Interviews
ETP to seek develop new agrotextiles from renewable resources
06 Jul '09
5 min read
Another far-reaching project carried out between 2004 and 2008 is Flexifunbar. This project had a total budget of €11 million and involved 44 companies and organisations. It was co-ordinated by French nonwovens manufacturer Duflot Industrie and its goal was the development of new flexible and multifunctional barrier or shielding materials. Both the use of multi-layer products and nanomaterials were explored and the results have been impressive, resulting in new products which have already reached the market or will be available shortly, including:
• Highly thermally insulating components for wall coverings.
• Nonwoven components for fire-resistant mattresses to meet the new Californian fire protection standards.
• A new diesel filter.
• A filter for de-oiling blow-by gases.
• An improved hydrocarbon absorber.
• An indicator based on the reactivity of a hydrogel indicating when an air filter is full.
• Fully recyclable and fireproof polyester automotive trims.
• New acoustic nonwoven fabrics.
• Polyester fibres integrating active charcoal particles.
• One of the most recent projects to be announced by the ETP and of specific significance to the nonwovens sector is Bioagrotex, which commenced in October 2008.
Over a four year period it will seek develop new agrotextiles from renewable resources and with a tailored biodegradability. The European market for agrotextiles is an estimated 300,000 tonnes annually, dominated by needlepunched and spunbond nonwovens.
Bioagrotex is being co-ordinated by the Belgian research institute Centexbel with an EC grant of €3.15 million and will look at replacing the current petro-chemical derived fibres employed in these products with natural fibres such as flax and hemp.
The European Confederation of Flax and Hemp (CELC) reports that 190,000 tonnes of flax fibre were grown in Europe in 2008, in addition to a further 30,000 tonnes of hemp. The countries it is grown in are primarily France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
CELC – which has around 10,000 member companies in 14 countries – is actively promoting the use of these fibres in technical textiles and says that around 10% of production (22,000 tonnes), is already going into products such as car door interiors and under hood insulation, building insulation, packaging and sports equipment.
CELC lists the key ecological advantages of the production of these bast fibres as:
• Using little energy in production
• Natural and mechanical production (retting and scutching)
• Little or no plant care required
• No need for irrigation
• Very low greenhouse gas production
• Virtually no CO2 emissions
As part of the Bioagrotex project, new uses in agriculture for flax and hemp products are likely to be found, and the aim is also to provide them with controlled biodegradation through the use of special bio-additives, so that they remain stable for a specified period before this degradation begins.
• Highly thermally insulating components for wall coverings.
• Nonwoven components for fire-resistant mattresses to meet the new Californian fire protection standards.
• A new diesel filter.
• A filter for de-oiling blow-by gases.
• An improved hydrocarbon absorber.
• An indicator based on the reactivity of a hydrogel indicating when an air filter is full.
• Fully recyclable and fireproof polyester automotive trims.
• New acoustic nonwoven fabrics.
• Polyester fibres integrating active charcoal particles.
• One of the most recent projects to be announced by the ETP and of specific significance to the nonwovens sector is Bioagrotex, which commenced in October 2008.
Over a four year period it will seek develop new agrotextiles from renewable resources and with a tailored biodegradability. The European market for agrotextiles is an estimated 300,000 tonnes annually, dominated by needlepunched and spunbond nonwovens.
Bioagrotex is being co-ordinated by the Belgian research institute Centexbel with an EC grant of €3.15 million and will look at replacing the current petro-chemical derived fibres employed in these products with natural fibres such as flax and hemp.
The European Confederation of Flax and Hemp (CELC) reports that 190,000 tonnes of flax fibre were grown in Europe in 2008, in addition to a further 30,000 tonnes of hemp. The countries it is grown in are primarily France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
CELC – which has around 10,000 member companies in 14 countries – is actively promoting the use of these fibres in technical textiles and says that around 10% of production (22,000 tonnes), is already going into products such as car door interiors and under hood insulation, building insulation, packaging and sports equipment.
CELC lists the key ecological advantages of the production of these bast fibres as:
• Using little energy in production
• Natural and mechanical production (retting and scutching)
• Little or no plant care required
• No need for irrigation
• Very low greenhouse gas production
• Virtually no CO2 emissions
As part of the Bioagrotex project, new uses in agriculture for flax and hemp products are likely to be found, and the aim is also to provide them with controlled biodegradation through the use of special bio-additives, so that they remain stable for a specified period before this degradation begins.
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