Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and corresponding system of processing waste fabrics to rejuvenated fibrous materials that will maintain their original quality in downstream production without a loss of downstream manufacturing efficiencies. The method involves (a) obtaining fabric data for each bale of incoming waste fabrics and storing the fabric data in a database; (b) obtaining target data relating to target product requirements; (c) processing the fabric data and the target data according to predetermined algorithms to generate a rejuvenation processing recipe which specifies bales information and rejuvenation processes information; (d) selecting corresponding bales of incoming waste fabrics for further rejuvenation processing; and (e) subjecting the selected bales to processes specified by the rejuvenation processing recipe.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and corresponding apparatus for separating lightweight materials from fabric pieces.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and corresponding apparatus utilizing UV-A and UV-C for treatment of textile materials. The method comprises the steps of (a) exposing incoming textile materials to UV-A radiation for detection of optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials; (b) separating detected optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials from the incoming textile materials; (c) exposing the separated incoming textile materials to UV-C radiation for sterilization and surface modification of the textile materials to increase wettability and absorbability and reduce pilling. The apparatus comprises an enclosed segregation chamber disposed with a cascading conveying means, a UV-A radiation source and an optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials separating means therewithin, and an enclosed segregation chamber disposed with a UV-C radiation source therewithin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for application of chemicals on textile materials for removing surface chemicals and finishes from textile materials which comprises the following steps: reducing the textile materials to an appropriate size; applying a first catalyzed vapor to the textile materials at a predetermined temperature; penetrating the textile materials at a predetermined temperature; applying a second catalyzed vapor to the textile materials; blending the textile materials; applying a third catalyzed vapor to the textile materials in the one or more blending boxes and dwelling the fabric at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time; and applying a blast of cool air to the one or more blending boxes to stop chemical actions in the textile materials and then transporting the textile materials to next station for further deconstruction processing.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and corresponding apparatus utilizing UV-A and UV-C for treatment of textile materials. The method comprises the steps of (a) exposing incoming textile materials to UV-A radiation for detection of optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials; (b) separating detected optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials from the incoming textile materials; (c) exposing the separated incoming textile materials to UV-C radiation for sterilization and surface modification of the textile materials to increase wettability and absorbability and reduce pilling. The apparatus comprises an enclosed segregation chamber disposed with a cascading conveying means, a UV-A radiation source and an optically brightened textile materials and/or synthetic fiber materials separating means therewithin, and an enclosed segregation chamber disposed with a UV-C radiation source therewithin.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and corresponding system of processing waste fabrics to rejuvenated fibrous materials that will maintain their original quality in downstream production without a loss of downstream manufacturing efficiencies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for application of chemicals on textile materials for removing surface chemicals and finishes from textile materials which comprises the following steps: reducing the textile materials to an appropriate size; applying a first catalyzed vapor to the textile materials at a predetermined temperature; penetrating the textile materials at a predetermined temperature; applying a second catalyzed vapor to the textile materials; blending the textile materials; applying a third catalyzed vapor to the textile materials in the one or more blending boxes and dwelling the fabric at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time; and applying a blast of cool air to the one or more blending boxes to stop chemical actions in the textile materials and then transporting the textile materials to next station for further deconstruction processing.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a regenerated cotton board material comprised of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The regenerated cotton board material may further include non-cellulosic fibers such as synthetic fibers or other natural fibers. In an alternate embodiment, a cotton board material may be manufactured from a mixture of dry cut cotton lint fiber and a binder material. A method for forming a regenerated cotton board material according to the present disclosure includes forming an aqueous slurry fiber furnish from a combination of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The fiber furnish is then wet processed, calendered to remove the bulk of the water, and dried.

Abstract: A composite web and process for manufacture from post-industrial scrap wherein the fibers are pre-opened and cut to an average fiber length of about 4 mm. A scrap fiber component and a cellulosic component of such fibers are blended into a fiber furnish. The scrap fiber component includes at least 15% synthetic fibers and may include a blend of natural fibers, high melting point synthetic fibers, and low melting point synthetic fibers. The cellulosic component may include post-industrial cotton fibers which may be refined before blending with the scrap fiber component. The fiber furnish is processed into an intermediate web such as by a drylaid or a wetlaid nonwoven process. The intermediate web is saturated with a latex binding agent and pressed and/or dried to form a composite web capable of further processing into molded or formed consumer or industrial products. The process is capable of producing a high basis weight composite web.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a regenerated cotton board material comprised of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The regenerated cotton board material may further include non-cellulosic fibers such as synthetic fibers or other natural fibers. In an alternate embodiment, a cotton board material may be manufactured from a mixture of dry cut cotton lint fiber and a binder material. A method for forming a regenerated cotton board material according to the present disclosure includes forming an aqueous slurry fiber furnish from a combination of dry cut cotton lint fiber, and wood fiber. The fiber furnish is then wet processed, calendared to remove the bulk of the water, and dried.

Abstract: A multi-layer nonwoven composite material includes base layers which impart desired properties. The number of base layers can vary as desired for desired properties in order to tune the resulting multi-layer composite material. In a preferred composite material, three base layers are provided to impart sound deadening, sound dispersion, sound absorption, and sound durability. The base layers are first produced from constituent fibers to form constituent webs. These webs are then combined into a multi-layer substrate. A barrier layer may be applied to the multi-layer substrate to impart additional properties. A face layer may be adhered to form a multi-layer nonwoven composite material. The barrier material imparts fire retardancy water resistance while the face carpet imparts cosmetic and/or tactile qualities. Other materials, such as chemical additives, can be applied to the composite material to achieve desired characteristics.