Hohenstein Research Institute of Germany develops analysis and assessment method on risk of nanoparticles in textile industry.
An increasing number of people in Germany think that textile products using nano technology will be the driving force for the advancement of the textile industry. At the same time, the Hohenstein Research Institute of Germany has brought a risk assessment testing method into shape according to its view that sound production for textile products with nano technology is necessary, anticipating the possibility of increased risk in the use of nano technology. In Germany, the emphasis has been only on the benefits of nano technology-based textile products, not on the possibility of risk if nano particles are harmful to the human body and the environment, which has been considered less seriously, and this lead the institute to compile the testing method. To rectify this condition, the Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology of the Hohenstein Research Institute has started and improved the research, development and diffusion of the risk assessment method.
Intellectuals in Japan have pointed out the same thing saying, "There is a tendency in Japan as in Germany to put emphasis only on the benefits of nano technology-based textile products." How to develop analysis and assessment technology to test what methods using nano technology have less or more risk for the human body and the environment is likely to become an important question later in Japan.
To use aqueous coating agent as measure for VOC regulations about 50 Stork's rotary screen coating machines employed in Japan.
Because a law regulating VOC (volatile organic compounds) came into effect in Japan, firms carrying out coating with solvent type agents started to take action for reducing VOC emissions without deterioration of the coating effect of solvent type agents during the grace period.
What is more, the number of firms which carry out coating for various applications in aqueous type foam coating using a rotary screen are increasing. One such example is an aqueous coating machine of Stork-Brabant B.V of Holland. The management from Stork Prints Japan serving as the contact in Japan said, "Since we introduced our foam coating finishing machine with rotary screen to Japan, about 50 of them are in operation, and we have reached the stage that widely-known domestic firms will employ them soon."
As can be seen from the promotional activities of Stork Prints Japan, the target for sales of dual purpose foam coating and finishing machines with rotary screens has been rapidly expanding recently, which has lead to a broadening of the range of applications for finishing like moisture-permeable finishing for various non woven fabrics, home textiles, car seats, furnishing materials and sportswear, and finishing to treat fabric surfaces and backs with different functional agents (foam), and this tendency has become the same as Europe and other countries. There is a firm increasing its sales recently in Japan by producing special paper material with a foam coating aiming at the special effects of foam finishing.
(Note) = Stork-Brabant B.V provides finishing methods which are necessary for aqueous foam coating finishing with rotary screens around the world, formulating the best-suited know-how for each customer's finishing purposes in conjunction with a world-famous chemical manufacturer.
Unitika Fibers has new product coming out for fashion swimwear
"StylishCare," new functional material.
Unitika Fibers has developed a new functional material “StylishCare” which maintains the fineness of the garments after swimming in pools and at beaches, and will release it for fashion swimwear in the 2007 season.
“StylishCare” is a material with technology that manipulates atoms and molecules in the nano ( billionth of a meter) region to modify the structure. Its function can be maintained after repeated use and more than 30 washings because of direct binding or mutual binding of yarn and agents with nano technology unlike conventional finishing. Using functional material with UV shielding and non-see-through effects for base fabric makes it possible to add various functions.
(1) Quick-dry/water repellency (water repellent finishing)
- It takes about half the time needed for conventional products to dry, since it is resistant to water.
- It preserves design features like frills and ribbons since it repels water and dries quickly.
- It can keep a brilliant color even after being in water.
- It reduces heat loss from the water.
(2) Stain resistant (oil repellent finishing)
It resists oil spots from tanning lotion, food and drinks.
(3) Sandproofing (water repellent finishing)
It allows less sand into swimwear and prevent sand adhesion because of its water repellency.
(4) Opacity and UV shielding
It has a non-see-through effect and ultraviolet protection factor rating UPF 50＋.
Japan Creation 2007 autumn/winter will be held
December 6 -8 at Tokyo Big Sight.
Japan Creation 2007 autumn/winter will be held for 3 days from December 6 (Wed.) to 8 (Fri.) at East Exhibition Halls 1, 2, 3 in Tokyo Big Sight (3-21-1, Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo), and more than 280 companies will exhibit. In this exhibition, outerwear/heavy clothing (jacket and coat fabrics), casual wear/denim/outdoor, inner wear/medium-light clothing (shirts and blouses fabrics), formal wear and sportswear/new materials will be suggested by synthetic/spun fiber manufacturers, textile manufacturers and dyeing firms including Toray, Unitika, Nikke, Sakai Ovex and SOTOH Group, and textile production systems and software will be presented by Shima Seiki, Toshin Kogyo, the Electronics Division of Kurabo Industries, Pegasus Sewing Machines and Toyoshima Business Systems.
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