From wound dressings and wallpaper to apparel and shoes, textiles can be found in widely diverse markets. While the applications are varied, they have something in common: Textile manufacturers and designers are looking for sustainable materials and technology that provide the right look, feel and performance attributes.

With a wide range of raw materials and products, including various polyurethane technologies and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films and fibre, Covestro says it has the right solution for a variety of textile applications.

New TPU Fiber for fabrics

The company showcased its new TPU Fiber, which is made with Desmopan TPU and a polyamide. This material features superior properties when compared to traditional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre, such as enhanced abrasion resistance and heat pressing at lower temperatures. It can be used in footwear, functional textiles, sport accessories and casual wear. TPU Fiber is also said to provide several advantages to finished products, including: 3D heat press embroidery; abrasion resistance; tear resistance, and good haptic properties.

Covestro also highlighted INSQIN, its high-tech waterborne polyurethane technology for textiles. This solvent-free technology uses a more sustainable manufacturing process to reduce pollution and the amount of water and energy needed. With INSQIN, apparel and footwear applications can benefit from enhanced design, comfort, performance, durability and breathability.

The company also offers several grades of Impranil high-solid polyurethane dispersions for the formulation of textile coatings, including Impranil DLU, Impranil DL 1380, Impranil DL 1554 and Impranil DL 1537. “With outstanding adhesion, flexibility, and chemical and hydrolysis resistance, these products help create stable, open cell foam structures as films,” the company reports.

Sustainable raw materials

Under the Baymedix portfolio, Covestro offers raw materials for sustainable, waterborne textile coatings that can be used in medical applications such as surgical wear, hospital bed linens and medical furniture.

Textile coatings made from Baymedix waterborne raw materials are said to boast a variety of features, including: resistance against disinfectants and bodily fluids; water resistance; chemical stability; “soft touch” feel; and excellent mechanical properties.

Versatile films

Platilon and Dureflex TPU films from Covestro offer a variety of benefits to apparel and textile applications. When laminated to fabrics, these films provide excellent water resistance, low noise and breathability. They can also be used to seal textile seams—keeping jackets or trousers watertight.

Additionally, Platilon and Dureflex films are used as an adhesive layer to bond various substrates, such as textile wallpapers, insulation materials or complex composite automotive components. Lastly, Platilon can be used as multilayer TPU films for opaque blinds, curtains and projection screens. Laminating these black-out films to textiles in a one-step process is both cost- and energy-efficient.

www.covestro.us