combing machines in the short- and long-staple spinning industry. This year, the Swiss company will showcase stationary flats, and metallic card clothing for roller cards.
  • At the returning German Pavilion, buyers can source sought-after technical textiles and nonwovens that are renowned for their quality. The companies and expertise on display at this pavilion are endorsed by the Federal Republic of Germany, with several exhibitors highlighted below:
  • Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co KG has developed machinery for the textile industry since 1949. Today, the company offers complete line systems for the dry finishing of both woven and knitted fabric, as well as for technical textiles, glass fibres, and floor coverings.
  • Perlon (Zhejiang) Co Ltd is part of a global group of companies that specialises in the manufacture of synthetic filaments, with factories in China, Germany, Poland, and the US. Their products have a diverse range of potential uses, largely categorised in the Agrotech and Indutech application areas.
  • IBENA Textilwerke GmbH produces various functional fabrics for Protech. At the fair, the company will be showcasing insulative, flame retardant (FR) textiles for firefighting and search & rescue services. Developed with DuPont™ aramid material, their FR properties will not diminish after washing or repeated use.

This year’s fair also sees the return of the Taiwan Zone. With support from the Taiwan Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association, the area will showcase a range of industry leading nonwoven products and services, by brands such as KNH Enterprise, Nan Liu Enterprise, Unique Pretty Ind, and Web-Pro Corporation.

As a world’s largest manufacturer of technical textiles, China is home to a vast array of companies responsible for innovative products. Some domestic exhibitors to look out for are:

  • CTA Hi-Textiles Co Ltd, a high-tech enterprise controlled by China Textile Science Research Institute. In recent years, the company has developed several new textile composite materials, and their products are widely used in sectors such as national defence, policing and public security, medical protection, and engineering and manufacturing.
  • Sateri is one of the world’s largest producers of viscose fibre, with an annual capacity of 1.8 million metric tonnes. At their mills, they make yarn and fibre products applicable to sectors such as beauty, hygiene and personal care, medical, wipes, and protective wear.

To help international buyers stay connected with the Chinese market, Match Plus, the fair’s online business matching platform, will support foreign buyers achieve their sourcing goals despite travel limitations. Further information on Match Plus will be available at a later stage.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions.

Photo: Monforts
The new seven chamber Montex TwinAir stenter range with Montex®Coat coating at the plant.
26.10.2022

Dolinschek: Compression stockings in a variety of colours

The identification of profitable new niche markets has been central to the success and continuous expansion of Germany’s Dolinschek, a leading knitting, dyeing and finishing specialist, located in Burladingen in Baden-Württemberg.

“There is so much more to textiles than just clothing,” says Theo Dolinschek, who runs the company with his brother Erwin. “We handle many different technical materials such as automotive components, geotextiles and wallcoverings, but also those for more unusual applications such as inlays for extractor hoods, cut protection fabrics and even wool felts which are employed as insulation on wind turbines.

“We have also recently started to produce compression stockings in a variety of colours, because not everyone wants them black, beige or skin coloured. The most important product areas for us now are in sportswear, corsetry and lingerie, as well as orthopedic and medical products, workwear and protective clothing, but in addition, many other technical applications.”

The identification of profitable new niche markets has been central to the success and continuous expansion of Germany’s Dolinschek, a leading knitting, dyeing and finishing specialist, located in Burladingen in Baden-Württemberg.

“There is so much more to textiles than just clothing,” says Theo Dolinschek, who runs the company with his brother Erwin. “We handle many different technical materials such as automotive components, geotextiles and wallcoverings, but also those for more unusual applications such as inlays for extractor hoods, cut protection fabrics and even wool felts which are employed as insulation on wind turbines.

“We have also recently started to produce compression stockings in a variety of colours, because not everyone wants them black, beige or skin coloured. The most important product areas for us now are in sportswear, corsetry and lingerie, as well as orthopedic and medical products, workwear and protective clothing, but in addition, many other technical applications.”

The Dolinschek brothers moved their business to the historic site of the former Ambrosius Heim textile company in Burladingen in 2001 in order to expand. At the time, the company – founded by their father in 1980 as a textile wholesaler before moving into dyeing – employed just 13 people. Within a year, the company had bought additional space at the site.

Now, with Theo in charge of technology and sales, and Erwin responsible for production, the company employs almost 100 people and operates on an integrated site of 35,000 square metres.

In 2005, a laminating department was established by the company and since 2012 investment in knitting machines has been ongoing.

“The further we went into vertical integration, the more of our own products we were able to position on the market and so we were also able to make ourselves more independent,” says Theo. “We have continued to develop and today we can produce high-quality fabrics for many fields, with 42 knitting machines, 36 dyeing machines, three stenter frames and many other production and processing machines.”

Dolinschek has also developed its own proprietary TMG dyeing machines which have subsequently been successfully sold to many other companies all over the world. There are currently 11 of these machines  in operation at the Burladingen site and around 45 installed at other companies.

For finishing technology, however, the company relies on Monforts, and has installed a new seven chamber Montex TwinAir stenter range with a Montex®Coat coating unit in knife execution, enabling the coating of dimensionally stable knitted fabrics with polyurethane or acrylate. Another unique feature is the Teflon-coated (non-stick) transportation belt through the system.

The Montex line is also equipped with integrated heat recovery and exhaust gas purification to ensure the most resource-efficient processing available on the market. The exhaust air goes from the Monforts heat recovery system into an existing air/water heat recovery system and then into an electrostatic precipitator.

Highly-intuitive Monforts Qualitex visualisation software allows all machine functions and process parameters to be assessed and controlled easily.

 

More information:
Dolinschek Monforts
Source:

AWOL Media

13.07.2022

VUB: Hybrid threads based on ultrafine metallic micro-wires

After three years, VUB a.s again got the chance to actively participate in the European trade fair Techtextil 2022m being present at a joint stand of Czech companies active in production and application of technical textiles, organized by Clutex - Cluster Technical Textiles.

In cooperation with partners from academic and production sphere many products were developed over the past years, sold by VUB under the brand Clevertex. For the presentation at the fair, a wide range of ESD protective clothing for the electrotechnical industry and for each worker dealing with electrostatic discharge sensitive components was on display. As well as another product line of the Clevertex brand representing wearable skincare textile products with antiseptic effects based on purely natural textile materials.

After three years, VUB a.s again got the chance to actively participate in the European trade fair Techtextil 2022m being present at a joint stand of Czech companies active in production and application of technical textiles, organized by Clutex - Cluster Technical Textiles.

In cooperation with partners from academic and production sphere many products were developed over the past years, sold by VUB under the brand Clevertex. For the presentation at the fair, a wide range of ESD protective clothing for the electrotechnical industry and for each worker dealing with electrostatic discharge sensitive components was on display. As well as another product line of the Clevertex brand representing wearable skincare textile products with antiseptic effects based on purely natural textile materials.

Attention was paid to the advanced solutions for smart textiles and e-textiles products esp. electrically conductive hybrid threads based on ultrafine metallic micro-wires. A significant advantage of these threads lies in their full compatibility with standard textile manufacturing processes, and possibility of customization in terms of fineness, electrical conductivity and temperature resistance of individual thread. As an example of one of the applications of conductive threads, different types of woven elastic conductive ribbons were demonstrated, which could be used as bus bars or as textile conductors wherever a variable length of conductive element is required without the negative influence on their electrical resistance during the change the length.

More information:
VUB micro-wires
Source:

VÚB a.s.
 

07.06.2022

ITMC presents date and speakers for its 8th edition

The ITMC 2022 conference, which will take place at the BAnQ from September 19 to 21, 2022, is aimed at attendees from various sectors of the textile industry. Its interdisciplinary approach is the key to maximizing the potential and development of textile materials and tools for various applications. The objective of the conference is to explore new ideas, effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth by creating synergy between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, students and end users from all sectors and fully exploiting this potential.

The main topics are: Composites and textile reinforcement - Sustainable Production & Ecotextiles - Smart and functional textiles - Nanotechnology & Advanced Technical Textiles - Comfort & Protective Textiles - Medical Textiles - Digital Tools & Mass Customization

Keynote speakers :

The ITMC 2022 conference, which will take place at the BAnQ from September 19 to 21, 2022, is aimed at attendees from various sectors of the textile industry. Its interdisciplinary approach is the key to maximizing the potential and development of textile materials and tools for various applications. The objective of the conference is to explore new ideas, effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth by creating synergy between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, students and end users from all sectors and fully exploiting this potential.

The main topics are: Composites and textile reinforcement - Sustainable Production & Ecotextiles - Smart and functional textiles - Nanotechnology & Advanced Technical Textiles - Comfort & Protective Textiles - Medical Textiles - Digital Tools & Mass Customization

Keynote speakers :

  • Omar Cherkaoui, ESITH : how ESITH was able to support the operators of the Moroccan textile sector during the covid-19 crisis
  • Tracy Toulouse, TT : the impact and legacy of our clothing is to identify us as a nation
  • Prof. Raul Fangueiro, University of Minho: fiber-based materials: from nano to macro scale
  • Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, Exoskin: the role of smart textiles in the future of health
  • KyoungOk Kim, Shinshu University: Patternmaking for attractive clothing for mass customization
  • Marie O’Mahony, Consultant, Royal College of Art (RCA): smart materials & systems: has embracing uncertainty become vital to commercialization?
  • Xianyi Zeng, Ensait: intelligent garments for online monitoring of human health and well-being
  • Corinne Farace, Techtera: The collaborative approach: a major stake in meeting the challenges of tomorrow
(c) Euratex
17.05.2022

EURATEX 2022 Spring Report: Exports of textile and clothing articles +10.6%

EURATEX has just released its Spring report, offering a detailed insight into trade figures for the European textile and apparel industry in 2021. The numbers are encouraging: comparing with the dramatic corona-year 2020, EU exports of textile and clothing articles increased by +10.6%, while imports dipped by -7.5%. As a result, the EU trade deficit improved, even it remains significant (- €48 billion).

Furthermore, import prices went slightly down in clothing and dropped in textiles, following a strong decrease of Chinese import prices of face masks and protective medical supplies.

The boost in exports was mainly due to strong performance on the Swiss, Chinese and US markets. On the other side, EU sales of textile & clothing to the United Kingdom fell sharply (-23%), due to Brexit new requirements, customs’ delays and shortage of truck drivers.  Imports from the EU top supplier, China, plunged by -28%, corresponding to €13 billion. Similarly, textile and clothing imports from the United Kingdom recorded a sharp decrease over the period (-48%, equal to €-3 billion).

EURATEX has just released its Spring report, offering a detailed insight into trade figures for the European textile and apparel industry in 2021. The numbers are encouraging: comparing with the dramatic corona-year 2020, EU exports of textile and clothing articles increased by +10.6%, while imports dipped by -7.5%. As a result, the EU trade deficit improved, even it remains significant (- €48 billion).

Furthermore, import prices went slightly down in clothing and dropped in textiles, following a strong decrease of Chinese import prices of face masks and protective medical supplies.

The boost in exports was mainly due to strong performance on the Swiss, Chinese and US markets. On the other side, EU sales of textile & clothing to the United Kingdom fell sharply (-23%), due to Brexit new requirements, customs’ delays and shortage of truck drivers.  Imports from the EU top supplier, China, plunged by -28%, corresponding to €13 billion. Similarly, textile and clothing imports from the United Kingdom recorded a sharp decrease over the period (-48%, equal to €-3 billion).

Director General Dirk Vantyghem commented: “the 2021 export figures, presented in this Spring report, confirm that EURATEX members have gained momentum; even if energy prices are causing some serious short-term disruptions, our long-term ambition remains to be a world leader on sustainable textiles.”

The international trade dimension is indeed critical for the competitiveness of the European textile ecosystem, and needs to be fully embedded in the EU’s Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. The Commission insists that “all textile products placed on the EU market, are durable, free of hazardous substances, produced respecting social standards…” This is an essential condition to create a level playing field between all textile and apparel companies, regardless of their production base. With €100 billion of imports, and over 20 billion of “foreign” textile items put on the Single Market, this requires a dramatic upscaling of market surveillance, without however disrupting fluid supply chains.

Looking at the impact of war in Ukraine, EURATEX has strongly condemned the Russian aggression, and offered support to the Ukrainian textile industry. Ukraine offers valuable sourcing opportunities for European textile and apparel brands, as part of a broader nearshoring trend, which seems to emerge from the trade figures.

More information:
Euratex export
Source:

Euratex

(c) DiloGroup
13.05.2022

DiloGroup at Techtextil with nonwovens technology

The DiloGroup informs at Techtextil in Frankfurt (June 21 – 24, 2022) about new developments aimed at improving production technologies with a focus on needlefelts.

It becomes more evident that the textile industry comes into the focus of regulatory authorities who push respecting sustainability principles and who initiate a new body of laws. Hence all industrial sectors are requested to achieve savings in material and energy. The textile machine building, of course, plays an important role by seizing this initiative and offering solutions for fibre pulp recycling and reduction of energy, water and ancillaries. DiloGroup has made big efforts to meet these challenges together with a circle of partner companies. In this regard focal points of the development work are:

The DiloGroup informs at Techtextil in Frankfurt (June 21 – 24, 2022) about new developments aimed at improving production technologies with a focus on needlefelts.

It becomes more evident that the textile industry comes into the focus of regulatory authorities who push respecting sustainability principles and who initiate a new body of laws. Hence all industrial sectors are requested to achieve savings in material and energy. The textile machine building, of course, plays an important role by seizing this initiative and offering solutions for fibre pulp recycling and reduction of energy, water and ancillaries. DiloGroup has made big efforts to meet these challenges together with a circle of partner companies. In this regard focal points of the development work are:

  1. Intense Needling
    Needling per se is a mechanical production method with a high energy efficiency. For this reason, the development efforts of DiloGroup aim at producing nonwovens by “intense needling” instead of water entangling, even for light nonwovens made of fine fibres for the medical and hygiene sector with an area weight of 30 – 100 g/m². This would result in a reduction of the environmentally relevant production costs; per annum to about 1/3 to 1/5 of current.
    Despite the prospective advantages of the mechanical intense needling method over the hydrodynamical, water entanglement is at the moment the most important production method for low area weights and highest production capacity and is also offered by the DiloGroup as general contractor in cooperation with partner companies.
  2. “Fibre Pulp Recycling”
    Fibrous material in nonwovens and particularly used clothes can be successfully recycled, if staple length can be conserved in the tearing process. In the classical tearing process, staple lengths are dramatically reduced and therefore these fibres can only be used as base material for inferior uses in thermal or acoustic insulation or in protective textiles, transportation or protective covers etc.
    When recycling textile waste in the context of the collection of used clothes, the so called “filament-saving” tearing using special tearing machines and methods must be used to produce fibres with longer staple lengths which can be fed to a nonwoven installation. Hence product characteristics can be better specified and controlled.
  3. Additive nonwoven production
    The additive production method of the “3D-Lofter” is especially suited for automotive parts with differently distributed masses; but there may also be potential for increasing uses in the sector of apparel and shoe production.
  4. “IsoFeed”-card feeding
    In the field of card feeding, the “IsoFeed” method offers great potential for a more homogeneous card feeding at the same time reducing the variation in cross-machine fibre mass distribution and thus the fibre consumption while conserving the end product quality.
Source:

DiloGroup

Mobile robot system for automated loading of a bobbin creel (c) STFI
12.05.2022

STFI with sustainable and digital innovations at Techtextil 2022

The Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI) will be presenting innovative highlights from research and development at Techtextil 2022, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. In addition to a warp-knitted textile façade greening in a modular system and textile lightweight construction elements for the building sector made from hemp as a renewable raw material, the STFI will also be showing innovations from nonwovens research. The project optiformTEX is an example of the nonwovens competence: in this project, the mass per unit area was specifically influenced for the production of semi-finished products in the automotive sector. Furthermore, the Chemnitz Institute exhibits an ecological foam coating for protective textiles. Central highlight of the STFI's presence at the fair is also a mobile robot system, which demonstrates the automated loading of a small-scale bobbin creel.

The Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI) will be presenting innovative highlights from research and development at Techtextil 2022, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. In addition to a warp-knitted textile façade greening in a modular system and textile lightweight construction elements for the building sector made from hemp as a renewable raw material, the STFI will also be showing innovations from nonwovens research. The project optiformTEX is an example of the nonwovens competence: in this project, the mass per unit area was specifically influenced for the production of semi-finished products in the automotive sector. Furthermore, the Chemnitz Institute exhibits an ecological foam coating for protective textiles. Central highlight of the STFI's presence at the fair is also a mobile robot system, which demonstrates the automated loading of a small-scale bobbin creel.

Highlights at Techtextil 2022
The greened façade tile is a system with which large building surfaces can be cost-effectively greened through a simple, modular segment structure. In addition to insulating the building, the system has been created to meet the design requirements of a modern city centre; low-maintenance greening is made possible through functional integration in the textile carrier layer and coordinated plant selection.

Moulded components made of natural fibre nonwovens are increasingly used in the automotive sector. Conventional nonwovens currently have uniform masses per unit area. Technical solutions for load-oriented component reinforcement and the resulting optimised use of materials represent an enormous economic potential. The basic idea of “optiformTEX” was therefore to specifically influence the mass per unit area distribution in the pile before the semi-finished product is consolidated. As a result, a textile-technological process and the corresponding plant component were successfully developed.

Future-oriented materials are offered by developments from the field of renewable raw materials in combination with bio-based resin systems: In the “Gro-Coce” project, an innovative ceiling system was developed by combining sustainable building products and methods. Currently, a high-performance hemp-based semi-finished product as well as the steps for its reproducible production by means of textile surface formation is developed by the research team. Initial application and load tests of the hemp-based semi-finished products on wooden beams confirmed the high performance potential of the natural fibre materials.

Special functional textiles are based on composite materials with coatings or membranes. The previous production of the coatings/membranes poses ecological and health risks. At STFI, solvent-free, purely aqueous coating systems and a technology for their application were therefore developed for the protective textile sector, resulting in a breathable, waterproof and wash-resistant textile coating.

The central highlight of the STFI's presence at the fair is a mobile robot system, which demonstrates the automated loading of a small-scale bobbin creel. At the STFI, the robot is part of the “textile factory of the future”, where a play mat is woven and processed step by step along the textile chain.

RADICIGROUP
05.04.2022

RadiciGroup: A spacesuit for analogue Mars missions

  • RadiciGroup establishes a network of Italian textile excellence to create a spacesuit for analogue Mars missions
  • The Space Economy is launched in Bergamo. Mars Planet analogue astronauts to take part in the SMOPS Mars mission simulation wearing suits made of RadiciGroup yarn.

A group of companies in the Italian textile industry, headed by RadiciGroup, has created the first spacesuit for analogue simulation fully designed and engineered in Italy for the Space Medicine Operations (SMOPS) Mars mission. This endeavour was promoted and organized by Mars Planet – the Italian chapter of the Mars Society headquartered in the province of Bergamo – under the patronage of the Italian Space Agency.

The SMOPS analogue mission is mainly focused on space medicine: health monitoring of future astronauts and development of support technologies for the simulation of life in space and planet environments.

Source:

RADICIGROUP

LAMICOR-CL Laminator (c) Reifenhäuser
14.03.2022

Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating presents new Ultrathin Coating process at ICE Europe

Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating - specialists for cast film, sheet extrusion and extrusion coating lines - will showcase a new production process for cost-effective film/nonwoven composites with an exceptionally low grammage at ICE (International Converting Exhibition) Europe. The leading international trade show for paper, film, and foil conversion and processing will be held at Messe München (Munich trade fair center) from March 15-17, 2022.

Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating - specialists for cast film, sheet extrusion and extrusion coating lines - will showcase a new production process for cost-effective film/nonwoven composites with an exceptionally low grammage at ICE (International Converting Exhibition) Europe. The leading international trade show for paper, film, and foil conversion and processing will be held at Messe München (Munich trade fair center) from March 15-17, 2022.

The Covid-19 pandemic and current supply shortages have exposed the dependence of companies on global supply chains. This situation is both a warning signal and an opportunity to boost and reorganize the local production of semi-finished products from the ground up. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has now developed a trend-setting production process termed Ultrathin Coating, in particular for the sector of medical protective clothing. The process will permit customers to produce particularly lightweight film/nonwoven composites with greater cost efficiency and, as a result, more competitively. The patent-pending process has several advantages: It cuts film grammage by 66%; material consumption in the overall composite is reduced by 28%; and it slashes costs by up to 34% compared to conventional semi-finished products. Significant cost savings are achieved in various ways, for example, by replacing hotmelt adhesives, which reduces line maintenance to a great extent at the same time.

Mark Borutta, Sales & Marketing Specialist bei Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, erklärt: „Wir erleben derzeit einen nachhaltig wachsenden Mehrbedarf für medizinische Schutzbekleidung verbunden mit einer Rückholstrategie für lokale Produktionskapazitäten. Vor diesem Hintergrund erzielen Produzenten mit ‚Ultrathin Coating‘ einen schnellen Return on Invest und hohe Profitabilität – auch bei einer Produktion innerhalb Europas.“ Die Vlies-erfahrene Schwesterfirma Reifenhäuser Reicofil –führender Hersteller von Vliesstoffanlagen – hat die Entwicklung unterstützt.

Mark Borutta, Sales & Marketing specialist at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: "We are currently experiencing a sustained increase in demand for medical protective clothing combined with a return strategy for local production capacity. Against this backdrop, producers achieve a fast return on investment and high profitability with Ultrathin Coating - even when production is based in Europe." The sister company, Reifenhäuser Reicofil, an experienced and global leading manufacturer of nonwoven lines, provided their support to the development.

Even if manufacturers already produce medical protective clothing and prefer to handle the coating process internally in the future instead of importing the necessary composites, it is worthwhile to set up an in-house production facility. In either case, the investment in Ultrathin Coating usually pays for itself in less than 12 months. The lower material input also reduces the consumption of fossil raw materials and this in turn responds to the increased demand for more sustainable products.

More information:
Reifenhäuser high-tech coatings
Source:

Reifenhäuser

05.11.2021

NCTO Commends House Passage of Infrastructure Package

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber through finished products, issued a statement welcoming House passage of a bipartisan infrastructure bill that will provide billions of dollars in new spending to revitalize the nation’s roads, bridges and railways and help reconstitute a domestic supply chain for face masks, isolation gowns and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We commend the House for getting the bipartisan infrastructure bill across the finish line today, and we are pleased the legislation will now go to President Biden for his signature. This is the first step in a long-term strategy that is critically needed to permanently onshore PPE production to ensure our nation is prepared for the next health security crisis,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “This infrastructure package will help incentivize the reshoring of PPE production by guaranteeing long-term federal contracts and expanding Berry Amendment rules to more federal agencies’ purchases of PPE products, important priorities of the U.S. textile industry.”

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber through finished products, issued a statement welcoming House passage of a bipartisan infrastructure bill that will provide billions of dollars in new spending to revitalize the nation’s roads, bridges and railways and help reconstitute a domestic supply chain for face masks, isolation gowns and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We commend the House for getting the bipartisan infrastructure bill across the finish line today, and we are pleased the legislation will now go to President Biden for his signature. This is the first step in a long-term strategy that is critically needed to permanently onshore PPE production to ensure our nation is prepared for the next health security crisis,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “This infrastructure package will help incentivize the reshoring of PPE production by guaranteeing long-term federal contracts and expanding Berry Amendment rules to more federal agencies’ purchases of PPE products, important priorities of the U.S. textile industry.”

NCTO worked with congressional allies to include a version of the Make PPE in America Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), in the infrastructure legislative package. The bill ensures all PPE purchased by the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs are Berry Amendment-compliant (containing 100 percent domestic content); guarantees long-term contracts (a minimum of two years) to U.S. manufacturers; and creates a tiered preference for PPE made in the Western Hemisphere by our free trade partners using U.S. components, after domestic manufacturing capacity has been maximized.