Huntsman to show high-performance solutions at Techtextil Frankfurt

Consumers increasingly want both sustainability and performance when choosing apparel and other textile products. While achieving this balance has traditionally been a challenge, new technologies are changing the game, the company said in a press release.

“Sustainability has become an increasingly urgent priority for consumers, as well as a core business strategy for brands. The future of sustainable textiles largely depends on the industry’s ability to minimise resource use,” said Markus Dueblin, commercial director – Europe, MEA, Turkey, Huntsman Textile Effects. “We have innovative solutions that can help brands and mills to develop new high-value products and further leverage their sustainability credentials to meet growing consumer demand for eco-friendly textile products.”

Huntsman innovations and solutions being showcased at Techtextil include resource-saving solutions, innovative dyes, revolutionary digital inks, high-performing and sustainable towel solutions, high-performance flame-retardants and innovative odour-control solutions.

AVITERA SE Fast process is a revolutionary technology that delivers the lowest environmental impact for dyeing polyester-cellulosic (PES-CO) blends. It combines alkali-clearable TERASIL W/WW disperse dyes and AVITERA SE reactive dyes to cut processing time from around nine hours to just six. This helps mills reduce the water and energy required for production by up to 50 per cent and increase output by up to 25 per cent or more. AVITERA SE Fast also delivers outstanding wet-fastness to ensure that sportswear will not bleed or stain during home laundering, or while in storage or transit.

Continuing its long-standing partnership with Chemours, Huntsman will present eco-friendly finishes that repel water and stains to help garments look new for longer. Teflon EcoElite with Zelan R3 technology is the industry’s first renewably sourced water-repellent finish. It contains 63 per cent plant-based materials and exceeds performance levels possible with traditional fluorinated technologies, offering excellent water repellency and durability while preserving breathability.

Huntsman also continues to extend its range of popular PHOBOTEX non-fluorinated water-repellent finishes. PHOBOTEX is an advanced and comprehensive range of water repellents that can be quickly, easily and safely applied to any substrate to ensure premium softness and comfort as well as lasting protection against rain and everyday stains. The latest additions to the range – PHOBOTEX RDE, PHOBOTEX RSY and PHOBOTEX REC – provide excellent protection in extreme environments, allowing brands to produce sustainable textile products without compromising performance.

TERATOP dyes are designed to meet all levels of light-fastness requirements for polyester textiles, making them ideal for outdoor furniture, awnings, banners and automotive textiles. They are manufactured according to stringent production practices and quality standards to achieve the highest shade reproducibility when used on PES.

NOVACRON EC dyes have very high solubility, good diffusion and levelness, and high fixation. They are suitable for short liquor ratio dyeing, with outstanding compatibility, excellent reproducibility, easy washing-off and good all-round fastness. The latest addition to the range is NOVACRON Atlantic EC-NC, the industry’s first blue element that delivers chlorine - and nitrogen oxide (NOx) - fastness alongside lightfastness for textiles, ensuring garments look as good as new for longer.

A longstanding innovator in digital printing solutions, Huntsman has built high-performance digital ink ranges for all textile substrates and applications, delivering bright lasting colours and excellent stability, runnability and reproducibility, along with highest wash-fastness.

Huntsman offers robust and innovative solutions for home and institutional textiles for a multitude of end-uses and market segments. As a company that serves the world’s top towel brands, Huntsman has world-class expertise and a full range of solutions – from pre-treatment to coloration and finishing effects – to produce high-quality, eco-friendly towels for households, hospitals, hotels and more.

Huntsman will also showcase revolutionary antimicrobial and odor-control solutions as part of its partnership with Sciessent. Sciessent’s latest anti-odour technology, NOBO, has been specifically developed to reduce body odours in natural and synthetic fabrics. It can be incorporated into virtually any fabric, making it ideal for everything from socks and underwear to trousers and jackets. It offers a cost-effective way to upgrade everyday garments.

In addition, the partners will also present Sciessent’s Agion Active X2, a next-generation odour-control solution that combines advanced antimicrobial and odour-absorbing technologies to both capture and fight odour-causing bacteria, and Lava X2, a standalone odour-adsorption product and key component of Agion Active X2 that attracts, absorbs and degrades odours for long-lasting odour protection.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)