Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., the Teijin Group's fibre-product converting company, has developed a new, highly comfortable and functional warp knitted polyester material that achieves the pile structure of towelling. The material, made from 100% polyester, is said to offer excellent water absorbency, a soft texture and a unique bulky but lightweight feeling.

Teijin Frontier says it is developing a variety of applications for the new material, focusing on 2016 fall/winter sportswear but also functional clothing such as underwear and uniforms, as well as bedding and industrial materials. The company’s fiscal 2019 sales target for the new fabric is 500,000 metres.

“Thanks to its pile structure without buffing, the new material’s surface appearance, functionality and comfort remain durable after repeated washing,” Teijin said in a statement today. “In addition, the fabric structure is applicable for multi-seasonal products, not just fall and winter clothing,” it added.

New Technologies and Features

- Development Technologies

Compound technologies for yarn processing, knitting and dyeing.

• New towel-like false-twist yarn for pile
• Unique warp-knitted multilayer structure
• Special dyeing process for structural stabilization

- Features

• Dry feeling due to excellent water absorption
• Light and bulky towel-like texture
• Heat retention thanks to bulkiness and water diffusion
• Surface appearance and functionality remain durable after repeated washing
• Diverse fabrications for all-seasonal clothes

The new fabric aims to compete with knitted fleece. “Fleece, a major synthetic fibre product with a bulky fibre structure, has been used widely for many years because it’s napping provides excellent heat retention and warmth. The fabric has disadvantages, however, including deteriorating surface appearance and water absorption after repeated washing, and usage limited to fall and winter clothing,” Teijin explains.

The company’s response was to innovate a new type of polyester fabric with a pile structure similar to that of towelling. Teijin Frontier combined technologies from its popular DELTAPEAK, a highly balanced material that incorporates unique yarn texturizing, knitting and dyeing techniques, and newly developed textile technologies based on a new false-twist yarn.

Teijin is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the areas of sustainable transportation, information and electronics, safety and protection, environment and energy, and healthcare. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibres such as aramid, carbon fibres and composites, healthcare, films, resin and plastic processing, polyester fibres, products converting and IT.

The group has around 150 companies and around 16,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide. It posted consolidated sales of JPY786.2 billion (USD 6.6 billion) and total assets of JPY 823.7 billion (USD 6.9 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.

www.teijin.com