Sustainability
The plastics industry – committed to change or defending the status quo?
The year 2018 can be considered an annus horribilis for plastics, including synthetic polymer and fiber-based products that rely on such materials. The issue of microplastics in the oceans generated a mountain of negative publicity and calls for far-ranging action against the industry and, at the same time, the publicity surrounding so-called ‘fatbergs’ created, in …
The plastics problem – a roundtable discussion
One of the most exciting areas of development in the fiber industry going forward figures to be in identifying solutions to minimize the environmental impact of nonwovens, technical textiles and other fiber-based end products. With the European Union’s recent ban on certain single-use plastic products, similar legislation currently being considered in California, and public outcry …
The future of the ‘Forever Molecule’
The history and evolution of “the forever molecule” is both revolutionary and fortuitous. Polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, was discovered completely by accident on April 6th, 1938 by a DuPont Chemist, Dr. Roy Plunkett, while he was conducting research on chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants. Its first broad commercial use was non-stick cookware in 1960. PTFE has since evolved and is utilized in an extensive array of products that take advantage of its unique properties.
‘There is no AWAY’ – How do we minimize plastic waste in the environment?
The source of the phrase “There is no AWAY” is the NGO Better Alternatives Now (BAN): “Plastic – a material invented to last forever – can no longer be used to make products intended to be thrown away. There is no AWAY.” As the director of education and technical affairs at INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, part of my mission is to look at issues affecting our members and determine what we can do. One of the big issues we are examining now is plastics in the environment with an emphasis on single use.
Taking steps toward a sustainable bio-based textile economy
The past decade has seen a surge in demand for bio-based and environmentally sustainable products, motivated primarily by global challenges, such as marine litter and microplastic contamination and growing environmental