NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. — October 3, 2019 — As part of a joint effort with Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), Verdex Technologies has developed technology that can take recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) carpet and bottles and turn them into an array of apparel and textile products for a variety of high-value markets.
This disruptive technology enables the apparel industry and associated businesses alike, to play a vital role in solving the ever-growing problem of landfilling carpet and ocean plastic. Verdex’s patented spinning nozzle technology converts post-consumer carpet (PCC) material directly into nano/microfibers which are blended with larger fibers to form products for the apparel and textile markets. Verdex technology is capable of spinning recycled cleaned PET carpet containing polypropylene and calcium carbonate components. This technology has massive potential in the performance apparel market due the nanofibers producing a much stronger moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) compared to competing products on the market.
The vast majority of carpets are sent to landfills each year, and only around 10 percent are reused or recycled. In California it is now about 18 percent, hopefully going to 24 percent as mandated by the state. This ever growing number represents 2 percent by weight of American landfill waste, totalling almost 4 billion pounds per year.
“Verdex recycling technology can help alleviate this major problem by taking post-consumer carpet and bottles, and turning these into high value nanofiber media for our customers to enhance existing products or create whole new product lines,” said Damien Deehan Co-CEO at Verdex Technologies. “We want to make a real impact in contributing to the circular economy. Verdex recycling technology offers its customers a unique opportunity to adopt a recycling element into their finished products, making it good for the environment, our customers and the end user.”
Verdex patented technology is a simple, safe process for spinning nanofibers using no solvents — only low pressure air. This provides nonwoven manufacturers the capability to offer a wide variety of functional enhancements to their products containing nanofibers. The Verdex process can also spin nanofibers using polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylon 66, and possible others if melt viscosity is low. The Verdex Process delivers nanofibers in a single step process, which can also incorporate functional particles such as super absorbent powder and activated carbon.
Verdex is currently scaling its core nanofiber technology to a 1 meter commercial line, with its new facility being headquartered in Atlanta. The Atlanta facility will also house Verdex’s Laboratory scale line, which is available for customers to run tests for new product innovation and development. Verdex is now developing relationships with companies, industries and markets that can benefit from its very unique technologies.
Posted October 22, 2019
Source: Verdex Technologies