Raw Materials

2019-10-10

Winners Announced in the 2019 DNFI Innovation Award

Dr. Debasish Das, Professor, University of Calcutta, Department of Jute and Fibre Technology, and Dr. Subhas Ghosh, Professor, Eastern Michigan University, School of Visual Built Environments, College of Engineering and Technology, have won the 2019 Discover Natural Fibres Initiative Innovation Award.

The two researchers collaborated on the development of a biodegradable cotton-jute fabric with a waterproof coating that can substitute for non-biodegradable PVC-coated polyester. The new cotton-jute fabric is suitable for use in outdoor fabrics such as tarps, awnings, canopies, or automobile hooding material. In addition to being biodegradable, the natural fibre material meets fire-retardancy standards and allows the transfer of moisture vapor to avoid the accumulation of humidity on the underside of fabrics, while remaining waterproof.

â€œMultifunctional hooding for automobiles and/or outdoor screening material based on coated cotton-jute fabricâ€

Crucially, the natural fibre textile product developed by Das and Ghosh contains no carcinogenic plasticizer, no toxic formaldehyde-based adhesion promoter, and no non-biodegradable fabric components.

This cost-effective natural fibre product was developed within the Department of Jute and Fibre Technology, University of Calcutta, with support from the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The product will be produced on a commercial scale by MS. Ajanta Textiles, India.

Biodegradable Weather-Resistant Cotton-Jute Fabric can replace non-biodegradable PVC-Coated Polyeste