Environmental issues

An expanded-polyethylene (ePE) film is now part of the range of the Fabrics Division of W. L. Gore & Associates.

An industry alliance has completed a fibre-fragmentation trial as it looks to develop a harmonised industry standard to tackle issues relating to the shedding of microfibres from textiles. 

A standardised method for quantifying the mass of fibre fragments – sometimes referred to as microfibres or microplastics – a fabric will shed during laundering has been developed by the American A

As part of efforts to cut its emissions of wastewater, the Lenzing Group is investing £20 million (€23.3 million) to build a wastewater-treatment plant at its lyocell production facility in Grimsby

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres have been produced using ethylene derived from mixed plastic waste by Royal DSM of Heerlen, The Netherlands, and SABIC of Riyadh, Saudi Arab

As populations look to protect themselves during the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, they are generating up to 7200 t of medical waste every day, much of which is accounted for by disposable

Polartec has eliminated per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) from the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatments it applies to its fabrics. 

Bio-based feedstocks are being used by Nippon Shokubai Europe (NSE) NV of Antwerp, Belgium, to produce a superabsorbent polymer (SAP).

As it looks to limit the environmental impact of its operations, global fastenings manufacturer YKK is to use a perfluorinated compound (PFC)-free finish to make its zip-fasteners water-repellent,

As the European Union's Single-use plastics directive (SUPD) comes into force, EDANA of Brussels, Belgium, and its member companies have committed to revise the labelling on the packaging

Hollow-fibre nanofiltration membranes from NX Filtration are to be used in the treatment of wastewater generated by Indian denim manufacturer Kewal Kiran Clothing Ltd (KKCL).

Effective from 11 June 2021, Indorama Ventures of Bangkok, Thailand, has taken control of a recycling plant for polyethylene terephth

Cocona Labs reports that it can incorporate an additive into its thermoregulating fibres and yarns (called 37.5) that enables them to biodegrade in landfills.

Jacob Holm reports that its plastic-free nonwoven for wipes (SoftFlush) disintegrates and disperses readily enough in water for it to be awarded

A flame-retardant (FR), carbon fibre-reinforced polycarbonate (PC) compound that is made using bio-based and recycled materials, and displays the same properties as the incumbent made entirely from

Nonwovens could soon be manufactured from biodegradable polyolefins through a partnership between Polymateria Global, Avgol and Indorama Ventures.

The developer of technology that enables the recycling of cotton-rich textile waste and other pulp-based materials – such as used cardboard, rice and wheat straw – into cellulosic fibres with the n

A range of polyurethanes (PUs) that are produced using feedstocks derived from carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured from industrial processes has been developed by Stahl of Waalwijk, The Nether

Polyester (PES) and polyamide (PA) microplastics shed from textiles may inhibit the growth and repair of lung tissue, according to researchers in Europe.

A thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) that contains 25%-by-weight bio-based content has been launched by Royal DSM's Engineering Materials business and Sympatex Technologies.

A total of US$650 000 in funding will be awarded to companies working to solve the problem of plastic microfibres being shed by synthetic textiles through a competition organised by Conservation X

Researchers at Empa in St. Gallen, Switzerland, are using life-cycle analysis (LCA) in an attempt to gauge the impact that the increasing use of face masks is having on the environment. 

Seven chemical companies have formed an alliance with the aim of reducing the impact that the textile and leather industries have on the environment. 

A durable, washable fabric made from continuous polyamide (PA) filaments containing silver ions that inhibit the growth of viruses and bacteria can be used to make face masks, garments and buffs to

Lenzing has joined ten other companies to establish an initiative to support and speed-up a transition from fossil-based to renewable carbon feedstocks for the production of chemicals and materials

Standardised methods need to be developed so the impact that microplastics shed by textiles have on the environment can be evaluated reliably.

A system that enables the recovery and re-use of more than 95% of the organic solvents used for the manufacture of nanoparticles has been put in place by Promethean Particles at its facility in Not

The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) of Brussels, Belgium, has added data for glass fibres to its Eco Impact Calculator, an online tool which enables composites companies to calcula

Larger quantities of microfibres are shed by items of clothing while they are being worn than when they are washed, according to research undertaken in Italy and the UK.

The Center for Environmental and Human Health Effects of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) is to be established by researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, USA.

A Vienna, Austria-based machinery manufacturer has devised an holistic scheme that aims to put an end to unnecessary waste generated by the use of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), als

A method for the analysis of microfibre shedding from textiles has been developed by Hohenstein of Bönnigheim, Germany.

A cationic-dyeable polyester (PES) yarn and an expanded range of yarns made from plastic bottles recovered from the ocean have been unveiled by Unifi⁽¹⁾ of Greensboro, North Carolina, US

A mineral-based additive infused into curtain fabrics can help purify indoor air, according to its Swiss developer, adding that the Sw

Two Swedish machine builders who have each developed an innovative technology are the latest members of the Stockholm-based Textile Machinery Association of Sweden (TMAS).

An alliance to promote the role that fibre-based packaging can play in circular economies, thereby minimising their environmental impact, has been set-up by the Confederation of European Paper Indu

The biodegradability in fresh water of Lenzing’s cellulose fibres has been confirmed by the independent research laboratory Organic Waste Systems (OWS).

A method that uses nanofibre webs and light for the removal of toxic dyes from wastewater is safer, cheaper and easier than traditional methods, according to its developers in the USA.

Fibre manufacturer Lenzing Group, based in Lenzing, Austria, aims to drastically reduce its carbon footprint over the next decades.

Following a year of discussions, the Global Chemical Industry Round Table (GCIRT) and the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation have agreed to work together to promote the widespr

Polyester (PES) fabrics that are both biodegradable and recyclable have been launched for the commercial interiors market by Duvaltex of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Recyclable and compostable ready-meal packaging made from cellulose fibres has been adopted by a UK supermarket as it looks to stop using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) versions.

A water-based binder (Appretan NTR) for textile coatings that is made in part of raw materials from natural renewable resources has been developed by Archroma of Reinach, Switzerland.

Lenzing is to use the cryptography system blockchain to ensure that the origins of, and processes carried out upon, its lyocell fibres (Tencel) can be determined easily by its customers and consume

An alternative to the costly scrubbing sections conventionally used to remove the sulfur compounds found in the lean gas generated through the production of viscose fibres has been developed by Hal