From the Sector

Rudolf GmbH, a provider of chemicals to the textile industry, can now offer side-by-side performance tests of the age-old “dip and squeeze” pad versus precision spray finishing with the delivery of Baldwin Technology Inc.’s TexCoat ™ G4 lab-scale unit.

The new TexCoat lab-scale unit at Rudolf’s Geretsried, Germany-based Customer Solution Center, tests the sprayability of chemicals on fabrics as an additional tool to help the market transition to precision spray with confidence in the performance and sustainability of the end result.
 
With Baldwin’s innovative system, the chemistry is precisely distributed across the textile surface and is applied only where it is required, on one or both sides of the fabric. The non-contact technology eliminates chemistry dilution in wet-on-wet processes, allowing full control of maintaining consistent chemistry coverage rates.
 
Plus, pad bath contamination is eliminated, and changeovers are only required when there is a change of finish chemistry. On wet-on-dry processes, the finish is applied with 50% of the amount of water required for pad finishing. Dryer fabric entering the stenter means less water to evaporate resulting in less energy and higher production speeds.
 
More specifically, with Baldwin’s TexCoat G4, textile finishers can track and control the finishing process. Changeovers are quickly performed thanks to recipe management, including automated chemistry and coverage selection. Furthermore, the system takes speed information from the drying process to insure exact coverage regardless of any change in speed. TexCoat G4 measures every drop of chemical usage ensuring that the amount of chemical add-on is precise.
 
In addition, the TexCoat G4 system can process a wide range of low-viscosity water-based chemicals, such as durable water-repellants including PFAS-free, softeners, anti-microbials, easy care resins, flame retardants and more. Baldwin’s technology utilizes the same chemicals used in the traditional pad bath, with no special auxiliaries required.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel Europe (Freudenberg) has expanded its facility in Sant´Omero, Italy, into a competence center for finishing and coating apparel interlinings. The Competence Center was officially opened on May 26, 2023.

The Freudenberg team in Sant´Omero has over 35 years of expertise in the manufacture of high-quality interlinings for menswear: base materials produced at the site are finished and coated to customers’ specifications. With the new competence center, the facility will now focus on coating and finishing all nonwoven, woven and weft apparel interlinings in Freudenberg’s portfolio. Customers throughout Europe will enjoy the advantages of greater manufacturing flexibility and a more diverse product offering.

Freudenberg installed the necessary finishing and coating technology at the new competence center in Italy over the last few months, building a new production hall for this machinery and equipment. Until recently, the bulk of interlinings were coated and finished in Weinheim, Germany. The facility there will now operate as a further competence center specializing in the production of base materials for apparel interlinings.

In addition to establishing the competence center, Freudenberg has also improved logistics. A new central warehouse in Italy now supplies customers in Southern Europe. It complements the central warehouse in Germany that delivers goods to customers in Northern Europe. As a result, Freudenberg is shortening both delivery routes and delivery times.

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. will present its TexCoat™ G4 precision spray finishing system at ITMA 2023.

ITMA 2023 will be held June 8-14 at the Fiera Milano Rho Exhibition Centre (Milan). Baldwin will demonstrate TexCoat G4 as well as its Plasma Pure treater. ITMA participants can stop by and “touch” Baldwin’s wide array of TexCoat G4-applied fabric samples from textile mills around the world and experience what precision finishing “feels” like.  Experts will be on hand to discuss how Baldwin Technology can assist in transitioning the textile supply chain to reach their sustainability and carbon footprint goals while improving performance and saving money.

TexCoat G4 processes a wide range of low-viscosity water-based chemicals, such as durable water-repellants including PFAS-free, softeners, anti-microbials, easy-care and flame retardants, just to name a few. The company's technology uses the same chemicals as found in traditional pad baths with no special auxiliaries required.

In addition to TexCoat G4, Baldwin is offering its Plasma Pure treatment for textiles. The system enhanced and more efficient dyeing, coating and lamination of textiles and nonwovens. Its ceramic electrodes generate an air plasma used to efficiently treat the fabric surface. Key benefits include dramatically improved absorption and adhesion properties of the fabric, boosting productivity while enhancing the absorption properties with an optimized and uniform dyeing result and a significant acceleration of the absorption process. Laminated fabrics benefit from Plasma Pure technology with greater bonding strength.

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. announced that Igatex Pakistan will officially kick off its new partnership with long-established Pakistan textile technology agent Al Ameen Trading Corporation. Representatives from both companies will team up to demonstrate Baldwin’s highly sustainable TexCoat™ G4 finishing system.

Igatex, the International Exhibition for Garment, Textile Machinery and Accessories, takes place December 1-4 at the Expo Centre in Lahore. Baldwin and Al Ameen will demonstrate TexCoat G4 and provide details on Baldwin’s Plasma Pure corona treatment as well as TexMoister G2™ remoistening systems technologies.

Baldwin’s TexCoat G4 non-contact precision-spray technology helps textile finishers up their game by enabling consistent, high-quality finishing, with zero chemistry waste and drastically minimized water and energy consumption. With Baldwin’s innovative system, the chemistry is precisely distributed across the textile surface and is applied only where it is required, on one or both sides of the fabric. The non-contact technology eliminates chemistry dilution in wet-on-wet processes, allowing full control of maintaining consistent chemistry coverage rates. Plus, pad bath contamination is eliminated, and changeovers are only required when there is a change of finish chemistry.

• made out of recycled PET flakes and recyclable again
• suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics
• moisture management in sports and active wear

For the sustainable use of resources, the CHT Group has developed the product ARRISTAN rAIR, according to the principles of the circular economy. Here, plastic waste is converted into a valuable textile finishing product to achieve, for example, optimal moisture management in sports and active wear. Other areas of application include socks and tights in the clothing sector, filtration media and nonwovens in the technical textiles sector, and pillows and curtains in home textiles.

Since ARRISTAN rAIR is made out of recycled PET flakes, it is suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics which are subsequently recyclable again.

The hydrophilizing agent ARRISTAN rAIR is characterized by its fast-drying properties in combination with excellent soil release and thermoregulation. It therefore offers, especially in the field of functional textiles, optimal functionalities for high-quality and durable sportswear.

• Focus on the guiding principle of "textile intelligence" and sustainability

Long before sustainability became a trend in the textile industry, Schoeller Textil AG, which has been innovating technical fabrics and smart textile finishing technologies for more than 150 years, made it its mission to develop textile innovations in harmony with nature. Now the company is undergoing an extensive rebranding, whilst unveiling its strong brand foundation in the process. The result embodies the newly defined guiding principle of “Textile Intelligence” - the development and successful implementation of innovative textiles and intelligent textile technologies.

Innovations in the textile industry must meet requirements on several levels – offering both new and optimized solutions to sociological, ecological, and economic challenges of our time. Creating this holistic added value is firmly rooted in the Schoeller brand origin and is still the top priority in textile product development today. The brand essence has thus remained the same, but it has been embodied anew.

“At the beginning of the rebranding process, it was clear to us we had to root ourselves in (Swiss) tradition in order to fully realize Schoeller’s entire brand potential and successfully explore new, digital paths,” said Antonio Gatti Balsarri, Schoeller chief commercial officer.

“The goal of the rebranding is to communicate our traditional brand values in a completely new brand presence. The result was a sharpened brand profile, a clear brand strategy and tonality, as well as a clean, modern corporate design. We will specifically address our sustainability commitment through the expansion of digital touchpoints, their cross-media use, and an increased online presence. Simplified, straightforward, sustainable - in accordance with our greatest source of inspiration: nature.”

Transparency and Sustainability
Paramount to Schoeller’s corporate identity is the full disclosure of brand principles and transparency around all business divisions. A simplified logo design was established by reducing logo elements and colors for a modern look and feel that can be produced in a much more resource-efficient manner. Schoeller’s new brand mantra of “Textile Intelligence” speaks to its company mission of more than 150 years.

Schoeller has been a bluesign system partner from the very beginning and uses the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) to assess sustainable performance. In addition to environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes and careful material selection, the highest quality and sustainability standards in production also mean guaranteeing fair working conditions. Schoeller follows a Code of Conduct that guarantees transparent production chains, environmental protection, and fair working conditions.

“Zero Textile Waste” becomes a targeted brand strategy. While the production of textiles and textile technologies is continuously being optimized to preserve resources, the manufacturing processes are often costly and complex. To this end, Schoeller offers new approaches to efforts around Zero Waste in the industry. Its new online shop, “Schoeller re-Fabric” sells textile remnants from production directly to designers and smaller productions to increase its overall production volume efficiency and avoid textile waste.

BTMA member Sellers Textile Engineers is marking its 110th anniversary this year with the introduction of a new concept in carpet shearing, as the essential final step in ensuring tuft uniformity and ‘just new’ freshness in finished carpet rolls.

The company has for many years offered two options in the construction of its shearing cylinders – the first, namely the ‘strap-on’, incorporates spiral blades bolted to the cylinder body and the second, known as the ‘caulked-in’, includes spirals which are fixed very securely in a machined groove within the machine.

The new Sellers’ Hybrid Shearing Cylinder combines the benefits of both, resulting in an improved cut and finer finish, in addition to longer repeatable finishing and increased rigidity.

“The Hybrid Shearing Cylinder has all the advantages of the ‘strap-on’ spiral blade to provide a sharper and cleaner cut, along with enhanced rigidity which significantly lengthens the intervals between the necessary regrinding of the blade,” explains Sellers Director Neil Miller. “We currently have six Hybrid Shearing Cylinders operating in the field and the earliest, which has been installed in both No1 Head position, where the majority of the shearing operation and heaviest cut is performed, and also in No3 Head, where the sharper cutting angle has resulted in a much improved surface quality.”

Sellers shearing machines have led the field in carpet finishing for many decades, enabling the leading manufacturers to stay competitive by enabling the highest quality of finish to be achieved economically and efficiently.

The latest advanced features of these machines include a load cell tension control drive system, an automated touchscreen for easy operator control and fault diagnosis, an enhanced cleaning system including cylinder and blade separation and fully controllable pivoting beds. Further options include thickness monitoring, seam detection and metal detection systems.

“The Hybrid Shearing Cylinder will become standard on our latest machines and also be made available for retrofitting, to provide significant benefits to our existing users,” says Miller. “All of our equipment is designed, manufactured, assembled and tested at our plant in the UK, and as one of the few remaining European engineering companies to make all of our components in-house – with now over a century of accumulated know-how – flexibility in design allows our finishing solutions to be targeted to specific customers and their product requirements. Aligned to this is a lead in process control systems which ensure the accurate control, reliability and repeatability of the processing parameters on all of our machines.”

Sellers remains committed to providing complete finishing solutions for all carpet, tile and artificial grass products. Its range includes machines for tufted secondary backing, both conventional, powder and extrusion lamination, Wilton and Axminster products, artificial grass and foam lines, coating lines for bitumen, PVC, PU and other polymers, as well as shearing for all carpet products.

Ongoing developments on the company’s coating and drying lines have resulted in improved guiding and product tension control as well as dryer efficiency, reducing heat loss and optimising energy use. These include a re-design of the fan pressure boxes and impingement nozzles to increase airflow efficiency, modulating gas burners and introducing easy clean, accessible filters.

In addition, the proven dual zone system has been enhanced, giving a temperature differential of up to 80°C between top and bottom zones. Dryers can be heated by either gas or steam and operation and access have been simplified with controls via touchscreen and PLC.

An extensive range of ancillary equipment is available to provide maximum flexibility to cover product requirements, for both new processing lines and as upgrades to existing equipment.

“Carpet manufacturing is now based on well-established, tried and trusted processes and it’s rare for new innovations to be introduced into this sector,” says Jason Kent, CEO of the British Textile Machinery Association. “The new Sellers Hybrid Shearing Cylinder can provide a competitive edge for manufacturers which is currently being proven in the field. It’s one of a number of new innovations the company is planning to showcase at next year’s ITMA exhibition in Milan.”

Baldwin Technology Co. Inc. and Fi-Tech Inc. join partnership to ensure service amid growing demand for sustainable solutions. Fi-Tech Inc. will represent Baldwin Technology Co. Inc.’s complete textile and nonwoven product lines as its sales agent in the U.S. and Canada.

Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Fi-Tech is an agency and distribution firm for textile and non-woven machinery. Its initial focus was on synthetic fibers and nonwovens and it has since expanded its portfolio to represent manufacturers of complete machines or technical components used in the production of nonwovens, synthetic fibers, polymer, textiles, converting, perforated products and tobacco processing. Fi-Tech also maintains a spare parts inventory for many of the companies it represents.

“With the increasing demand of Baldwin’s finishing technology, we needed to find the right partner for sales promotion in the U.S. and Canadian markets for knits, wovens and non-wovens,” said Rick Stanford, Baldwin Technology’s VP Global Business Development, Textiles. “Fi-Tech of Richmond, Virginia is the perfect partner. They are well established in the textile and non-wovens industry and their portfolio of principals provides excellent synergy with Baldwin’s precision spray and plasma treater systems.”

Baldwin’s solutions are used in a wide variety of fabrics from basic jersey and fleece with softening and anti-microbial finishes to technical fabrics such as outdoor gear, military, upholstery, automotive and industrial fabrics utilizing the latest in technical finishes such as DWR, soil release, flame retardants and insect repellent among others.

Pincroft, UK’s largest textile dyer, printer and finisher, developed a new camouflage pattern for the Dutch Ministry of Defence as part of their Defensie Materieel Organisatie’s (DMO) ‘STRONG’ programme that aims to supply combat clothing and equipment to all military personnel part of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Army, Air Force and Marechaussee.

The new fabric and camouflage pattern boast the new Netherlands Fractal Pattern and will be used in at least 480,000 sets of uniforms for soldiers worldwide. The camouflage pattern is being manufactured in a green or woodland style for the Army, Air Force, Marechaussee and Marines, while the Navy receives a blue or marine style design. Pincroft followed the guidelines of the new Netherlands Fractal Pattern (NFP) to create an eight-colour camouflage design that provides high levels of disruption to give soldiers better concealment when needed.

The fabric was created by global workwear textile manufacturer, Carrington Textiles, specifically following the Dutch MoD’s requirements on comfort and protection. The result is a lightweight yet durable textile of 210gsm with a composition of 50% cotton, 50% high tenacity nylon and Ripstop for added strength.

The high cotton content of the fabric creates a uniform that’s comfortable to wear due to its softness to the touch, and breathability, as well as providing moisture wicking properties, key elements for the tough conditions soldiers work in. The addition of high tenacity nylon to the fabric, provides added strength and durability, with the Ripstop properties of the fabric offering tear resistance.

Around 480,000 trousers and jackets will be delivered to officers from the Royal Netherlands Navy, Army, Air Force and Marechaussee, during a uniform roll out part of the Dutch MoD’s ‘STRONG’ programme that aims to equip the armed forces in the next 18 months with versatile uniforms and equipment that are adjustable according to the assignment. The pack also includes a raincoat, combat shirt and baseball cap.

Monforts has installed and commissioned a new Montex finishing range at the Baltic Works of Halley Stevensons in Dundee, Scotland, to further boost the weatherproofing specialist’s highly flexible operations.

The range, with a working width of two metres, was built at the Montex assembly plant in Austria and consists of a Montex®Coat coating unit in knife execution for paste and foam coating and a Montex 8500 6F stenter.

Founded in 1864, Halley Stevensons has amassed unique technical know-how and manufacturing experience in the art of waxed cotton for weatherproofed fabrics and is able to provide international orders in custom colours and finishes to very low minimum quantities where required. The company exports worldwide and its premium brand customers include Belstaff, Barbours, Filson and J.Crew.

The range has replaced one of the company’s older stenter/coating lines and has already enabled Halley Stevensons to recreate various products with lower coating applications at higher speeds than was previously possible.

Waxed cotton was originally developed by sailors in the early 15th century when Scottish North Sea herring fleets began treating flax sailcloth with fish oils and grease in an attempt to waterproof their sails. Remnants of these sails were used by the sailors as capes to withstand the high winds and sea spray.

By the mid 1850s, sailcloth was being treated with linseed oil, but while initially highly effective, it would yellow and stiffen through weathering over time and eventually lose its waterproofing qualities.

In the years that followed, various treatments were applied to cottons in an attempt to find the most effective weatherproofing solution, and the combination of densely-woven cotton impregnated with a paraffin waxed coating proved most successful. For over 150 years, Halley Stevensons created many different variations of both woven constructions and finishing treatments and now supplies thousands of metres of waxed cotton every year, with each roll produced to custom specifications.

“The beauty of waxed cotton is its durability and longevity,” says Managing Director James Campbell. “The fabrics are breathable, with the wax adjusting to ambient temperatures to be softer and more breathable in warm weather and stiffer and more wind proof in cold conditions.”
While traditional waxes are petroleum or paraffin based, Halley Stevensons has always been comfortable about using a waste product from industry and reusing it to make products that last a lifetime.  

“We are always exploring different finishing techniques and one of our most popular finishes is our hybrid aero – an emulsified blend of waxes,” Campbell says. “This fabric is water repellent but has little wax in the mixture so the handle is much drier to touch than the traditional wet waxes.”

The company has also recently launched a new 100% plant-based wax – Ever Wax Olive – consisting of a blend of olive oil, rape seed and castor bean with comparable water repellence to petroleum and a far better rating than other natural waxes which have come before it.

“The high tradition of skills and fabric innovation imposed by our original guildsmen is still our benchmark standard of honest workmanship today,” Managing Director James Campbell concludes “We use responsibly sourced cotton fabrics and processes that are gentle to the product and low impact to the environment. Our dyeing methods use very low levels of water and our waxes are simply heated up for application and cooled down to store when not in use, meaning no waste discharges. Now, with this new Monforts line, we are also achieving running speeds two-to-three times faster than with the older stenter, combined with less gas usage. It’s proved a great partnership.”