From its foundation in 1968 as Fibras ESSO, after its acquisition by SAMCA Group in 1999 and up to today, Nurel has gone through different stages, adapting to the fast changes experienced in its social, economic and industrial surroundings. Nurel managing director Jose Antonio Rodriguez speaks to Fibre2Fashion about nylon fibres, sustainability and their future.
What is the size of global market for nylon yarns? In which countries are these majorly produced?
There is an annual capacity of about 6.3 million tons per year, last year the world production reached 90 per cent of this capacity. The main producing country is China, which accounts for half of the world’s nylon production. After China, the US and Europe (including Turkey) top the list of the main producers.
What are the various kinds of nylon fibres, and how are they differentiated?
There is a wide variety of nylon fibres. Starting with the polymer with which they are mainly manufactured, nylon 6 and nylon 6.6 are the polymers mainly used. There is also a small production of fibres with other biobased polyamides such as PA11 or PA 6.10, although their use is very minor. Nylon 6.6 comes from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid and nylon 6 from caprolactam.
We can also differentiate the fibres by their different types of luster, at Nurel, for example, we have Bright, Semi-dull, Full-Dull and Ultra-full dull fibres. In addition, textile fibres can be differentiated by their decitex, and by number of filaments, they can be monofilaments, multifilaments, microfilaments or, as the latest additions in Nurel, super microfilaments. Also, another way to differentiate the fibres would be between flat and textured. At Nurel, we are specialised in the manufacture of flat yarns for the warp-knitting market.
Increasingly, the market is demanding more sustainable yarns and is making the industry move forward very quickly developing recycled, mass-dyed, biobased yarns or new biodegradable fibres, such as our Neride Bio.
Besides conventional textiles, does nylon have any application in technical textiles? Please explain.
Nylon can be used to manufacture airbags, fastening systems, parachutes, tents. Also, for sports applications, both as a first layer and for exteriors, nylon is an excellent choice. For the first layer, there are nylon specialties that help maintain temperature and others that help manage moisture. There are also fibres, such as our Novarel fibres that can provide cosmetic benefits to the skin, that could even been use in the paramedical markets.
Seeing the over five-decade experience of Nurel in nylon yarns, what is the future? Will these yarns be still in use after 20 years? Why?
Yes, we see a bright future for nylon. The market and the planet seek sustainable solutions for textiles. At Nurel, we manufacture one of the nylon yarns with the lowest carbon footprint, we are also working on mass-dyed solutions to avoid emissions and water consumption in dyeing. We work on new, even more sustainable raw material sources, as well as biodegradable solutions for nylon. It should also be remembered that garments made with nylon last longer, maintaining their properties, they do not pick up odours and have low maintenance, as they do not have to be ironed and they are washed at low temperatures.
Nurel is also into sustainable biopolymers business. What are these? And what applications do they have?
Nurel’s biopolymers business is mainly oriented to the food packaging market. So far, we have applied our knowledge of biopolymers in the development of Neride Bio nylon yarns, a range of biodegradable nylon 6 in aerobic and anaerobic environments.
Your company has also introduced a new anti-viral technology. Can this be applied to textiles and garments?
This development is only for the plastic business, not for textiles.
Nurel takes sustainability seriously. What steps has the company taken so far? Are there any targets set?
For us, the best way to be sustainable is to produce well, that is, the continuous improvement of our processes and vertical integration in the same site, minimising the environmental impact of our activities.
Thanks to the recent installation of one of the largest self-consumption solar plants in Europe, this together with our group wind energy production, ensures that 100 per cent of the energy used in Nurel comes from renewable sources.
In addition, our powerful R&D is constantly developing new solutions to reduce the carbon footprint throughout the nylon value chain, from raw material to end-of-life and garment waste management. All these actions are carried out with a continuous evaluation of the impact of our activities through LCA tools.
What are the future plans at Nurel?
Our future is to continue growing in the sectors where we are already present, with new investments in polymerisation and spinning that will come to reality in the upcoming years. Nurel aims to remain a reliable supplier to our customers and continue to offer the most innovative nylon yarns in the market.
Published on: 28/01/2022
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
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