Page 150 - TEXtalks. May-June 2023

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Kevlar EXO: Unique dyes obtained Unique dyes obtained from

from recycled fabrics and scraps
recycled fabrics and scraps

Officina39, based in Biella, Italy, introduced its process can create enough dye for 20,000 t-shirts.
expanded range of Recycrom dyestuffs. These dyes
are unique in being obtained by extracting pigment The company wanted to broaden its services to meet
DuPont is claiming that its new Kevlar EXO is “the most significant aramid fiber innovation in over 50 years” and powders from recycled used clothing, fibrous the demands of all of its customers and start with
an entirely new technology platform developed to serve endless applications where performance and materials and textile scraps via a proprietary 100% recycled content, which remains the top priority
protection are required. mechanical upcycling process. for some partners. They have now developed a
simpler, faster, and more scalable solution based on
Now, with body armor crafted using Kevlar EXO™, military and law enforcement officers can experience New to the range are Eco Marble for obtaining a range of ready-made in-house dyes that allow for
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previously unavailable levels of ballistic protection without compromising on mobility and comfort. With frosted colored effects, a Recycrom variant for cost and time optimization, which they are sure will
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unmatched pliability, Kevlar EXO™ contours to curves and body lines, providing a more body-inclusive printing applications, and Recycrom Gel, for be greatly appreciated by those who choose this new
solution while still offering maximum protection. waterless processing. The range now extends to 15 sustainable option.
standard ready-in-stock colors, obtained from a
It offers the highest ballistics performance among all aramid fibers without compromising on weight, enabling minimum of 65% recycled textile pre and post-consumer It has also shown denim created with Smart Black, a
the best-in-class, lightest-weight ballistics soft armor solutions available on the market. Peak flexibility, offering materials, as dyes for use on cotton, wool, nylon, or bleaching process that allows light colors to be
increased comfort and mobility, contouring to curves and body lines with less restriction for maximum defense, any other cellulosic and natural fiber or blend. obtained from black textiles without the use of caustic
when paired with exceptional carrier design and inherently flame- and temperature-resistant; melt- and soda. This process has an operating temperature of
ignite-proof up to 500°C (932°F). It delivers the same level of protection after five years as it provides on day one. Officina39 is enabling brands to make custom dyes 50°C compared to the 70-80°C that standard
from their own scraps and textile waste with processing requires and can be applied on
With endlessly customizable wearability for use case and body type, first-of-its-kind Kevlar EXO™ aramid fiber Recycrom Ready to Dye, which enables them to elastomer-featuring stretch garments. It also prevents
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is incomparably better and more durable than even the highest-performing soft body armor materials available. choose and create their own colors from a standard zip, press stud, and button stains, and because its
Whether for military members, law enforcement officers, private security or emergency responders, pound for color card, a palette of darker and brighter shades application involves only one 30-minute process
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pound, Kevlar EXO™ users can better manage energy output even during the most demanding physical tasks. assuring a true upcycling of textile waste without any compared to the traditional three-step process,
chemical synthesis. From 100kg of textile waste the reduces water by 60%.
New detergent can reduce

microfiber shredding by 80% First biodegradable fusible cotton shirt interlining

Fibers that are shed from textiles and garments, extensive efforts to reduce microfiber pollution. Freudenberg’s new 46xx range helps reduce environmental impact and supports customers in achieving their
especially microfibers, are ubiquitous in air, soil, own sustainability objectives. With this innovation, the world’s leading specialist in woven, knitted, weft and
rivers, lakes, and oceans and are regarded as Recently, Inditex and BASF developed the first nonwoven interlinings reduces its impact on the environment and supports customers in achieving their own
anthropogenic litter that has become a global detergent to reduce microfiber release from textiles sustainability objectives. In Asia, the series is marketed under the name 42xx series.
concern for the sustainability of the textile and fashion during washing. Inditex brand Zara Home launches
industry. There is clear evidence that microfibers as the first laundry detergent to reduce microfiber Fusible interlinings for shirts and blouses have been developed in such a way that they are harmless to
emerging contaminants are widely distributed in the release during washing. Developed jointly by Inditex people and the environment at the end of their life cycle. Germany’s independent Hohenstein Laboratories
marine environment globally. and BASF Home Care and I&I Solutions Europe, in performed biodegradation tests on the 46xx series, based on the Hohenstein method which draws on DIN EN
Spain and Germany, the innovative solution may ISO 11721-2:2003 and EN ISO 846, and approved it as biodegradable and ecotoxicologically harmless.
Experiments indicated that a single 6 kg domestic reduce microfiber release by up to 80%. The results
wash could release as many as 700,000 fibers. Over show that the detergent is particularly suitable for The new biodegradable shirt interlinings also show great potential for energy saving, as the fusing can be
nine trillion fibers could be released per week in the washing at low temperatures, which brings additional performed at a low temperature. Concretely, this means that the resulting temperature between the upper
UK, according to the figures cited in a Spin report advantages: end users can lower their energy fabric and the shirt interlining during fusing is only 127°C which is significantly lower than the commonly used
provided by the National Federation of Women’s consumption and thereby reduce their temperature of 143°C.
Institutes (NFWI). Thus, researchers are making carbon footprint.

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