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Covestro says PU-coated materials manufacturers must move away from DMF

14/10/2015
Nick Smith, global head of textile coatings for Covestro, has warned that manufacturers of polyurethane-coated materials, including suppliers to the outdoor clothing and footwear sectors, are running out of time to change over to new methods of making the materials, such as the waterborne system his company has developed under the Insqin brand name.

Speaking at the 2015 Planet Textiles conference in Shanghai on October 14, Mr Smith said 99% of PU-coated materials are being made at the moment using dimethylformamide (DMF) as the process solvent. He warned that DMF has been called a substance of very high concern in the European Union and is on the radar of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Group.

“Brands are looking for replacements,” Mr Smith told the conference, “and there is a need for a new kind of chemistry, which is something Insqin can offer. Let’s be clear: the use of DMF could soon become banned in Europe. Yes, you would still be able to use it in China, where 90% of all PU-coated materials are made, but you would not be able to export it to Europe afterwards. And in my opinion, it would not be ethical to continue to make something in China after its been classed as non-compliant in Europe.”



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