25 April, 2019
Teijin Frontier Develops Easy-care Silk-like Polyester Fabric
Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., the Teijin Group's fibers and products converting company, announced today that it has developed a polyester fabric that looks and feels like fine silk. Teijin Frontier, which envisions various applications for its silk-like material, such as blouses and outers from thin to medium thicknesses, is targeting annual sales of 150,000 meters by the fiscal year ending in March 2022.
While high-function materials made with synthetic fibers are recently established as fashion trend in the market, demand also has been growing for natural-texture materials made with natural fibers. Materials in which delicate fiber fluff is expressed, or fibrillated, on the surface of the fabric for smooth textures, similar to silk or cupro, are becoming popular, but these materials have problems with color fastness (1) in wet condition, yarn strength, color migration, fading due to fluff release and shape loss by washing.
Teijin Frontier responded by developing unique processing technologies to produce a new stable, easy-care polyester fabric that boasts the soft texture and fine appearance of silk produced by wild silkworms.
This new material's specially fabricated surface is soft and glossy, holds bright coloring, resists color migration, shrinkage and shape loss by using polyester fibers with excellent color fastness and fiber strength.
Color fastness to rubbing in deep color (grade)*
| New fibrillated polyester | Conventional fibrillation material | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Color migration | 4 or above | 4 or above |
| Color change | 4 or above | 4 or above | |
| Wet | Color migration | 4 or above | 2-3 |
| Color change | 4 or above | 3 | |
* Based on JIS L0849-II standard
New silk-like polyester fabric
Fabricated surface cross section
- (1)
- Color change due to washing, water, perspiration, rubbing, light, etc. is collectively known as color fastness. The degree of color change is divided into five grades, with higher grades indicat ing less change.
About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the areas of environmental value; safety, security and disaster mitigation; and demographic change and increased health consciousness. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibers such as aramid, carbon fibers & composites, healthcare, films, resin & plastic processing, polyester fibers, products converting and IT. The group has over 170 companies and around 20,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide. It posted consolidated sales of JPY888.6 billion (USD 8.1 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,020.7 billion (USD 9.3 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019.
Please visit www.teijin.com.
