Fibres with potential to compete & complement cotton production have reached peak
Marten Alkhagen, Senior Scientist - Nonwoven and Technical Textiles of Swerea IVF AB is an expert in the technical textiles industry. He shares his views on the biggest markets for technical textiles, their growth potential and upcoming technological innovations.
Which are the core areas that you work in technical textile, and what is the growth potential in each niche?
Swerea IVF is a research institute and is present in a multitude of different niches that concern technical textile. Recently, we purchased a melt-blown pilot line that, in combination with our conventional nonwoven line and atmospheric plasma, gives opportunities to develop new functional materials. In our bi-component melt-spinning machine, we produce our own customised fibres, staple or filament to be used in carded nonwovens or yarns for technical textiles. For example, we have developed piezoelectric fibres that can be used for energy harvesting and fibres containing phase change material for a temperature regulating effect. The potential for incorporating additional functionality in textiles is growing rapidly. Several patents and scientific publications result from the activities as well as demonstrators and prototypes when close collaboration with the industry is true.
To meet the demand for sustainable material, we have a lot of ongoing research. Examples are to make fibres from dissolved cellulose, to make carbon fibre precursors from lignin and to use recycled textiles as a raw material for different applications, in different fields, and not only for textiles. With increasing global welfare, these activities have immense potential, not only to replace or complement cotton but also to be an alternative to fossil-based polymers in textiles, including nonwovens.
What is happening about material recycling?
A related sector is material recycling. The governmental demand on recycling is increasing which also includes technical textiles. After their useful life, many technical textiles contain materials that still have an economic value, and there are several ways of how to make best use of the recycled product.
Another challenge is to make a shift towards more sustainable agricultural production and at the same time, increase global food production. Different agro textiles are used to enhance crop production, ie nonwoven polytunnels, biodegradable nonwoven mulches and covers, geotextiles and greenhouse curtains. The potential is enormous, for example to cultivate dry lands, mulches and covers can be used to control the microclimate and reduce the need for irrigation. It is also possible to functionalise nonwoven to get a more effective and less hazardous use of pesticides and fertilizers.
What are the trends in nonwoven segment and what new can be expected from this field? How has the market for the same evolved over the years?
The most obvious trend is the increasing demand for biobased materials like PLA, viscose, lyocell, bio-PP, bio-PET, starch and similar. It is still in its infancy, but will grow rapidly as the raw material prices decrease. Another trend is the increasing use of recycled materials, ie bottle PET to make staple fibres for carded nonwovens, and other recycled polymers will probably also increase. The recycling directives will also require that technical textiles are marked with proper recycling codes. Carded nonwovens are used more and more for composites where structural fibres like hemp or flax are co-mingled with melting fibres, ie PP or bi-co PLA, and then heated and compression moulded into a product that is light and at least partly biobased. In the furniture industry, there is a trend to replace white nonwovens with coloured nonwovens to get a less sensitive surface that also is more aesthetically appealing. It should also be mentioned that the production of thermobonded vertically-lapped nonwovens has matured, and is now able to compete with traditional polyurethane foams as a more sustainable alternative.
Which are your biggest markets and where does Asia feature in your growth strategy? Which are the countries seeking more technical textile?
Most of our projects are with companies in the Swedish and Nordic markets. However, the companies often have Asian sub-suppliers which can lead to collaboration opportunities.
How has your business grown in the last two years and what is your target growth for the next two years?
The business has grown around five per cent during the last year. We have an increased target, focussing on sustainability activities, of around 10 per cent for the coming two years.
What are the upcoming technological innovations in technical textiles that the industry can expect this year?
This is a very hard question. My guess is that new and more effective methods to make 3D-shaped textiles with printing, weaving or knitting techniques will be in focus this year. Also, innovations related to integrating electronics into textiles are hot, especially in the fashion industry, and I think we will see new applications during the coming years.
What are the most revolutionary works by Swerea in the past years that have greatly changed the technical textile industry?
The development of piezoelectric fibres is a real technical achievement; the fibre is made by bi-component melt spinning where the core is electrically conductive and the sheath made of PVDF gives the piezoelectric effect. When the fibre is stretched a voltage is created between the core and a surrounding conductive coating which gives opportunities for sensors or energy harvesting incorporated in textiles.
Another invention from Swerea is a bi-component fibre where the core is a phase changing polymer; the fibre can be used for temperature control in for example workwear, bed pillows, blankets, etc.
To facilitate sheet metal forming, i.e. deep drawing, a method was developed at Swerea IVF where the normally used lubricant is replaced by a specially designed nonwoven. The result is that the need of product cleaning is reduced and that the amount of rejected products due to surface damage is decreased. By this method, it is even possible to form a pre-painted sheet metal.
Some years ago, we developed a new type of electro-spinning nonwovens based on a fast rotating disc where a polymer solution is fed in the centre and then thrown outwards to form thin fibres by the centrifugal force. The fibres are then further stretched and collected by an electric field. The material has been used in filter applications with high demands on particle separation.
What percentage of profits do you earmark for R&D annually?
We are a non-profitable research institute. Any profit we make is used for investment in equipment.
Out of all the sectors of technical textiles, which sectors are growing at a fast pace? What are the probable factors contributing to this development?
Sustainable production of textiles, i.e. sustainable raw material, has been in the focus for several years, but will most probably explode in the coming years. A lot of work is going on to find processes that are more environment-friendly than the viscose process to produce regenerated cellulose fibres. According to analysts, fibres with a potential to compete and complement today's cotton production have reached the peak. The development of biobased polymers like PLA, bio-PET, bio-PP has reached a stage where commercialisation has started.
What are the services which are being offered by Swerea to the technical textile industries?
Swerea IVF offer technical competence for product and process development mainly in the following fields: nonwovens, meltblown, bi-component melt spinning, plasma treatment, surface modification, comfort, recycling, polymer compounding, flame retardants and medical textiles.
Swerea IVF also offers a lot of standardised test methods, for example Oeko-tex, Martindale, chemical analyses, fire testing, UV-testing and moisture management. We also customise test methods for certain applications - both by adaption of existing methods and by development of new methods.
As an expert, what is your opinion on the technical textile industry in Europe?
The future of the technical textile industry in Europe, ranging from small start-ups to consolidations and large companies, seems to be prospering. The textile industry appears to be more open for new innovations and to work in closer collaboration with the customers to meet their demands. Another focus area for European industry has been to implement the just in time philosophy; this has also improved the situation and competiveness of European sub-suppliers with considerably shorter lead times compared with ship transports from Asia.
