WELCOME TO TECHNICAL-TEXTILES.NET, the web's most comprehensive source of information about the world of performance and technical textiles. Full membership gives access to: unique feature articles; relevant, edited and verified news; events and more, to keep you up to date with the latest developments in materials, technologies, processes, patents and research, and business and markets

Fibres, filaments and yarns

Sustainable, automated and efficient solutions for spinners

Like the rest of the technical textiles industry, producers of fibres, filaments and yarns are facing price pressures, skill shortages, and stringent environmental regulations and legislation. At ITMA (8–14 June 2023 in Milan, Italy), manufacturers of machinery for this sector will present innovative solutions to these problems. James Bakewell selects some of the most interesting developments.

Pilot spinning systems for the development of new products, such as renewable precursors for carbon fibres and biobased alternatives to synthetic fibres, are to be shown by Dienes Apparatebau GmbH

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

Renewcell is to use the cryptography system blockchain to ensure that the origins of, and processes subsequently carried out upon, its recycled textile pulp (Circulose) can be determined easily by

Indorama Ventures' site in Obernburg, Germany, is to focus on the manufacture of products for tyres and automotive safety applications, including airbags, meaning that around 80 jobs will be lost a

A digital ring-spinning system that enables fine yarns to be created from sliver comprising 60–70% recycled fibres will be shown at ITMA by The Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) at RWTH Aac

A flexible and lightweight aramid fibre has been launched for the production of soft armour by DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

A resource-efficient method for producing spunbond nonwovens is being used to create a range of carpet backings by Freudenberg Performance Materials, of Weinheim, Germany.  

A range of fibres for the production of bio-based absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) will be showcased at INDEX by Kelheim Fibres, of Kelheim, Germany.

A pre-treatment agent that can be used prior to chemical recycling processes to remove polyurethane (PU, elastane) fibres from polyester (PES)-blend fabrics is being developed by Teijin Frontier of

Fibres that reflect certain wavelengths of infrared (IR) radiation and could be woven into textiles, so the materials from which the textiles are made can be identified in fabric-sorting plants, ar

A strong 50-k carbon fibre for the production of pressure vessels is to be launched at JEC World by SGL Carbon of Wiesbaden, Germany. 

Having filed for insolvency in October 2022, Hamm, Germany-based producer of fibres and filaments Advansa Manufacturing is to wind-down its operations in the coming months and will subsequently be

Nanollose reports that it has secured a patent for technologies that enable it to create a viscose dope from microbial cellulose (MC)(1) from the United States Patent and Trademark Offic

Renewcell has signed a letter of intent with producer of lyocell fibres, China Textile Academy (CTA) Green Fibre Co Ltd, that could see it supply the Chinese company with its recycled textile pulp

A yarn-based sensor that can take real-​time measurements of how exhausted a person gets during physical exertion is being developed by researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. 

A pilot plant for the spinning and twisting of sewing threads made from recycled and renewable materials has been opened by Coats in Madurai, India. 

A cost-effective and energy-efficient process for the production of carbon fibres from lignin is being developed by researchers at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DI

Soft and elastic filaments made from liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are being used by researchers in Finland and the UK to weave textiles that can change shape repeatedly in response to chang

A process for the production of monoethylene glycol (MEG), a starting material for the manufacture of polyester (PES), using carbon dioxide (CO2) extracted from industrial waste gases is

Evonik has entered into an agreement with AMSilk to manufacture industrial quantities of silk proteins for the production of fibres, hydrogels and powders.  

An extrusion line for the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been installed by the Korea Textile Development Institute (KTDI) at its technical centre in Daegu, South Korea. 

A wet-spun core–shell suture that demonstrates a strong antimicrobial effect and can be seen using medical scanning systems is being developed by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Victor

A system capable of recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) partially oriented yarn (POY) has been launched by Gneuss of Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns that convert mechanical movement into electricity do so more effectively than other material-based energy-harvesters, according to their developers at the University of

Leeds, UK-based supplier of laboratory- and pilot-scale meltspinning systems, Fibre Extrusion Technology (FET) Ltd, reports that 2022 was a record-breaking year in terms of revenue. 

Systems developed by Andritz for the shredding of textiles and the removal of such as fastenings from the resulting material are being used by Renewcell at its recycling facility in Sundsvall, Swed

A camera system and related software that automatically detects defects in carbon fibres as they are being produced is being developed by a researcher at the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA)

A polylactic acid (PLA) resin that biodegrades more rapidly in oceans, rivers and soil than conventional PLA, while demonstrating the same strength and processing characteristics, has been develope

Polyamide (PA) 6 recovered from discarded fishing nets using a chemical process by Refineverse Group Inc is to be converted into fibres, yarns and textiles by Toray. 

Dissolving pulp sourced from textile waste by Renewcell is to be used by Lenzing Group for the production of cellulosic fibres, following the signing of a supply agreement by the two companies.   

The fibres industry gets its teeth into the problem of textile waste

Companies operating in every sector of the fibres, nonwovens and technical textiles industries must continue to innovate in order to make their products more environmentally sustainable. Adrian Wilson reports on the latest developments from the annual Global Fiber Congress (GFC), held most recently on 13–15 September 2022 in Dornbirn, Austria.

A recyclable and biodegradable yarn made from fibres sourced from waste pineapple leaves has been launched by Ananas Anam of London, UK. 

Filaments made from cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) that, unlike conventional plant-based materials, demonstrate high thermal conductivity – meaning that they could be used in place of synthetic materi

A simple device that can be used to braid micrometre-scale filaments to create, for instance, high-frequency antennae for mobile devices is being developed by researchers at Harvard University in C

Teijin Frontier Co Ltd has started-up an automated facility for the production of polyester (PES) filaments at its subsidiary, Teijin Polyester (Thailand) Ltd (TPL) in Pathumthani, Thailand. 

A fibre made entirely from recycled materials and embedded with minerals (Celliant) that convert body heat into infra-red (IR) radiation are to be launched by Unifi and Hologenix. 

A facility that will manufacture products such as threads and yarns for the automotive, personal protection, and wire and cable industries has been opened by Coats in Huamantla, Mexico. 

As it works to scale-up its business, manufacturer of artificial silk, AMSilk GmbH, has moved its headquarters to a 2000-m2 facility in Munich, Germany.

Researchers in China have found a way to make standard silkworm silk stronger than spider silk by bathing it with metal ions and then re-spinning it. 

A range of threads that are made from recycled polyester (PES) and contain an additive that causes them to biodegrade has been launched by Coats of Uxbridge, UK. 

A robust and washable electrically conductive cotton thread is being used by researchers at Imperial College London in the UK to embroider low-cost sensors on T-shirts and face masks.

The meltspinning of polymer fibres that dynamically stiffen when exposed to strain is being explored by Rheon Labs of London, UK.

A cord made from recycled polyester (PES) and treated with a resorcinol formaldehyde (RF)-free adhesion promoter has been developed for the reinforcement of rubber tyres by Teijin Frontier Co Ltd. 

International Fibres Group (IFG) is working with Omya International AG to develop fibres that are modified with the latter's calcium carbonate, called Omyafiber. 

Techtextil shows that collaboration will be key to meet challenges

The recent staging of Techtextil, Texprocess and Heimtextil was perfectly timed, as the technical textiles industry wrestles with a long list of challenges. As Editor James Bakewell reports, the shows illustrated that strong partnerships will be vital if these problems are to be solved. 

Toray Industries Inc, of Tokyo, Japan, claims to have manufactured the world’s first entirely bio-based adipic acid, which is a precursor for polyamide (PA) 66, from sugars derived from inedible bi

Milliken & Co has increased its capacity for the production of yarn for its Protective Fabrics, Workwear, Government and Defence, Industrial and Napery textile business units by purchasing a ya

Nanollose has extended a collaboration agreement with one of Europe's largest producers of wet wipes, Codi Group, until 2025. 

The production of fibres for technical textiles and the reinforcement of composites from by-products of lavender farming is being explored by researchers in Germany. 

XXXX