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Coating and laminating

The Aachen, Germany-based developer of a process for coating fibres with metals and plastics during spinning, FibreCoat, has raised nearly €20 million through a Series B funding round.

The antitrust authorities in Germany, Austria and Poland have approved Freudenberg Performance Materials' purchase of thr

Navigating complexity — Regulations for fluorocarbon-based finishes

As a result of increasing concern over the environmental persistence and bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the consequences of exposure to them, there has been a proliferation of both implemented and proposed regulations across the world. The variation from country to country in the scope of these regulations and their increasing stringency, however, has led to a complex situation in terms of compliance for the many industries that use PFAS, including textile finishing. Here, we present a concise overview of the current regulatory landscape.

A per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free, non-halogenated, flame-resistant moisture-barrier fabric (Assure) has been launched for firefighter turnout gear by Milliken of Spartanburg, South

A method for measuring the electrical conductivity of the thin-film coatings used to create electrodes for smart textiles has been developed by researchers in Germany and the USA.

Elastic, flexible rain-suits that keep soldiers protected and comfortable in wet conditions have been manufactured by DNS Alpha using a fabric from W.L.

Freudenberg Performance Materials is increasing the size of its business for coated technical textiles with the purchase of three sites currently run by Heytex Group from owner Bencis Capital Partn

A pair of waterproof laminates that are free from perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been launched for use in outdoor apparel and footwear by eVent Fabrics of Kansas City, Mis

A cheap, durable and safe chalk-based coating that cools the air underneath fabrics treated with it by approximately 4°C (eight degrees Fahrenheit) is being developed by researchers at the Universi

A waterproof, three-layer laminate that is free from perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been developed by Montane, of Ashington, UK, for use in outdoor apparel.

Aluula Composites is riding the crest of a wave with its fused fabrics

Aluula Composites, the Canadian developer of a co-polymer bonding process that enables it to fuse fabrics and films together to create laminates without using adhesives, was initially founded to manufacture strong, lightweight fabrics for the production of kites used in watersports. As John McCurry finds-out, however, the company is now finding a variety of new and interesting markets for its products.

A non-contact process that will allow the digital application of polyurethane (PU) to fabrics is to be developed by Alchemie and JSRTEX Group through a UK government-funded project.

A modular line for applying sizings to reinforcement fibres for composites has been installed at the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

A fluorine-free coating for water-repellent technical fabrics has been launched by Stahl of Waalwijk, The Netherlands.

An updated hotmelt coating and laminating unit for the production of breathable sportswear, rainwear and protective clothing is to be shown by Cavitec at Techtextil.

A unit dedicated to the air-knife coating and knife-over-roller coating of textiles is to be launched by Monforts, of Mönchengladbach, Germany, at Techtextil.

The developer of a co-polymer bonding process that enables it to fuse fabrics and films together to create laminates without using adhesives, Aluula, is to develop products through a research proje

A partially bio-based aliphatic polyester carbonate polyether polyurethane (PU) dispersion for textile coatings has been launched by Covestro of Leverkusen, Germany. 

A chemical-resistant and breathable polyurethane (PU)-coated fabric has been developed for the production of hospital-mattress covers by Trelleborg Engineered Coated Fabrics. 

A jacket that features a metallic, radiant barrier-coated membrane made using aluminium from used coffee capsules has been developed by three companies in Switzerland.

A bio-based coating that can be used to slow the rate at which fabrics made from natural fibres biodegrade, making them more suitable for use in civil engineering applications, is being developed b

A waterproof membrane and an elastic dual-surface knitted fabric made from biobased polyamide (PA) 6.6 (Biolon) have been launched by Polartec of Andover, Massachusetts, USA. 

An artificial leather (Mirum) made from bio-based materials is to be mass-produced by Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) using double-belt press technology provided by IPCO AB. 

A range of strong, durable and lightweight laminates has been developed by Aluula for the production of fabrics for the canopies and sails used in wind sports.  

Sustainable technologies for finishing, and coating and laminating

Suppliers of chemicals and builders of machinery for the finishing, and the coating and laminating of technical textiles will present technologies designed to minimise the environmental impact of manufacturing processes at ITMA (to be held in Milan, Italy, on 8–14 June 2023). James Bakewell picks out some highlights.

Inspired by the fur and skin of polar bears, researchers in the USA are developing a textile that can absorb heat from visible wavelengths of sunlight and suppress the dissipation of body heat. 

A method for converting dyed scrap polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clothing into fire-resistant, antibacterial or wrinkle-preventing coatings that could then be applied to textiles is being develo

A reel-to-reel process for applying interface coatings to the silicon carbide (SiC) fibres used to make reinforcements for ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) is being developed by a consortium in the

A range of double-belt presses based on steel and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) belts, or combinations of the two, for the manufacture of composites will be shown by IPCO, of Fellbach, Germany, at

A range of fire-retardant, coated polypropylene (PP) fabrics that are free from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are to be showcased at Techtextil North America (TTNA) by Renegade Plastics. 

Methods for the recycling of off-cuts of ultra-high molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabrics are being developed by Aluula with assistance from the University of British Columbia (UBC). 

Waterproof, breathable three-layer hardshell and softshell laminates made using bio-based materials have been developed for outdoor apparel and workwear by Trans-Textil of Freilassing, Germany. 

A coating that reduces the amount of microfibres that are shed when clothes made of synthetic fabrics are washed is being developed by researchers at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

For the production of protective workwear, W.L.

Manufacturer of bedding products, Standard Fiber, is to use a silver-based antibacterial (Ionic+) from Noble Biomaterials in its home textiles, following the formation of an exclusive partnership b

A cost-effective and scalable screen-printing process that enables electrodes to be deposited on flexible substrates, such as textiles, is being developed by researchers at Washington State Univers

A method for precisely depositing a durable coating that can detect and neutralise toxic compounds onto fabrics is being developed by researchers at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

3M is to stop manufacturing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and will work to eliminate the use of PFAS in its products by the end of 2025. 

W.L. Gore & Associates is to launch two double-layer laminates (Gore-Tex) featuring a textile (Bionic) made from plastic waste collected from coastal environments. 

A partially bio-based and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-free waterproof membrane has been launched by Polartec of Andover, Massachusetts, USA.  

A wide variety of technologies for the finishing of technical textiles are to be showcased by Monforts at ITMA ASIA + CITME, which takes place in Shanghai, China, on 20–24 November 2022.

Aurora Specialty Textiles successfully navigates supply-chain challenges

Established in 1883, Aurora Specialty Textiles specialises in applying coatings and finishes to textiles. In an interview with John McCurry, Aurora’s President, Marcia Ayala, describes the company’s business philosophy, the challenges posed by the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic and her plans for the future. 

Creating functional textiles through finishing, coating and laminating

A wide range of functionalities can be imparted to textiles through the use of finishing, coating and laminating technologies. Editor James Bakewell picks-out some of the highlights from the busy show floor at Techtextil.

In light of recent, sharp increases in the costs of gas and oil, Brückner Textile Technologies of Leonberg, Germany, is to highlight a range of energy-efficient technologies for the finishing of te

New York is moving to ban the sale of clothing containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) after the passing of a bill in its State Senate and Assembly. 

Supplier of finishing machinery to the textiles industry, Navis TubeTex, has purchased manufacturer of foam-coating lines, Gaston Systems Inc.

Supplier of industrial vacuum-coating equipment, AGC Plasma Technology Solutions, has installed a roll-to-roll pilot line for the coating of textiles at its demonstration centre in Lauenförde, Germ

Finishing and coating technologies for the production of technical textiles are to be highlighted by Monforts, of Mönchengladbach, Germany, at Techtextil North America.

A cost-effective and convenient way to apply a silver-based, clear antimicrobial coating to new and existing textiles is being developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan. 

An inexpensive, non-toxic antimicrobial coating that can be applied easily to almost any fabric is being developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada.  

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