Hot Topics
The fate of plastics and bio-based fibers
The nonwovens industry supplies a diverse range of products to multiple markets. Many of these products, especially those that target consumers, such as hygiene products and wipes, are largely designed for single-use application. In terms of the lifecycle of these products, the end of life choices for most nonwovens are largely three-fold: landfill, incineration, or …
COVID, trade disputes & the global cotton market
COVID-19 is the macro event of our lifetimes, affecting the life and business of virtually everyone on the planet. For the global economy, the speed and depth of the pandemic’s effects represented an unprecedented shock. Global impact In their report released near the end of January, the International Monetary Fund was predicting 2020 would be …
Eastman employs molecular recycling to enable the reuse of waste material over & over & over again
Eastman, as part of its commitment to advancing a circular economy, has launched an initiative rooted in the belief that plastic and textile waste can not only be eliminated but used, reused, recycled, and re-created over and over again. The company’s Advanced Circular Recycling technologies provide an infinite lifespan for waste materials that were previously …
The textile recycling black hole
New legislative measures aimed at protecting the environment within the European Union are likely to make things extremely difficult for synthetic fiber producers in the coming years. The European Green Deal will see €750 billion pumped into a wide range of projects with the overall aim of making the entire continent climate neutral by 2050. …
The Fiber Year 2020 – Rising investments in manmade fiber feedstocks
World fiber supply was balanced between natural and manmade fibers a quarter of a century ago but the latter considerably gained momentum afterwards, holding a current market share of more than 70% in recent years. Consequentially, corresponding feedstocks have been expanded likewise. Massive investments in Chinese industry will increasingly impact today’s major supplying nations. Nylon …