CHT has launched World’s First-ever recycled silicone softener named Tubingal® Rise. Silicone is a versatile material that finds use in a wide range of different applications, and as such, its commercial importance is significant. Global sales in the silicone market in 2017 amounted to over USD 16.3 billion. Silicones are an integral part of textile finishing as softeners, waterproofing agents, defoaming agents, or lubricants.
The production of silicones is hugely energy-intensive. To fully exploit the value of this resource, end-of-life silicone products are recycled. As a result, today’s silicone waste can be used to produce a critical alternative raw material for tomorrow. The approach to silicone recycling follows the waste-to-value process and takes place across several stages. The end-of-life polymers are catalytically split into silicone monomers, modified, and then finally polymerized into, e.g., a new amino-modified silicone in virgin quality can be formulated into a fabric softener.
To date, the circular economy strategy has been applied primarily to recycled fibers. But in the future, we can expect to see this trend also make its way into the world of textile finishing to an increasing degree. CHT has already set out on a clear path down this road. Whereas textile auxiliaries’ previous production for textile functionalization was based on the use of primary raw materials, a softener made from recycled silicone and renewable bio-based emulsifiers is now available for the first time for this market. TUBINGAL® RISE enriches recycled materials by creating a fully integrated and resource-efficient recycling-based product right to the principles of a modern circular economy.
TUBINGAL® RISE meets the wide-ranging requirements for textile standards (Bluesign, ZDHC, GOTS, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, and GRS). A critical characteristic of this recycled softener is that it has been specially designed to be suitable for the production of textile products that are certified to the GRS Standard (Global Recycled Standard). The characteristics of TUBINGAL® RISE are:
• Made of recycled silicone and renewable bio-based emulsifiers
• Hydrophilic silicone softener, microemulsion
• Soft, flowing feel with pronounced core softness
• Treated products have excellent re-wetting properties
• Improved sewability
• Improved tear resistance
• Can be combined very successfully with selected optical brighteners
• Excellent resistance to yellowing, therefore well suited to all-white products
• Suitable for pad applications
In the past, production methods for manufacturing silicone fabric softeners were based entirely on linear concepts. With the development and production of TUBINGAL® RISE (Recycled Innovative Silicone Emulsion), the world’s first fabric softener made of more than 60% recycled and reprocessed silicone waste and renewable bio-based emulsifiers has now been made available to the market. The quality of this pro- duct deserves to be mentioned, as it is identical to a silicone softener made of primary raw materials. The softener consisting of recycled silicone is suitable for all types of fiber. Potential areas of application include apparel, sports, and outdoor clothing, as well as home textiles. TUBINGAL® RISE is the perfect match for recycled materials to achieve a fully integrated recycling concept.
The hydrophilic softener is a microemulsion with a mean particle size of < 100 nm. This means the active ingredients can penetrate far into the fiber’s interior, making it possible to achieve exceptional core softness with a very soft, flowing feel. Not only can TUBINGAL® RISE be used to achieve softness (BeSo®SOFT) excellently, but the innovative product also serves as a processing aid by noticeably improving the confection of clothing products and their properties while being used/worn.
The softener was applied on fabrics, and the test results were conducted to investigate sewability and tear resistance and the wicking height results. Embrittlement and losses in strength and the everincreasing speeds at which industrial sewing machines run can cause damage in the form of sewing damages, which impairs the sewability of the textiles. This can be avoided by applying TUBINGAL® RISE, which delivers excellent surface smoothness. The flexibility of meshes is strengthened, and friction between the sewing needle and the textiles (fiber/metal friction) is reduced significantly by up to 75%.
The softness avoids unnecessary textile wastage. Tear strength is an indicator for the wear of woven fabrics during subsequent use. TUBINGAL RISE compensates for the embrittlement of the fabric and strength losses, significantly improved by up to 75% on recycled cotton fabric (results of an experiment). This means the durability of clothes during wearing is greatly enhanced. In general, untreated textiles made of synthetic fibers offer only limited wear comfort, as they can absorb almost no moisture. The same applies to recycled synthetic fibers. To achieve adequate moisture absorption, textiles are functionalized with a suitable finishing agent, thus upgrading the performance. In this way, hydrophobic properties are transformed into hydrophilic properties.
With TUBINGAL® RISE, good moisture transport and fast-drying properties are ensured (BeSo®ACTIVE). Both are core properties for the moisture management of modern functional textiles. Hydrophilic textiles show a better moisture absorption; moisture is absorbed quickly and transported to the outside, where they can evaporate. The determination of the wicking properties is a rate for the hydrophilic properties of textiles. The results demonstrated that the wicking height with TUBINGAL® RISE is 85% higher than in untreated products.
The CHT company is committed to the United Nations in the so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs Goal 12 is responsible consumption and production that sets out demands for more environmentally compatible handling of chemicals and waste and a significant reduction of waste volumes through reuse and recycling. And Goal 13 is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts –issues a challenge to politics and industry to incorporate appropriate climate protection measures in their strategies. Thus, the new sustainable product from CHT could be the solution to tackle environmental issues innovatively.
