Nisshinbo Textile Inc. has developed an innovative weaving technology that requires no sizing.
The company has already applied for a patent, and this technology is expected to be patented in August. The new technology enables high-speed weaving of spun fabrics without the use of sizing agents, leading to energy savings and a reduction of environmental burden during wastewater treatment. This technology will be first introduced at its subsidiary in Indonesia for the production of commodity uniform fabrics, and the items of production will be expanded gradually.
Weaving fabrics at higher speeds increases tension and friction on the warp. Particularly in the weaving of spun yarns, it is important to increase the strength of the warp by applying a sizing agent to prevent yarn breakage and hairiness. However, the sizing process consumes energy, and because the sizing agent is removed in the dyeing and processing stage, the wastewater containing the removed sizing agent was a great burden on the environment.
Research on various non-sizing weaving technologies has been conducted from an early stage, and these technologies have already been put to practical use, but mainly for low-speed weaving. However, these technologies have hardly been applied to high-speed mass-production weaving with shuttleless looms. Nisshinbo Textile, on the other hand, made a total review of the weaving conditions, and made modifications to the equipment, including changes in the reed design, to develop an innovative technology that makes sizing unnecessary and can be used even for high-speed mass-production.
This new technology will be introduced at its Indonesian textile subsidiary, P.T. Nikawa Textile Industry. It will first be applied to the production of commodity polyester/cotton blend fabrics for uniforms, such as 34s/2 twill. The company intends to make further improvements to this technology with an aim to apply it to fabrics woven with single yarns and pure cotton fabrics. The development of mass-production type of non-sizing weaving technology can save energy by omitting the sizing process, and it reduces environmental burden of wastewater treatment in the dyeing and processing stage.
In recent years, worldwide demand for sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has increased, and the reduction of environmental burden in the production process has been in strong demand. Nisshinbo Textile is introducing this new technology as an innovative production process that will reduce environmental impact.