Fibers & Fabrics News

Helmets for military and SWAT personnel could soon be a lot lighter. Made specifically to address requirements of the U.S. military's Enhanced Combat Helmet, Dyneema® HB80 is a unidirectional (UD) composite that is up to 50% lighter than existing aramid materials and is said to be the highest ballistic performance UD material available today.

Researchers in Germany have developed a cotton roll for dentistry that can release nitrogen monoxide gas. The fiber has been refined with silicon oxide particles using nanosol technology. The anti-bacterial effect of nitric oxide suggests the coating technology could be beneficial in a variety of medical applications.

A Swiss firm has created a fabric finish that uses special micro-sized particles to create a 3D structure on textile surfaces. Called Barrier, the finish blocks water, oil, and stains from adhering to the surface and can also reduce use of conventional fluorine-based repellent chemicals by as much as 60%.

Flame-retardant apparel can be a life saver, but it also can be uncomfortably harsh for the wearer. Now a new formaldehyde-free softener has been created that uses silicone fluid encapsulated in a silica shell to add softness and hydrophobicity to protective fabrics, without impacting their flame retardancy.

Nonwovens producer Ahlstrom Corp. has brewed up the "world's first" completely biodegradable tea bag, using a spunmelt infusion web and natural polymer. The main ingredient is PLA, a polylactic acid derived from corn starch. A £23 million (nearly $38 million) production line in Scotland has been fired up to produce the lightweight, low-denier material tea bag.

A U.S. med tech company will spin new products for the wound care market using the unique Nanospider™ platform from Czech machinery maker Elmarco. Nanospider is a free liquid surface electro-spinning process that uses no nozzles, needles, or spinnerets in the fiber-making process. In this video, a developer of the Nanospider machines explains the role of Autodesk Inventor.

A Swiss company has developed a technology that can tell if a textile product is fake or the real McCoy. First developed for its own products and now offered commercially, Schoeller AG's DNAtex can accurately ID anything in the textile chain, from chemicals and fibers to finished goods such as apparel and handbags.

A lower-cost option has been developed for single point measurement and control of material weight, coating weight, moisture, and thickness. The 8110-F system by NDC Infrared Engineering is composed of a measurement and control station and allows for a gamma backscatter sensor or an infrared sensor depending on the application.

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Worried about your job future? You might want to prepare to join the green-collar workforce. MSNBC reports that, in the U.S., community colleges are gearing up for what they believe will be strong demand for workers in various green industries.

Polyester and other synthetic fibers have come a long way since the day of your father's leisure suit. Today, researchers confirm that synthetic yarns offer a number of advantages over natural fibers, even in men's and women's business suits.

Is Nature's Way the Best Way?

Natural or synthetic fibers — which do you prefer?