Raw Materials
Top technologies for the processing of high-performance fibers
The textile machinery branch of Germany’s VDMA, the Frankfurt-headquartered mechanical engineering industry association, held a series of webinars showcasing the technologies of some 30 of its members between June and December 2020. Understandably, many of them concerned the sudden demand for facemasks and PPE last year – in which meltblown polypropylene microfibers proved such a …
Reversing the shift back to natural fibers
Once upon a time there were only natural fibers; in fact that is not very long ago! That said, synthetic fibers, such as polyester and nylon have been around since the 1930s, and in the 1980s synthetic fibers started surpassing natural fibers in marketshare. Most synthetic fibers were developed from their early conception to mimic …
What is a biofiber?
A biofiber is a fiber derived of biological origin, whether produced naturally or via a regenerated process. The classification can be broken down further as a collection of cells in which the diameter is negligible in comparison with the length, which is consistent with the definition of a manmade polymer. A polymer is a larger …
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 …
Palm-based fiber provides a truly sustainable alternative for various applications
A consortium of five Egyptian researchers have developed the world’s first high-performance fibers and reinforcements extracted from the byproducts of pruning of date palms, such as frond and fruit stalks, also known as PalmFil. The fiber is not only sustainable, but also economical in manufacturing, compatible with textile and composite processing and offers the properties …