Typically, if wholesale Medical Isolation Gown material is stretched in one direction, it thins out in the other; and if compressed in one direction, it thickens in the other. However, in the case of auxetic materials, the converse is true. For example, if a thin, inelastic fiber is wrapped around an elastic core and then pulled lengthwise, the elastic component bulges outwards.
This simple, elegant auxetic effect can be the basis of some revolutionary solutions for all sorts of textile applications.Zetix™ helical-auxetic fiber technology – developed in the United Kingdom by Dr. Patrick Hook, managing director, Auxetix Ltd., in collaboration with researchers at the University of Exeter and Dow Corning Ltd. – has won several awards, including the Techtextil 2007 Innovation Prize. Hook, an engineer who had been involved in the motor racing arena prior to pursuing a doctorate in engineering with a focus on auxetic materials, established Auxetix to commercializethe patented technology.
Auxetix now has granted an exclusive license to Houston-based Advanced Fabric Technologies LLC (AFT) to develop and market Zetix fabrics for use in blast-mitigation and ballistic-protection fabrics in North America, as well as first right of refusal to market and manufacture the fabrics elsewhere in the world.A test conducted by the UK Ministry of Defence compares the performance of a Zetix™ blastcurtain (left) with that of a conventional blast curtain.
“This is a completely new approach to material science, particularly for blast and ballistic mitigation, and we think it’s going to be a game-changing, breakthrough technology,” said Tony Lentini, AFT’s vice president of marketing.Zetix comprises a series of auxetic yarns, each yarn wrapped using S or Z twist with a high-strength cord — or “power thread,” as Lentini described it — and woven by weft insertion across the warp. Off the loom, the weft becomes the tensile element in the fabric. “When force isapplied,” Hook explained, “the auxetic yarns deform, opening thousands of small pores in the fabric’s surface. In so doing, they absorb the peak pressures from the blast wave and yet allow therest to pass through.
The company also notes that in LCA terms, TruBlend — also like all other Antron products — offers longer-term performance than many competitive carpet fibers and, therefore, is better from a sustainability standpoint.“Nylon 6,6 has a larger environmental footprint when new than nylon 6, but italso lasts longer,” O’Sullivan said, noting that Antron’s longer life cycle means that less energy and raw materials are expended to make replacement products. Mentioning the conventional notion of a seven-year lifetime for many carpet products, she added: “We think sustainability begins with products that last.
If I don’t have to use a new pound of material to make a replacement product, I’m saving that resource and the energy needed to convert that resource, not to mention the disruption in the organization when it’s time to change the carpet. Maintenance is still required, but Antron carpet can look great forever, and there have been many case studies showing that.”Antron’s longer life cycle is but one aspect of its sustainability profile, asInvista has worked steadily to reduce the environmental footprint of its manufacturing operations across all of its product lines.
The company reports that since 2007, Invista PS&M has cut its fuel energy intensity by 13 percent, fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) intensity by 21 percent and CO2 emissions intensity by 6 percent. It has set a new goal of reducing energy intensity from its manufacturing operations by 20 percent between 2011 and 2020.Carpet products made with Antron Lumena solution-dyed nylon with TruBlend fibertechnology can contribute to Materials & Resources Credits — including Rapidly Renewable Materials and Recycled Content Credits —
as well as an China FR Flame Retardant Sofa Fabric in Design Credit for projects certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program.For more information about Antron® Lumena® solution-dyed nylon with TruBlend™ fiber technology, contact Sarah Wilson +770-420-7753, cell +404-314-7846; sarah.j.wilson@invista.com; www.antron.net.December 21, 2010
On the other hand, “wholesale Negative Ion Nurse Cloth Europe recordeddecreases of -4.” Decreased Yarn StocksIn contrast, ITMF reports: “Global yarn stocks dropped in the 3rd quarter of 2011 comparedwith the previous one which was especially due to lower stocks in South America and Asia, whilestocks in Europe and North America remained practically unchanged.8 percent, respectively, but remained almost unchanged in Europe and North America.1 percent and -1.7 percent, respectively.5 percent), South America (-7. In comparison to last year’s3rd quarter, the global fabric inventories increased by +15.6percent and -14.
As the Rupp Report has reported during the past weeks, mainly from ITMA 2011 in Barcelona, Spain,the international textile community is enjoying a positive time.5 percent.0 percent, in Asia by +0. Year-on-year yarn and fabricorders in Europe decreased slightly by -0.5 percent, but rose in Asia and Europe by +4. … [The] orders in Europe were slightly down by -0.”Increased Fabric ProductionThe same comment is given for global fabric production:
“Compared with the previous quarterglobal fabric production increased in the 3rd quarter of 2011 by +5.0 percent, respectively.2percent and +2.5 percent,respectively, in the 3rd quarter of 2011 compared to the previous one. February 21, 2012. South America and Asia recorded increases of +9.5 percent in Asia and by +3.6 percent and in Europe by +0. In Brazil yarnand fabric orders jumped compared to the previous quarter by +23. In South America yarn inventoriesfell by -9.On an annual basis global yarn stocks were up by +2.
In comparison to last year’s 3rd quarter global fabric production was down by -2.6 percent, and despite lower outputlevels in North America (-8.”Different Expectations For The FutureThe ITMF report comments that “The estimates for yarn and fabric production in the 4thquarter of 2011 in most countries are mixed.” Well, after all, the response over the last few weeks from machinery suppliers wasn’t thatpessimistic about this coming year.9 percent, -2. Higher Yarn …
Textile innovator Camira have stepped back into the supply chain towork directly with farmers who grow the innovative raw material input for the company’s sustainablebast fiber fabric Hemp. The fabric uses hemp cultivated as agricultural crops to provide 40% of thefiber blend, the rest comes from wool. Camira’s hemp is grown as agricultural crops under licence from the UK Government on farms inEngland. This bast fibre plant – like nettles, flax and jute – contains naturally occurring textilefibre just inside the outer bark to give the stem both strength and flexibility.
Hemp is sown from seed in the springtime and is one of the fastest growing biomasses known,reaching over 10 feet in just 120 days, without the need for agro-chemicals. After harvesting, thelong stems are left in bundles on the field, while its leaves decompose and act as naturalfertiliser for the following year’s crop. A process called dew retting breaks down the fibresinside the stalks, the stalks are then baled ready for final separation.
Mechanical decorticationbreaks the brittle, woody stems which gradually fall away from the lighter, flexible fibre. Thewoody shive is used for bio-degradable animal bedding, while the textile fibre is blended with purenew wool. Camira plant 40lbs of hemp seed per acre. 1 acre produces 2.5 tonnes of hemp straw, yielding1,000lbs of hemp fiber, which – in a 60% wool, 40% hemp blend – makes 2,500 yards of fabric. Thecompany currently has 12 acres under cultivation which should provide enough hemp to make 137,000yards when blended with wool. The wool hemp yarn is blended and spun locally near the Camira manufacturing facility inEngland. The fabric is then woven on energy efficient high speed dobby looms.
Finally the Flame Retardant Yarn Fabric Manufacturers ispiece-dyed in low liquor dye vessels using non-metallic dyestuffs and a natural water supplyflowing directly from local hills. The combination of blending bast fiber with pure new wool, makes an inherently fire retardantfabric without the requirement for FR chemicals, post treatments or backcoating. Providing enhancedfire security for commercial interiors. Soft to handle, naturally inspired and manufactured using locally grown materials, Hemp isCamira’s most sustainable fabric ever.Posted on August 14, 2012 Source: Camira Fabrics Ltd.