Sustainability
Global Fiber Congress embraces sustainability and the entrepreneurial spirit
Under the backdrop of climate change and environmental pollution, the fiber industry has become a major focal point for the textile and nonwoven industries, as well as along the entire …
The plastics industry – committed to change or defending the status quo?
The year 2018 can be considered an annus horribilis for plastics, including synthetic polymer and fiber-based products that rely on such materials. The issue of microplastics in the oceans generated …
The plastics problem – a roundtable discussion
One of the most exciting areas of development in the fiber industry going forward figures to be in identifying solutions to minimize the environmental impact of nonwovens, technical textiles and …
The future of the ‘Forever Molecule’
The history and evolution of “the forever molecule” is both revolutionary and fortuitous. Polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, was discovered completely by accident on April 6th, 1938 by a DuPont Chemist, Dr. Roy Plunkett, while he was conducting research on chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants. Its first broad commercial use was non-stick cookware in 1960. PTFE has since evolved and is utilized in an extensive array of products that take advantage of its unique properties.
‘There is no AWAY’ – How do we minimize plastic waste in the environment?
The source of the phrase “There is no AWAY” is the NGO Better Alternatives Now (BAN): “Plastic – a material invented to last forever – can no longer be used to make products intended to be thrown away. There is no AWAY.” As the director of education and technical affairs at INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, part of my mission is to look at issues affecting our members and determine what we can do. One of the big issues we are examining now is plastics in the environment with an emphasis on single use.