#Textile chemistry

2021-07-29

Huntsman develops new IROGRAN® TPU grade for laminating technical textiles

Technical textile producers manufacturing high performance fabrics for outdoor clothing and other consumer and industrial applications now have a brand-new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) at their disposal – thanks to global chemical company Huntsman. IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is a highly versatile elastomer, which can be easily extruded and added to nylon and polyester materials to give them a protective, durable, waterproof layer.

IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is designed for use in the manufacture of performance garments that need to shield wearers against the elements while they experience outdoor adventures. Added to fabrics, as an extruded film, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can give items of clothing, such as raincoats, a highly durable finish, combined with a soft touch.

With a high tensile strength, extruded films made from IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can aid the stretch and recovery of the materials they are used on – increasing their longevity. This special TPU grade also offers good levels of abrasion and tear resistance, making it ideal for use in bladder applications, in the manufacture of tension fabrics and in industrial textile applications.

As well as delivering significant performance benefits, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU offers considerable processing advantages over traditional textile laminating TPUs. With a high melt strength, IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is very stable during production. Tolerant to high forces in its melted, blown state, extruded films made from IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU are far less likely to break during processing. This enables manufacturers to improve production throughput and lower scrap rates, which in turn reduces waste and keeps costs down.

Trent Shidaker, Global Marketing Director, Elastomers at Huntsman, explains more: “Our team has extensive experience in the development of TPUs for textile lamination. IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU takes our work in this sector to the next level. Developed in close cooperation with several of our textile customers, this new TPU grade offers significant improvements over previous generation technologies when it comes to durability, production efficiency and reducing manufacturing waste. The customers we’ve approached to discuss this TPU get really excited when we tell them that we’ve managed to enhance the properties of the grade in its melted state, without compromising any of the key final performance attributes expected of our IROGRAN® materials. We see extensive opportunities for this grade across a range of textile laminating applications and are already getting lots of enquiries from potential customers worldwide.”

Depending on the end-application, films made from IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU can be engineered to have different surface finishes, including gloss, smooth and matte effects.

IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is the latest addition to a well-established family of elastomer products from Huntsman, which are renowned for their performance in textile applications.

IROGRAN® A 85 P 4394 HR TPU is made at Huntsman Polyurethanes elastomers manufacturing facility in Ringwood Illinois.

Huntsman and Steitz Secura deliver breakthrough in sustainable safety footwear

Huntsman, in collaboration with Steitz Secura, has developed a breakthrough polyurethane (PU) solution that can help improve the circularity of safety footwear. Together, the two companies have created a DALTOPED® polyurethane midsole system that can incorporate recycled content without compromising performance – setting a new benchmark in protective footwear production.

Huntsman secures bluesign® APPROVED status for IROGRAN® TPU products

Global chemical company Huntsman has secured bluesign® approval for ten of its IROGRAN® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products, which are used extensively across the textile and apparel industry. The materials in question are part of Huntsman’s IROGRAN® film and sheet portfolio, and can be used to enhance the production, performance, and comfort of stitchless, seamless garments including underwear, sportswear, and outdoor and waterproof clothing.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

Indorama Ventures enables brands to scale circular textiles through proven, traceable supply chains

Indorama Ventures, a global leader in recycled polyester staple fibers and filament yarns, will exhibit at Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels on June 24–25. At the event, the company will show how brands and textile manufacturers can build traceable, circular textile supply chains by working with proven partners who deliver recycled materials on an industrial scale.

RECOVER™ launches Recover™ Yarns to accelerate recycled cotton uptake

Recover™, a leading materials science company and one of the world’s largest producers of recycled cotton fiber, today announces the launch of Recover™ Yarns, a curated portfolio of ready-to-use yarn solutions designed to accelerate the adoption of recycled cotton across the apparel supply chain.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Uster’s new Recycling Opening Index guides spinners to the perfect blend

Uster AFIS 6 now offers the key data for better decisions when blending recycled fibers. Process control is decisive in determining the quality and economic outcome. The new R Recycling Module of AFIS 6 introduces the Recycling Opening Index (ROI), so spinners can optimize their circularity credentials. It was officially launched at ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.