Freudenberg develop process to re-use silk textiles

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) and Ratti, the Italian fashion textile company, have been working together on sustainability projects since the start of this year. The first fruit of this collaboration is a process for reusing silk textiles and use it for the manufacturing of high-performance thermal insulation, which Ratti is currently launching onto the market. As a production partner in this project, Freudenberg is contributing to the sustainable development of the clothing and textile industry.

The practice of using recycled materials from other industries, such as post-consumer PET bottles, has been common practice in the textile industry for years. Freudenberg and Ratti are now re-using silk textiles from their own industry, the clothing industry, in a jointly developed process. Ratti re-uses silk textiles (outer fabrics/clothing) and Freudenberg uses this to produce thermal insulation made from 70 per cent re-used silk, which Ratti then markets.

In addition, Freudenberg´s solvent-free manufacturing process for the waddings significantly reduces the environmental impact of the new process. “Our partnership with Ratti proves once again what joint innovation work can achieve. Thus, we make a valuable contribution to extending the scope of sustainability within the textile industry”, explained Jonathan Oh, General Manager Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel.

Freudenberg possesses the nonwoven industry’s most extensive technology platform. For decades, this has enabled the leading supplier of technical textiles to offer sustainable solutions for a wide range of applications. Airlaid technology plays a key role in the re-use of silk textiles, enabling Freudenberg to produce waddings with a three-dimensional structure from this material. This leads to the formation of countless tiny air chambers, which give the padding excellent thermal insulation properties combined with exceptional breathability. Its high dimensional stability and wash resistance, as well as its impressive durability, make this wadding made from 70% re-used silk textiles an excellent choice for environmentally conscious outdoor enthusiasts.

Freudenberg Performance Materials is a leading global supplier of innovative technical textiles for a broad range of markets and applications such as apparel, automotive, building materials, energy, filter media, healthcare, building interiors, shoe and leather goods as well as specialties. The Business Group generated sales of 890 million euros in 2019. Today, Freudenberg Performance Materials has 35 production sites around the world in 15 countries and has some 5,500 employees. Freudenberg Performance Materials attaches great importance to social and ecological responsibility as the basis for its business success.