Südwolle announces new technology for treating wool fibres
21/07/2015
According to Südwolle, Naturetexx Plasma is an environmentally sustainable alternative to the current industry standard superwash, chlorine-hercosett process. In 2014, Südwolle Group purchased the Richter F+A dye house and treatment facility in Stadtallendorf, Germany, which possesses the technology required to put the new treatment into effect, and has since refined the process for producing the plasma treated yarns.
“The process uses electricity and air, is a huge environmental leap forward and sets a new standard for wool processing,” said Südwolle’s marketing manager, Hamish Allan, on announcing the development. “We call it the ‘Tesla’ of wool treatments. In addition to washability, Naturetexx Plasma delivers fibres with the same strength, the same or better pilling performance and improved ability to absorb moisture than conventionally processed yarns.”
Plasma is created by controlled discharge of an electric voltage across a non-conducting gas and when the wool passes through the plasma field, the surface of the fibre reacts with the energised gas, modifying the cuticle scales and removing the wool felting effect.
This process has been certified organic under the GOTS and IVN Best systems and is currently undergoing bluesign certification.
Südwolle Group has said it will now invest “significant resources” to speed up production capacity. It will next exhibit at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market exhibition in Salt Lake City (August 5-8) and will answer industry enquiries about the new process there.
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