#Domotex 2018

2018-01-04

BleNaBis: Climate-neutrale carpet fibres - awarded by KlimaExpo.NRW

The surfaces of carpets are generally made of wool or synthetic fibres such as polyamide. The carbon footprints of these two materials are not as “fluffy” as the carpets are soft however: wool production is an energy-intensive process as a result of keeping animals. In collaboration with other European research institutes, the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University is currently develops a climate-neutral yarn based on renewable raw materials, which will not only match the quality of polyamide, but can also be produced in a more energy efficient way.

The fibres consist of linseed fibres and a sustainable eco-polyamide fibre. The linseed fibre comes from flax fibre which is extracted from the stems of flax plants that are no longer needed. The eco-polyamide fibre consists of 70 percent castor oil, which is obtained from the castor oil plant, a plant that does not compete with the food production sector. The combination of these two fibres will make the carpet durable and of high quality. The fibre blend is expected to cut the climate footprint of a carpet by 50 %.

Quality control using the office chair simulator

More than 50 per cent of all carpets are not woven but “tufted”, whereby textile loops are worked into a fabric backing, similar to the method used in tatting. The quality standards are high and the carpets produced have to be subjected to very stringent quality analysis. An office chair simulator carries out a stress test to check whether the carpet can withstand the level of wear to be expected in an office.

Hybrid carpet yarn Linseedflax and biobased Polyamide 6.10 (c) 2018 ITA

BleNaBis (Blends of Natural and Biosynthetic fibres for eco-efficient yarns and carpets) covers all stages of the value added chain: from harvesting right up to producing the carpet.

The flax fibre is cultivated and processed in the Czech Republic; the ITA mixes the linseed fibre with the polyamide fibre and spins the yarn from this using the rotor spinning process. The production and testing of the carpets is then carried out at the TFI Institut für Bodensysteme an der RWTH Aachen e.V.

The BleNaBis project was funded by the Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF) as part of the programme to support Industrial Community Research and Development (IGF) through a grant by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, on the basis of a resolution passed by the German Bundestag.

The official award ceremony will take place at the beginning of 2018.

Engineer Dipl.-Ing. Marko Wischnowski and M.Sc. Tobias Schlüter, both ITA, Project Leaders of BleNaBis say: “In the BleNaBis project, we are developing processes used to produce flooring systems from bio-based polyamides and linseed flax fibres. The combination of these two materials allows us to improve the carbon footprint of flooring systems. In addition, we are demonstrating new areas of application for natural fibres and bio-based polyamides.”

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.

Carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre proves its worth – NRW Minister for Science Mona Neubaur congratulates ITA start-up TERNAfil

MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.

TCLF: Resilient value chains in times of crises

The textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (TCLF) industry was at the centre of the webinar “Resilient value chains in times of crises”, which took place on 28 April 2026. Global supply chains continue to face increasing pressure, raw material dependencies are growing and economic uncertainties are affecting the entire sector.

A Penteadora starts up ANDRITZ textile recycling and needlepunch nonwoven lines in Portugal

A Penteadora SA has successfully started up a complete mechanical textile recycling line and a needlepunch nonwoven line supplied by ANDRITZ at its production site in Unhais da Serra, Portugal. This investment enables A Penteadora to expand its industrial capabilities and develop a new generation of solutions based on pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles. The input materials originate from its own production waste and other textile waste streams. Both lines are fully operational, and the first products are expected to reach the market in July.

ReHubs elects new Board of Directors to lead the next phase of ReHubs’ strategy to recycle 2.7 million tonnes of textile waste annually by 2035

ReHubs has elected its new Board of Directors, marking an important milestone as the industry alliance continues to accelerate the industrial scale-up of textile-to-textile recycling across Europe. The election took place during the ReHubs Annual Event in Brussels on June 23rd, held alongside the Textile Recycling Expo and Future Fabrics Expo. The newly elected Board combines expertise from across the textile value chain, reflecting ReHubs' collaborative approach to solving the industry’s textile waste crises.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.