Innovations in Fibres,Textiles,Apparel and Machinery

摘要

Innovations are enabling firms to differentiate their products and become more competitive.Also new,environmentally sustainable materials are being used to cut fossil fuel consumption.A Japanese company has developed a method for converting bamboo sheaths into textile fibre while other researchers believe that textile fabrics can be made from chicken feathers and rice straw.Elsewhere,a cotton/polyester blend has been patented which can be dyed with indigo.Faytex has developed a new elastic moisture management yarn while Propex Fabrics has devised a method for improving the fuzz resistance of tufted carpets.Maiden Mills has a new eco-friendly Polartec fabric,Lonati has developed a new openwork knitted fabric,Japanese company Wacoal has a novel fabric for use in the manufacture of foundation garments,and a scarf has been created which changes its colour to suit a chosen outfit.Unitika,meanwhile,has launched an apron which is made from biodegradable maize fibre.An upper body garment has been developed to stimulate muscles and reduce muscular atrophy while a garment resembling a wetsuit has been found to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth.Nike has patented garments with special vented areas and researcher Frank Rudman has a ventilated garment for cooling the body by natural convection.Georgia Technical Research Corporation has a sensor which transmits information from a patient during recovery while another researcher has come up with a dimmer switch which employs a touch-sensitive light control within a conductive textile.Procter and Gamble has designed a new disposable wipe for hard surfaces while an improved garment for pets contains waste more effectively.Singing Rock,based Czech Republic,has developed a new lightweight mountaineering rope while Viking has developed a textile-based life raft which overcomes the disadvantages of natural rubber.Two US researchers have developed a novel approach to reducing odours in carpets while two chemists in Germany have patented coated textiles with self-cleaning properties.Milliken has developed a polyamine/isocyanate finish to impart anti-static properties,Sanitized uses zinc pyrithion to reduce dust mites in domestic textiles,and a more effective way of controlling malaria has been developed by treating clothing rather than bed nets.In the coloration area,a university has developed a process for dyeing which almost entirely eliminates the need for water.Unilever,meanwhile,has designed a laundry treatment which helps to maintain and enhance the whiteness of polyester garments.