Fibre: Microfibres
Microfibres are a significant innovation in textile technology because they show man-made fibres, which are made finer than any fibre found in nature. Mircofibres were first intended for use in functional sportswear, but they have now become fashionable in most types of clothing. Microfibres are best suited to be blended with other man-made and natural fibres.
Silk used to be the finest natural thread known (one gram of fibre is 10, 000 metres long). But the man-made fibre industry has now succeeded in producing one that is even finer. An advantage of Microfibres is that they are twice as fine as silk and three times finer than cotton. Some are even six times finer than wool and sixty times finer than a human hair.
Microfibres are usually made of polyester, polyamide or acrylic. Microfibre is a woven fabric (some variants may be knitted) composed either of 100% polyester or 100% cotton. Microfibre is highly resistant, it is offered in a wide colour range and is absolutely washable.
Thus, the main feature is durability and this is why microfibre perfectly suits the necessities of upholstery furniture manufacturers.
An advantage of microfibre on the consumer is that it gives much higher volume for the same weight. This means that textiles made from Microfibres have very high thread density. This means they have a much higher number of air chambers and tiny pores, allowing the skin to breathe and the body to regulate temperature more easily. Sportswear is an example of microfibres that functions very well. It is breathable and at the same time provides reliable protection against wind and rain. Another advantage of Mircofibre in fashionable apparel is that it flows gracefully, has a silk-like feel and is extremely comfortable. Microfibre clothing is not sensitive, so it retains its high quality after washing or cleaning. It can also be used in stockings, socks and lingerie.
The fibre industry is generally responsible for the manufacture of fibres. Some of the trade names of manufacturers of microfibres are: Dralon Microfibre, Tactel Micro Trevira Finesse, and Trevira Micro. Some other manufacturers include; DuPont and Meryl Microfibre. These Manufacturers blend Mircofibres with different types of materials.
Microfibres can also be used in housing insulation. A manufacturer of this is DuPont, they have created the Micro-loft insulation. This insulation is made from a patented blend of microfibres to provide down-like softness, and exceptional warmth without bulk. It is superior at blocking radiant heat loss and resisting moisture, and provides lightweight comfort and compactability. Micro-loft is machine washable/dryable, and is odourless and no allergenic. End uses include outerwear, sleeping bags, gloves and accessories.
Meryl Microfibres use a sophisticated construction process, which makes very fine woven and knitted fabrics, characterised by soft handle, breath ability and resistance to wind and rain. They are ideal for light garments, with direct contact to the skin. Some advantages of this product are that it dries quickly and is extremely light.
Microfibres can also be used in cleaning products. AquaStar is an example of this that takes the "dirty work" out of cleaning. When using the AquaStar Microfibre System and some water, cleaning becomes simple, safe, and cost-effective. AquaStar microfibres are so specialized; only a handful of factories worldwide have the capability and capacity to
manufacture them efficiently.
Recently it has become common knowledge that using the wrong kinds of cleaning agents can be harmful to your health, as well as to the environment. As ecological awareness and environmental concerns increase, the industry for proven ecological products is expanding rapidly, especially since these products can be more effective than toxic chemicals. Tests reveal that just one swipe of a microfibre cloth eliminates up to 95% of bacteria, without chemicals.
AquaStar microfibre is a revolutionary thread, that is comprised of wedge-shaped polyester filaments and a core of nylon. It is manufactured with both oil-attracting and water-attracting polymers, the fibres are woven into masses of tiny "hooks & loops." The sharp edges of these millions of "hooks & loops" cut through dried-in stains, attracting and absorbing dirt and micro particles.
The microfibre cloth is not treated with any chemicals therefore there is little harm towards employees during the manufacture process. The fibre's wedge shaped filaments follow surfaces, lift up dirt, trap particles inside the fibre, and eliminate the need for harmful cleansers. The capillary effect between the filaments and nylon core creates a high absorbency, which in turn enables the cloth to clean and polish at the same time. Only water is needed as a detergent to clean any type of surface.
Microfibre cleaning products have been widely used throughout Europe for years. Large institutions such as hospitals, hotels, and professional cleaning companies, as well as by small businesses and households use them. There is no doubt the American market will quickly follow, making the AquaStar Microfibre System the environmentally friendly choice for cleaning worldwide.
Fibre: Tencel
Recent development in fabrics using cellulose fibres has been the creation of Tencel, which is the brand name for fibre wood pulp from trees grown on special tree farms in the USA. Tencel has taken many years to develop, and actually belongs to an innovative generic class of fibres called lyocell.
Some advantages of this luxurious fibre is that it has the natural workable comfort of cotton; the fluid drape and colour richness of rayon; the strength of a synthetic; and the luxurious hand and luster of silk.
When combined with other fibres, Tencel enhances their best attributes. For example, you can combine with linen, rayon, Lycra, micro denier polyester and cotton. Tencel's high strength enables the production of finer count yarns; providing a finer, softer and less wrinkled fabric. They also resist wrinkling and shrinkage, and are extremely washable.
Today some consumers like the idea of choosing a fibre that is natural, biodegradable and non-toxic to the environment. Tencel is an ideal fibre to suit these needs. In addition, this fabric breathes, are comfortable, drapes well, is soft, and resist wrinkles and shrinking. But although many consumers appreciate the functional qualities of this fibre, they still prefer the aesthetic qualities of natural fibres
The manufacturers producing this fibre use environmentally friendly methods of production. This means that the employees involved in the production process have dramatically reduced changes of becoming ill, due to the fibres health hazards. Tencel is produced via a special "solvent-spinning" process using a non-toxic solvent that is 99 percent recoverable and recyclable. Because no toxic chemical products are produced during the process, there are no harmful fumes released into the atmosphere. Also from an industrial point of view it is cheaper to avoid waste, than recycle it.
The Lyocell fibre was developed from a desire to product more ecologically sound fibre. Lyocell is both biodegradable and non-toxic to the environment. The "wood-pulp" used in manufacture comes from a "managed forest" where tress are constantly being replanted.
Yarn: Novaceta Acetate Filament yarn
Novaceta is a major producer of an innovative acetate filament yarn for the textile industry. Environmentally friendly, Acetate is derived from renewable cellulose. Novaceta solution dyed and natural acetate filament yarn.
Novaceta Acetate has a supple, lustrous appearance with an elegant sheen and drapes well with a soft hand. It is compatible with most man-made and natural fibres. Novaceta Acetate is also shrink, moth and mildew resistant. It is available in a profusion of spun dyed colours, Novaceta Acetates are suitable for woven apparel, linings and knits.
There has been dramatic growth Acetate use: it now accounts for 8.3% of the total output of continuous yarn. This can be explained by the increasing demand by consumer in natural man-made fibres.
Acetate is a man-made fibre (artificial rather than synthetic), which comes from natural sources. It is fully biodegradable and has anallergic, breathable and antistatic characteristics. It can be used in almost all fabrics for clothing, ranging from pret-a-porter to haute couture and can be blended with any other natural or synthetic yarn. It is soft and comfortable, with an optimal hand and drape and also is brilliantly coloured with both a bright and matt finish.
Novaceta is the main European manufacturer of continuous cellulose acetate yarn. The company is a joint venture which is 50% owned by the Acordis Group, the world's largest fibre manufacturer employing an international work force of 11,000 employees, and 50% owned by the Italian Company, Snia Spa, which operates in highly specialised textile fields. Novaceta's production structures are unique, it is designed in-house and generate an annual output of 13,000 tonnes of yarn, equivalent to 36 tonnes, or 300,000 kilometres, a day.
Novaceta has developed health, safety and environment standards. Novaceta has developed into a company that cares for its people, customers and the environment. They are striving to continuously improve in all aspects of Health, Safety and Environment performance.
Novaceta cares for its consumers and employees. Since the early 90's Novaceta has been working hard to achieve the highest international standards in safety. Novaceta can now be considered to be up among the best in the world. Novaceta products have achieved Oeko-Tex Standard 100, certifying the absence of harmful substances to man. They test their products
and their potential downstream processing to help ensure that using our yarn does not give significant health, safety or environmental harm. They are continuing to build on the long history of acetate by developing new finishes to minimise the impact of using our yarn.
Novaceta also cares for the environment. The cellulose acetate yarn that Novaceta produces is derived from tree plantations that have pledged to practice Sustainable Forestry Principles. The solvent that is used in our process, acetone, occurs naturally in the environment. It rapidly biodegrades in air and soil. They recover in excess of 95% of the solvent used and are continuing to make strides to improve this still further. Environmental Management Systems have been developed to help with continual improvement in reducing emissions, discharges and wastes. They have a partnerships with their customers and suppliers to develop ways of minimising packaging and maximising the reuse of materials.
Yarn: Tactel Bicomponent yarn
Nylon is an example of a polyamide and Tactel is its brand name. Tactel is used to produce a whole range of clothes that are both fashionable and functional. Tactel yarns are 30% lighter than cotton or polyester and have the highest "strength to weight" ratio of any fibre. Tactel was developed to have nylon's benefits without the disadvantages of "riding up". The consumer's demand was mainly for comfort.
Dupont (the manufacturer) also has a new Tactel bi-component yarn for sheer hosiery that is 100 percent nylon yarn and that matches skin tone uniformly and offers the consumer a luxuriously soft, comfortable and enhanced fit. Legwear concept is hosiery made with the yarn that incorporates beauty enhancement principles. It combines a flawless sheer finish and subtle skin tone. This is a dramatic innovation because never before has a 100 percent nylon product been able to deliver all the benefits of sheerness and stretch without using Lycra.
Tactel duo uses fine hosiery yarns that are engineered through patented bicomponent technology that combines two distinct polyamide 6,6 polymers in every single filament. All the yarns are lighter than 20 decitex. The benefits of this yarn on the consumer are; minimised snagging and laddering of the stockings, uniform transparency for durable sheer looks and a smooth dry touch. This product is specifically designed for hosiery, where it is ideally used as a covering yarn or in alternate coarse knitting constructions.
DuPont's manufacturing process works with texturisers and fancy yarn processors around the world to create new effect yarns. Their texturising facility has false twist texturising, air jet texturising, conventional and air covering, twisting and air mingling development machines. New yarns are designed to meet the trends.
The employees within Textile Centre test samples to make sure customers are getting the excellent quality fabrics. Commercial fabric samples are also tested to ensure they meet the brand requirements before garment makers can request ticket and labels. Many specific fabric performance tests are carried out for abrasion, breathabillity, moisture management, and tear strength.
DuPont also has a commitment to continuously improving environmentally friendly yarns. Today nylon is usually produced using oil rather than coal. Since oil isn't a sustainable resource scientists are looking towards alternatives to manufacture this product.
Fabric: Leather with LYCRA
A dramatic new innovation is in DuPont's leather LYCRA. DuPont has recently developed a range of innovative technologies, which allow LYCRA to be applied to natural leather. This gives the leather a memory, which means it stretches and recovers, giving the consumer a feeling of unbelievable luxury and freedom of movement.
Leather with LYCRA is the result of fusing a lightweight woven fabric with 3-5% LYCRA content to the back skins. The tanning process is modified to create skins with considerably more of their natural stretch intact and rely on the LYCRA in the backing fabric to provide the "memory" to ensure the garment keeps its shape. The stretch and recovery of Leather with LYCRA allows garments to shape up without the traditional styling limitations of leather. An advantage this product has for the consumer are; increased flexibility. Key areas for this fabric will be in apparel, footwear, upholstery, accessories, including leather gloves, luggage and now recently lingerie.
Leather with LYCRA is present in current Lingerie/Body Wear. This combination of aesthetics, high-tech, and comfort opens up numerous possibilities for design and also follows the actual tendency towards the "natural look". This leather with LYCRA used in lingerie is of course washable at 30'C while offering extended shape retention, even after repeated washing. Lingerie/bodywear using Leather with LYCRA is a fabulous because it combines the feel-good sensations of LYCRA with the traditional qualities we associate with natural leather.
According to designer Martine "The biggest advantage (of Leather LYCRA) is in tops. Designers can now make long-sleeve suede T-shirts that must be made of stretch suede or you couldn't even get them on. In tight-fitting jackets, the stretch allows the shoulders to expand when you sit and move.
Some more advantages of this fabric is that the smooth fabric backing can be worn directly next to the skin, eliminating the need for linings for pants and tops. Most of Martine's jackets, however, are constructed with compatible stretch linings.
Some disadvantages of stretch leather garments are that they cannot be mass-produced. They will never be able to retail for $100, but they will always give you comfort and durability. Each garment is cut and sewn individually by employees of local Los Angeles factories. This would be a time consuming process, which is labour intensive. The backing fabric's weft stretch means garment pieces must be cut and sewn as though they have a grain. "This is a specialty product for people who don't care about cost but care about comfort and want to look good in leather," says Martine.
Since such a small quantity of this product is produced, there is little harm to the environment. Also since this new fabric is half leather, and half LYCRA there would be reduced demand for real leather. Thus, not as many animals would be slaughtered for fashion.
This remarkable blend of the stretch and recovery of LYCRA with the unique natural qualities of leather makes possible garments that conform to the silhouette, while offering uninhibited comfort and freedom of movement. Another innovation is washability: the type of Leather with LYCRA developed for lingerie is truly easy care and retains its shape through repeated launderings.
Leather with LYCRA is manufactured by a laminating process that is expensive for the manufacturer. This process fuses leather and a substrate containing LYCRA to create a material with a uniform degree of stretch and recovery. Garments made of Leather with LYCRA retain the characteristic look and feel of leather yet are significantly more comfortable and a very important point they retain their original shape through repeated wearing.
Fabric: GORE-TEX Fabrics
GORE-TEX is a new innovative fabric that is guaranteed to keep you dry. The manufacturers of the GORE-TEX fabric have designed a special membrane which is bonded to this high-performance textile to create a laminated fabric. Just as there are many different types of outerwear for a variety of end uses, there are different GORE-TEX laminates that satisfy the requirements of different types of garments. The GORE-TEX 2-layer fabric is produced due to the demand for a soft and lighter fabric. These GORE-TEX fabrics guarantee high comfort, and you can also match them according to your activity or individual needs.
There are many advantages of this fabric; it has a soft and light outer shell for the most versatile usage. It is waterproof to a minimum of 28 metres and it is 100% windproof.
This product is specially designed for consumers who participate in outdoor sports such as; skiing, cycling, backpacking, climbing, and golf. The "hidden" membrane is the secret of these Gore textile products. It is inside the clothing, "hidden" from view. Developing and manufacturing GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER membranes and laminating them to materials suitable for the end-user are the core activities of Gore. Consumers of GORE-TEX fabrics are "Guaranteed To Keep Dry". The company also offers a full refund, if this product isn't fully waterproof, windproof or breathable. When using GORE-TEX the consumer, can move about freely - unhampered by the elements.
Bob Gore introduced the first GORE-TEX fabric in 1969. He discovered a special way of processing PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). This opened up the possibility of applying the particular properties of this polymer to textile products. It involved expanding the PTFE mechanically to form a microporous membrane without chemical reactions. Only low amounts of the polymer are needed to create this airy, lattice-like structure, thus making the process highly efficient. Nowadays we develop and produce specific PTFE membranes for all kinds of applications. Employees of this company test this product inside the lab. No other performance fabrics are tested more thoroughly. It is put through; walking simulators, abrasion tests, whole boot tester and rain towers
GORE-TEX is also committed to minimizing their environmental impact through an active and responsible approach to the design and manufacture of their products and operation of their facilities. They work to continually improve the performance in preventing pollution. The people at the Fabrics Division of W. L. Gore & Associates specialize in the production of fabrics designed to help wearers feel safe and comfortable in their chosen environment. These environments include work, playing sports or out enjoying some other leisure activities. This company is concerned not only with making money, but also by providing people with the right products that they will value. They also recognize the need to care for the environment and preserve natural resources.
Microfibres are a significant innovation in textile technology because they show man-made fibres, which are made finer than any fibre found in nature. Mircofibres were first intended for use in functional sportswear, but they have now become fashionable in most types of clothing. Microfibres are best suited to be blended with other man-made and natural fibres.
Silk used to be the finest natural thread known (one gram of fibre is 10, 000 metres long). But the man-made fibre industry has now succeeded in producing one that is even finer. An advantage of Microfibres is that they are twice as fine as silk and three times finer than cotton. Some are even six times finer than wool and sixty times finer than a human hair.
Microfibres are usually made of polyester, polyamide or acrylic. Microfibre is a woven fabric (some variants may be knitted) composed either of 100% polyester or 100% cotton. Microfibre is highly resistant, it is offered in a wide colour range and is absolutely washable.
Thus, the main feature is durability and this is why microfibre perfectly suits the necessities of upholstery furniture manufacturers.
An advantage of microfibre on the consumer is that it gives much higher volume for the same weight. This means that textiles made from Microfibres have very high thread density. This means they have a much higher number of air chambers and tiny pores, allowing the skin to breathe and the body to regulate temperature more easily. Sportswear is an example of microfibres that functions very well. It is breathable and at the same time provides reliable protection against wind and rain. Another advantage of Mircofibre in fashionable apparel is that it flows gracefully, has a silk-like feel and is extremely comfortable. Microfibre clothing is not sensitive, so it retains its high quality after washing or cleaning. It can also be used in stockings, socks and lingerie.
The fibre industry is generally responsible for the manufacture of fibres. Some of the trade names of manufacturers of microfibres are: Dralon Microfibre, Tactel Micro Trevira Finesse, and Trevira Micro. Some other manufacturers include; DuPont and Meryl Microfibre. These Manufacturers blend Mircofibres with different types of materials.
Microfibres can also be used in housing insulation. A manufacturer of this is DuPont, they have created the Micro-loft insulation. This insulation is made from a patented blend of microfibres to provide down-like softness, and exceptional warmth without bulk. It is superior at blocking radiant heat loss and resisting moisture, and provides lightweight comfort and compactability. Micro-loft is machine washable/dryable, and is odourless and no allergenic. End uses include outerwear, sleeping bags, gloves and accessories.
Meryl Microfibres use a sophisticated construction process, which makes very fine woven and knitted fabrics, characterised by soft handle, breath ability and resistance to wind and rain. They are ideal for light garments, with direct contact to the skin. Some advantages of this product are that it dries quickly and is extremely light.
Microfibres can also be used in cleaning products. AquaStar is an example of this that takes the "dirty work" out of cleaning. When using the AquaStar Microfibre System and some water, cleaning becomes simple, safe, and cost-effective. AquaStar microfibres are so specialized; only a handful of factories worldwide have the capability and capacity to
manufacture them efficiently.
Recently it has become common knowledge that using the wrong kinds of cleaning agents can be harmful to your health, as well as to the environment. As ecological awareness and environmental concerns increase, the industry for proven ecological products is expanding rapidly, especially since these products can be more effective than toxic chemicals. Tests reveal that just one swipe of a microfibre cloth eliminates up to 95% of bacteria, without chemicals.
AquaStar microfibre is a revolutionary thread, that is comprised of wedge-shaped polyester filaments and a core of nylon. It is manufactured with both oil-attracting and water-attracting polymers, the fibres are woven into masses of tiny "hooks & loops." The sharp edges of these millions of "hooks & loops" cut through dried-in stains, attracting and absorbing dirt and micro particles.
The microfibre cloth is not treated with any chemicals therefore there is little harm towards employees during the manufacture process. The fibre's wedge shaped filaments follow surfaces, lift up dirt, trap particles inside the fibre, and eliminate the need for harmful cleansers. The capillary effect between the filaments and nylon core creates a high absorbency, which in turn enables the cloth to clean and polish at the same time. Only water is needed as a detergent to clean any type of surface.
Microfibre cleaning products have been widely used throughout Europe for years. Large institutions such as hospitals, hotels, and professional cleaning companies, as well as by small businesses and households use them. There is no doubt the American market will quickly follow, making the AquaStar Microfibre System the environmentally friendly choice for cleaning worldwide.
Fibre: Tencel
Recent development in fabrics using cellulose fibres has been the creation of Tencel, which is the brand name for fibre wood pulp from trees grown on special tree farms in the USA. Tencel has taken many years to develop, and actually belongs to an innovative generic class of fibres called lyocell.
Some advantages of this luxurious fibre is that it has the natural workable comfort of cotton; the fluid drape and colour richness of rayon; the strength of a synthetic; and the luxurious hand and luster of silk.
When combined with other fibres, Tencel enhances their best attributes. For example, you can combine with linen, rayon, Lycra, micro denier polyester and cotton. Tencel's high strength enables the production of finer count yarns; providing a finer, softer and less wrinkled fabric. They also resist wrinkling and shrinkage, and are extremely washable.
Today some consumers like the idea of choosing a fibre that is natural, biodegradable and non-toxic to the environment. Tencel is an ideal fibre to suit these needs. In addition, this fabric breathes, are comfortable, drapes well, is soft, and resist wrinkles and shrinking. But although many consumers appreciate the functional qualities of this fibre, they still prefer the aesthetic qualities of natural fibres
The manufacturers producing this fibre use environmentally friendly methods of production. This means that the employees involved in the production process have dramatically reduced changes of becoming ill, due to the fibres health hazards. Tencel is produced via a special "solvent-spinning" process using a non-toxic solvent that is 99 percent recoverable and recyclable. Because no toxic chemical products are produced during the process, there are no harmful fumes released into the atmosphere. Also from an industrial point of view it is cheaper to avoid waste, than recycle it.
The Lyocell fibre was developed from a desire to product more ecologically sound fibre. Lyocell is both biodegradable and non-toxic to the environment. The "wood-pulp" used in manufacture comes from a "managed forest" where tress are constantly being replanted.
Yarn: Novaceta Acetate Filament yarn
Novaceta is a major producer of an innovative acetate filament yarn for the textile industry. Environmentally friendly, Acetate is derived from renewable cellulose. Novaceta solution dyed and natural acetate filament yarn.
Novaceta Acetate has a supple, lustrous appearance with an elegant sheen and drapes well with a soft hand. It is compatible with most man-made and natural fibres. Novaceta Acetate is also shrink, moth and mildew resistant. It is available in a profusion of spun dyed colours, Novaceta Acetates are suitable for woven apparel, linings and knits.
There has been dramatic growth Acetate use: it now accounts for 8.3% of the total output of continuous yarn. This can be explained by the increasing demand by consumer in natural man-made fibres.
Acetate is a man-made fibre (artificial rather than synthetic), which comes from natural sources. It is fully biodegradable and has anallergic, breathable and antistatic characteristics. It can be used in almost all fabrics for clothing, ranging from pret-a-porter to haute couture and can be blended with any other natural or synthetic yarn. It is soft and comfortable, with an optimal hand and drape and also is brilliantly coloured with both a bright and matt finish.
Novaceta is the main European manufacturer of continuous cellulose acetate yarn. The company is a joint venture which is 50% owned by the Acordis Group, the world's largest fibre manufacturer employing an international work force of 11,000 employees, and 50% owned by the Italian Company, Snia Spa, which operates in highly specialised textile fields. Novaceta's production structures are unique, it is designed in-house and generate an annual output of 13,000 tonnes of yarn, equivalent to 36 tonnes, or 300,000 kilometres, a day.
Novaceta has developed health, safety and environment standards. Novaceta has developed into a company that cares for its people, customers and the environment. They are striving to continuously improve in all aspects of Health, Safety and Environment performance.
Novaceta cares for its consumers and employees. Since the early 90's Novaceta has been working hard to achieve the highest international standards in safety. Novaceta can now be considered to be up among the best in the world. Novaceta products have achieved Oeko-Tex Standard 100, certifying the absence of harmful substances to man. They test their products
and their potential downstream processing to help ensure that using our yarn does not give significant health, safety or environmental harm. They are continuing to build on the long history of acetate by developing new finishes to minimise the impact of using our yarn.
Novaceta also cares for the environment. The cellulose acetate yarn that Novaceta produces is derived from tree plantations that have pledged to practice Sustainable Forestry Principles. The solvent that is used in our process, acetone, occurs naturally in the environment. It rapidly biodegrades in air and soil. They recover in excess of 95% of the solvent used and are continuing to make strides to improve this still further. Environmental Management Systems have been developed to help with continual improvement in reducing emissions, discharges and wastes. They have a partnerships with their customers and suppliers to develop ways of minimising packaging and maximising the reuse of materials.
Yarn: Tactel Bicomponent yarn
Nylon is an example of a polyamide and Tactel is its brand name. Tactel is used to produce a whole range of clothes that are both fashionable and functional. Tactel yarns are 30% lighter than cotton or polyester and have the highest "strength to weight" ratio of any fibre. Tactel was developed to have nylon's benefits without the disadvantages of "riding up". The consumer's demand was mainly for comfort.
Dupont (the manufacturer) also has a new Tactel bi-component yarn for sheer hosiery that is 100 percent nylon yarn and that matches skin tone uniformly and offers the consumer a luxuriously soft, comfortable and enhanced fit. Legwear concept is hosiery made with the yarn that incorporates beauty enhancement principles. It combines a flawless sheer finish and subtle skin tone. This is a dramatic innovation because never before has a 100 percent nylon product been able to deliver all the benefits of sheerness and stretch without using Lycra.
Tactel duo uses fine hosiery yarns that are engineered through patented bicomponent technology that combines two distinct polyamide 6,6 polymers in every single filament. All the yarns are lighter than 20 decitex. The benefits of this yarn on the consumer are; minimised snagging and laddering of the stockings, uniform transparency for durable sheer looks and a smooth dry touch. This product is specifically designed for hosiery, where it is ideally used as a covering yarn or in alternate coarse knitting constructions.
DuPont's manufacturing process works with texturisers and fancy yarn processors around the world to create new effect yarns. Their texturising facility has false twist texturising, air jet texturising, conventional and air covering, twisting and air mingling development machines. New yarns are designed to meet the trends.
The employees within Textile Centre test samples to make sure customers are getting the excellent quality fabrics. Commercial fabric samples are also tested to ensure they meet the brand requirements before garment makers can request ticket and labels. Many specific fabric performance tests are carried out for abrasion, breathabillity, moisture management, and tear strength.
DuPont also has a commitment to continuously improving environmentally friendly yarns. Today nylon is usually produced using oil rather than coal. Since oil isn't a sustainable resource scientists are looking towards alternatives to manufacture this product.
Fabric: Leather with LYCRA
A dramatic new innovation is in DuPont's leather LYCRA. DuPont has recently developed a range of innovative technologies, which allow LYCRA to be applied to natural leather. This gives the leather a memory, which means it stretches and recovers, giving the consumer a feeling of unbelievable luxury and freedom of movement.
Leather with LYCRA is the result of fusing a lightweight woven fabric with 3-5% LYCRA content to the back skins. The tanning process is modified to create skins with considerably more of their natural stretch intact and rely on the LYCRA in the backing fabric to provide the "memory" to ensure the garment keeps its shape. The stretch and recovery of Leather with LYCRA allows garments to shape up without the traditional styling limitations of leather. An advantage this product has for the consumer are; increased flexibility. Key areas for this fabric will be in apparel, footwear, upholstery, accessories, including leather gloves, luggage and now recently lingerie.
Leather with LYCRA is present in current Lingerie/Body Wear. This combination of aesthetics, high-tech, and comfort opens up numerous possibilities for design and also follows the actual tendency towards the "natural look". This leather with LYCRA used in lingerie is of course washable at 30'C while offering extended shape retention, even after repeated washing. Lingerie/bodywear using Leather with LYCRA is a fabulous because it combines the feel-good sensations of LYCRA with the traditional qualities we associate with natural leather.
According to designer Martine "The biggest advantage (of Leather LYCRA) is in tops. Designers can now make long-sleeve suede T-shirts that must be made of stretch suede or you couldn't even get them on. In tight-fitting jackets, the stretch allows the shoulders to expand when you sit and move.
Some more advantages of this fabric is that the smooth fabric backing can be worn directly next to the skin, eliminating the need for linings for pants and tops. Most of Martine's jackets, however, are constructed with compatible stretch linings.
Some disadvantages of stretch leather garments are that they cannot be mass-produced. They will never be able to retail for $100, but they will always give you comfort and durability. Each garment is cut and sewn individually by employees of local Los Angeles factories. This would be a time consuming process, which is labour intensive. The backing fabric's weft stretch means garment pieces must be cut and sewn as though they have a grain. "This is a specialty product for people who don't care about cost but care about comfort and want to look good in leather," says Martine.
Since such a small quantity of this product is produced, there is little harm to the environment. Also since this new fabric is half leather, and half LYCRA there would be reduced demand for real leather. Thus, not as many animals would be slaughtered for fashion.
This remarkable blend of the stretch and recovery of LYCRA with the unique natural qualities of leather makes possible garments that conform to the silhouette, while offering uninhibited comfort and freedom of movement. Another innovation is washability: the type of Leather with LYCRA developed for lingerie is truly easy care and retains its shape through repeated launderings.
Leather with LYCRA is manufactured by a laminating process that is expensive for the manufacturer. This process fuses leather and a substrate containing LYCRA to create a material with a uniform degree of stretch and recovery. Garments made of Leather with LYCRA retain the characteristic look and feel of leather yet are significantly more comfortable and a very important point they retain their original shape through repeated wearing.
Fabric: GORE-TEX Fabrics
GORE-TEX is a new innovative fabric that is guaranteed to keep you dry. The manufacturers of the GORE-TEX fabric have designed a special membrane which is bonded to this high-performance textile to create a laminated fabric. Just as there are many different types of outerwear for a variety of end uses, there are different GORE-TEX laminates that satisfy the requirements of different types of garments. The GORE-TEX 2-layer fabric is produced due to the demand for a soft and lighter fabric. These GORE-TEX fabrics guarantee high comfort, and you can also match them according to your activity or individual needs.
There are many advantages of this fabric; it has a soft and light outer shell for the most versatile usage. It is waterproof to a minimum of 28 metres and it is 100% windproof.
This product is specially designed for consumers who participate in outdoor sports such as; skiing, cycling, backpacking, climbing, and golf. The "hidden" membrane is the secret of these Gore textile products. It is inside the clothing, "hidden" from view. Developing and manufacturing GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER membranes and laminating them to materials suitable for the end-user are the core activities of Gore. Consumers of GORE-TEX fabrics are "Guaranteed To Keep Dry". The company also offers a full refund, if this product isn't fully waterproof, windproof or breathable. When using GORE-TEX the consumer, can move about freely - unhampered by the elements.
Bob Gore introduced the first GORE-TEX fabric in 1969. He discovered a special way of processing PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). This opened up the possibility of applying the particular properties of this polymer to textile products. It involved expanding the PTFE mechanically to form a microporous membrane without chemical reactions. Only low amounts of the polymer are needed to create this airy, lattice-like structure, thus making the process highly efficient. Nowadays we develop and produce specific PTFE membranes for all kinds of applications. Employees of this company test this product inside the lab. No other performance fabrics are tested more thoroughly. It is put through; walking simulators, abrasion tests, whole boot tester and rain towers
GORE-TEX is also committed to minimizing their environmental impact through an active and responsible approach to the design and manufacture of their products and operation of their facilities. They work to continually improve the performance in preventing pollution. The people at the Fabrics Division of W. L. Gore & Associates specialize in the production of fabrics designed to help wearers feel safe and comfortable in their chosen environment. These environments include work, playing sports or out enjoying some other leisure activities. This company is concerned not only with making money, but also by providing people with the right products that they will value. They also recognize the need to care for the environment and preserve natural resources.
