Raw Materials
How the US-China trade dispute is affecting cotton markets worldwide
As has been the case in many financial markets, the global cotton supply chain has been distorted by the U.S.-China trade dispute. At the fiber level, the dispute has interfered …
At CIMFC, advanced fibers show the way forward
At the 25th China International Manmade Fiber Conference (CIMFC), 4-5 Sept. in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, China, experts and executives spoke about advanced materials, new manufacturing technologies, investment, and fashion …
Are natural fibers poised for a comeback?
It feels like synthetic fibers are under siege. The fabrics used to manufacture a major part of the world’s clothing have been shown to shed microfibers that, when laundered, end …
Rising investments in manmade fiber feedstocks
Synthetic fibers account for more than 60 percent of the world fiber market, and their ongoing growth is supported by comparatively low crude oil prices in recent years despite increasing …
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.