APJeT's proprietary "dual functionality" treatment makes a fabric behave hydrophobic on one side and hydrophilic on the other side of the same fabric, without lamination, as shown in this photo.

One of mankind's first industries was textile manufacturing. Ancient people used the primitive processing technologies available at the time: spinning, weaving, washing and treatment with caustics to remove oils, dirt and residue, generally by hand. With the Industrial Revolution came automated treatment methods and use of flowing rivers to drive machinery. Processing became faster. Processors could handle more products and achieve better reproducibility than they could with hand-driven machines. Later, as steam power replaced water power, looms became faster. That drove the need for sizing added to the yarn. Electric lighting enabled the mills to work through the night, as many do today. New chemical treatments for bleaching, dyeing and mercerizing provided better strength, less shrinkage, brighter colors and whiter cottons. At higher production rates and longer production hours, mills could produce more finished fabric than ever before and with greater consumer appeal. The changing technology, from hand power, to water power to steam and then to electricity, fundamentally changed the textile industry, its product marketability and its profitability.

A Lesson in Competitive Economics
As in any industry, competition also shaped the field: Consumers preferred to buy their clothing rather than to make their own. Processing fiber was tedious, and factory-made clothing was higher quality. As demand for finished product increased, water-powered mills could not compete with the steam-powered mills that could operate even when the river flow was low. Later, steam-powered mills could not compete with the production capability of electrified mills. The mills that did not convert to electricity shut down.

Today is a Time of Change in the Textile Industry
Textile manufacturing was once considered a regional or national industry. Today it is clearly international. With many key processing patents expired and the production methods well known, the same products can be made in India , China , the United States and Europe . With commodity products, the textile industry competes for the consumer's attention on the basis of product quality, price and defining attributes. The cost of manufacturing is a key concern and is driven by consumables, such as raw materials, chemicals and energy, labor, environmental regulations and currency conversions. These cost factors vary by location. If the technology is the same everywhere, then the region with the lowest cost factors will have the lowest cost of production and can therefore under-price everyone else.

But what if the technology is not the same? What if a new technology changes the cost structure of the textile industry by reducing energy consumption, environmental waste and using less chemicals? This is the cost benefit that plasma-based technology can offer the textile industry.

Plasma Technology Supports Textile Innovation
History has also shown that consumers will pay more for clothing with a defining and desirable attribute. The development of wash-and-wear clothing, later followed by permanent press finishes demonstrated this. More recently, the same is true for fleece and microfiber clothing. Defining attributes, such as stain-repellent finishes and the ability to wick moisture better than cotton, command a premium price. Remember that many years ago, bright, white cotton shirts were more desirable than the off-white color of natural cotton. The second significant benefit that plasma-based textile manufacturing offers is development of new fabric treatments with a desired attribute that cannot be achieved by other means.

Low Magnification Images

Figure 1: SEM micrograph of the control sample (cotton, untreated) captured at 2000 magnification.

Figure 2: SEM micrograph captured from plasma treated sample at 2000 magnification. 

High Magnification Images

Figure 3: SEM micrograph of the control sample (cotton, untreated) captured at 20,000 magnification showing tremendous number of pores in the fiber.

Figure 4: SEM micrograph captured plasma treated sample at 20,000 magnification showing the coating with smooth ridges with no pores. 

(SEM images courtesy of Drs. Peter Hauser & Ahmed El Shefi, North Carolina State University)

Learn About the APJeT Advantage
Lower cost of operation and development of new attributes for textiles are two of the key opportunities that plasma-based manufacturing of textiles can bring. Browse Key Concepts to learn more about the fundamentals of plasma processing, find out how plasma operates to bring about these opportunities, and see why APJeT's plasma technology is superior to all others.

We invite textile producers and consumers to learn how APJeT is revolutionizing the world of textile manufacturing. For the textile producer, the benefit is lower cost of operation and enhanced products providing a competitive edge. For the textile consumer, the benefit is improved durability and wear, selection of new garments and products not previously available, and at lower cost.