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Mahlo: transparency in process control for technical textiles
High-performance technical textiles have to fulfill their task to 100% in order to prevent damage and danger. The final product has to fully strictly meet requirements and gray areas are unacceptable. The processes have to be transparent, so that the user can recognize discrepancies at any time and can react to them.
A prerequisite for a working product, independent of further treatment, is a straight web.
The automatic weft straightener Orthopac RVMC-15 from the manufacturer of measuring, control and automation systems Mahlo GmbH & Co. KG, Saal a.d. Donau/Germany, detects and straightens 97% of all known webs. For s-shaped distortions and non-detectable fabric, the pin wheel straighteners only work only for non-elastic products, however.
This is different with the Orthomax RFMB-15, a fusion of pin wheel and roller straightener. Thanks to combining both technologies, the system minimizes distortions in web as well as elastic knitting. Many textiles made of elastic raschel knitted fabrics already benefit from these advantages.
The next step is monitoring the further processing. With the help of scanners and sensors, the quality control system Qualiscan QMS-12 makes important parameters visible and therefore controllable. By measuring basis weight before and after the coating, one can determine the weight of the single layers.
dfv media group
Lenzing: award for sustainable nonwovens technology
The Austrian State Prize for Innovation is awarded annually by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, Vienna/Austria, to the most innovative Austrian company. On October 20, 2020, the producer of cellulosic fibers, Lenzing AG, Lenzing/Austria, was awarded the prize as recognition for its innovative achievements concerning sustainable nonwovens technology.
With the Lenzing web technology the company has developed a patented technology for a promising solution for eco-friendly products that counteracts the pollution of the environment by plastics.
Sustainable and eco-friendly nonwovens are produced from the renewable raw material wood. These are not only plastic-free, they also score points for their environmental friendliness.
The pollution of the environment by plastics is an important problem of our time. Every day, worldwide millions of hygiene products and wipes end up in garbage and sewage. Most of them consist of up to 80% polyester or other fossil, non-biodegradable materials which remain in the environment as pollution.
dfv media group
Oerlikon/Procter & Gamble: exclusive collaboration for high-class wipes
In a global marketplace, collaboration is just as important as competition. This is what motivated Procter & Gamble Corp., Cincinnati, OH/USA, and Oerlikon Nonwoven, Neumünster/Germany – Teknoweb Materials srl., Palazzo Pignano/Italy, to agree on an exclusive license agreement to market and sell the Phantom platform worldwide.
Oerlikon already entered into a strategic partnership with Teknoweb in 2017 aimed at extending the nonwovens production systems portfolio.
The patented process for hybrid nonwovens combines the best of both airlaid and spunmelt technologies to deliver new, flexible ways of creating wet and dry wipes. The Phantom technology offers additional benefits by reducing resources and cost, while increasing overall performance. The exclusive license gives Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials total access to the patents, know-how, and pilot lines developed by Procter & Gamble. The research and development team at Procter & Gamble continues to support Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials distribute this technology worldwide. In addition, Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials have further refined the process into their own Levra technology – an entry-level option which offers tailored production volumes with lower investment costs but is still suitable to be upgraded to the premium Phantom model in the future.
Essentially, Phantom technology was developed to produce hybrid substrates. The spunmelt and airlaid processes are merged into one step to combine cellulose fibers, long fibers such as cotton, or even powders with polymer fibers in unprecedented ways. This technology has clear advantages in terms of resources, performance and cost compared to the previous processes on the market. By removing hydroentanglement, it is no longer necessary to dry the material. Adjusting the process can optimize relevant product characteristics such as softness, strength, dirt absorption, and liquid absorption. In the end, this even increases the quality of the product itself.
dfv media group
Lenzing: sustainable wet wipes move away from fossil-based synthetic fibers
Wet wipes can pollute the environment because the greater share of the wipes contain fossil-based synthetic fibers. During the Sustainable Retail Summit in Berlin/Germany in October 2020, fiber manufacturers introduced the environmental initiative #ItsInOurHands.
The 2019 survey of MarketAgent, Baden/Austria, pointed out that only around 16% of consumers suspect fossil-based plastic in wet wipes. Moreover, the study underlined the great impact of creating awareness of the issue: 9 out of 10 participants would change their purchasing behavior if their favorite product contained fossil-based plastic fibers. With this in mind, the #ItsInOurHands Initiative shares tips for a sustainable life style, publishes interviews with experts from all over the world and informs about sustainable and biodegradable alternatives via its own website, social media channels and classical media communications.
The producer of cellulosic fibers, Lenzing AG, Lenzing/Austria, supports brand manufacturers and the retail industry with the development of sustainable wet wipes. As an ingredient brand, Veocel also offers orientation: Currently there more than 20 Lenzing-certified baby, care and hygiene products featuring the Veocel brand marketed around the world, which helps consumers to make a more conscious product choice. These co-operations are based on stringent certification standards. Both brand manufacturers and the retail industry use the Veocel logo only in connection with certified products made of biodegradable cellulose fibers.
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HKRITA: new direct-to-customer recycling system G2G
Sustainability plays an essential role in the work and purpose of many companies. The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), Hong Kong/China, demonstrates that it is possible to use fewer resources and repurpose old clothes by presenting the recycling model “Looop”.
This is the first retail model of the Garment to Garment Recycling System (G2G) and will be launched in one of the H&M stores in Stockholm/Sweden in October 2020.
G2G is a direct-to-customer recycling system. In the Stockholm G2G system the customers bring their old clothes which will then be broken down into fibers and yarns to become the raw material for new knitted clothes. Customers can watch the entire end to end process in real time in the store. The G2G system allows customers to take charge of the reuse of their own wardrobe. Thus sustainability can be personal.
HKRITA is actively continuing to research various forms of “Garment to Garment” recycling and repurposing. The original G2G project is in its 2nd phase. In this phase the system capacity is improved, the functionality is optimized and the various processes are automated.
The original G2G project was an award-winning project. It is an innovation and technology fund project, also sponsored by Novetex Textiles Ltd., Hong Kong/China and in collaboration with H&M Foundation, Stockholm/Sweden.
dfv media group
Central National Gottesman: expansion into nonwovens and fibers
The Central National division of sales and distribution company Central National Gottesman Inc. (CNG), Purchase, NY/USA, will expand its product offering to include nonwovens and fibers.
CNG has traditionally focused on paper, pulp and packaging, but recently expanded its category offerings to include wood and metal products to meet growing global demand. The company distributes more than 7 million metric tons of product annually, with an expertise in global trade, finance and supply chain management that streamlines the process of delivering products around the world.
The new category includes viscose and lyocell, plant-based fibers used in textiles, nonwovens and other products. These fibers are alternatives to fossil fuel-based fibers used in everyday household items, including diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products, and will help reduce the impact of single-use plastics on the environment.
The new product category will be led by Jeff Hurley in a newly created position to enter into the fast-growing nonwovens space. Hurley comes to CNG from NicePak Products, Orangeburg, NY/USA, a leading producer of wet wipes for consumer, health care and food service markets, where he served in both technical and commercial roles.
dfv media group
Oerlikon/Procter & Gamble: exclusive collaboration for high-class wipes
In a global marketplace, collaboration is just as important as competition. This is what motivated Procter & Gamble Corp., Cincinnati, OH/USA, and Oerlikon Nonwoven, Neumünster/Germany – Teknoweb Materials srl., Palazzo Pignano/Italy, to agree on an exclusive license agreement to market and sell the Phantom platform worldwide.
Oerlikon already entered into a strategic partnership with Teknoweb in 2017 aimed at extending the nonwovens production systems portfolio.
The patented process for hybrid nonwovens combines the best of both airlaid and spunmelt technologies to deliver new, flexible ways of creating wet and dry wipes. The Phantom technology offers additional benefits by reducing resources and cost, while increasing overall performance. The exclusive license gives Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials total access to the patents, know-how, and pilot lines developed by Procter & Gamble. The research and development team at Procter & Gamble continues to support Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials distribute this technology worldwide. In addition, Oerlikon Nonwoven – Teknoweb Materials have further refined the process into their own Levra technology – an entry-level option which offers tailored production volumes with lower investment costs but is still suitable to be upgraded to the premium Phantom model in the future.
Essentially, Phantom technology was developed to produce hybrid substrates. The spunmelt and airlaid processes are merged into one step to combine cellulose fibers, long fibers such as cotton, or even powders with polymer fibers in unprecedented ways. This technology has clear advantages in terms of resources, performance and cost compared to the previous processes on the market. By removing hydroentanglement, it is no longer necessary to dry the material. Adjusting the process can optimize relevant product characteristics such as softness, strength, dirt absorption, and liquid absorption. In the end, this even increases the quality of the product itself.
dfv media group
Performance Days: from ocean waste to textiles
Three-quarters of the waste in the sea consists of plastic. This means that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic end up in the sea every year. Many suppliers are taking steps to improve this situation with projects of taking plastic from the seas to create new yarn and working on solutions how to process ocean waste in textiles.
This is the focus of the Performance Forum, part of the Performance Days functional fabric fair which will take place from December 9-10, 2020 in Munich/Germany, where fabrics will be presented that integrate ocean waste in the materials.
The fair this year can be visited virtually as well as in person.
For further information: www.performancedays.com
dfv media group
Advansa: solution to prevent ocean plastic
One of the ways to combat the global crisis of ocean plastic is choosing sustainably sourced materials. In the manufacture of Adva Blue polyester fibers, the manufacturer of polyester fibers Advansa GmbH, Hamm/Germany, in co-operating with Plastic Bank, Vancouver/Canada, uses Social Plastic as a valuable raw material.
The portfolio “Made with Social Plastic”, sourced directly from Plastic Bank, contains staple fibers, shortcut fibers and tow for various industries such as hygiene and medicine, filtration, automotive, etc.
Collected plastic (Social Plastic) from regions that do not have efficient and formal waste or recycling systems can be exchanged by local residents for rewards such as cash, school tuition, healthcare and insurance, or as Blockchain-secured digital tokens increasing their income and providing better opportunities for themselves and their families.
dfv media group
Kelheim Fibres: nomination for the sustainability heroes award
The aim of an increasing number of stakeholders is to help to reduce the use of crude oil-based plastics in single-use products and their negative impact on the environment.
The German Association for Sustainability (DQS), Frankfurt/Germany, and the German Association for Quality (DGQ), Frankfurt/Germany, will present the “sustainability heroes award” to pioneers in sustainability online on November 2-4, 2020.
The cellulose fiber producer Kelheim Fibres GmbH, Kelheim/Germany, is a finalist for this award. The company has secured the selection with its innovative plant-based fibers that can contribute to a plastic-free future in absorbent hygiene products such as feminine hygiene or incontinence products.
During the production process viscose fibers can be precisely modified and functionalized. Thus they can be adapted to meet the exact requirements of the single components of a hygiene product in terms of their liquid management properties and match the performance of synthetic fibers.
The company combines sustainably manufactured and completely biodegradable fibers with the technical performance of synthetic fibers. The aim is to help to reduce the use of crude oil-based plastics in single-use products and their negative impact on the environment.
dfv media group