„Wrinkle-free“ new joint venture
A joint venture between a textile effects manufacturer and a cotton specialist organization results in a spectacular new Foam Eco Care finishing solution.
Over the past two years global textile solution provider Clariant (CH) and Cotton Incorporated of America (USA) have been teaming up to reach a breakthrough in creating an advanced resin-based foam finish application of high performance, sustainability and also innovative. The new formula is eco-friendly and more resource efficient than current pad applications – especially for the production of cotton shirt and trouser fabrics – and it includes non-iron properties that will enchant end customers.
Foam Eco Care – a clear finish also in the field of nor-iron finishing has been developed under laboratory conditions and was extensively tested in commercial textile mills in Italy producing identical and best reproducible results. A cotton poplin fabric 130g/m2 was use for the trials and the foam was applied with Gaston CFS lab unit. Since foam has less wet uptake the fabric will dry faster and this lead to a 25 % lesser dwell time as to compare to the so far customary pad application, also resulting in equal tensile and tear strength for both types of application. On the other hand the foam application presented a superior smoothness and superior flex abrasion as against pad application. The new formula additionally produces excellent and durable pressing rating and is as application less complicated than traditional moist cross-linking but allowing results close to the ones resulting from moist cross-linking. Thanks to the low temperature of curing resin chemistry less energy has to be applied, also water consumption is less because of faster drying speed thus all in all resulting in higher production efficiency. Additionally no after-washing is needed and the use of substantially less than 75 ppm formaldehyde (legal limit) are other advantages offered.
Modern textile mills use more and more foam application machinery and an adaptation to Foam Eco Care can be made without difficulty and does not require a lot of investment and even those mills who have to purchase foam application equipment first will find that ROI return of investment is achievable within a short time.