USE OF NON-WOVENS IN HOME FURNISHING

Submitted By

Khubab Shaker
12-ntu-6007 Submitted to

Dr. Zulfiqar Ali

Department of Textile Engineering

NATIONAL TEXTILE UNIVERSITY, FAISALABAD

Introduction
A non-woven fabric is generally an arrangement of small fibers together in the form of a sheet, bonded through thermal bonding, mechanically, with an adhesive, or by interlocking the fibers to produce a strong fabric. In other words, it is a fabric produced by variety of processes other than weaving and knitting [1]. The non-woven can be either a disposable product or a durable fabric depending upon the area of its application. Nonwovens are engineered to provide specific functions to ensure fitness for purpose [2]. Some of the applications areas of non-woven include: Automotive Medical Interlining Personal care and hygiene Wipes Home furnishings Household Stationery Agriculture Geo-textiles Industrial Clothing and Shoes Furniture and building Envelops, tags and labels [3] Home furnishing is one of the most common areas of application in non-woven industry. They are more concerned to aesthetics than the function or comfort of furnishings. Fabrics are the prime contributors to home furnishings, and must provide the texture, color, character and anything that is missing in the architecture [4]. It uses both natural and man-made fabrics. Some of the non-woven home furnishings are: Furniture sheeting Pillows & pillow cases Carpet backings Mats and pads Mattress pad components Acoustical wall coverings Seat covers Dust covers Window blinds Bed sheeting Blankets Table covers and decoration

Outdoor Mats
The Outdoor Mats aim to provide a safe and non-slip floor; also trap the dirt and moisture at the same time. An outdoor mat must be weather proof along with the characteristics already discussed. The outdoor mats are sometimes also termed as mesh mats, and usually made with heavy edging around all sides as shown in Fig 1. The mat thickness varies; it is of 1/2" thickness for heavy duty mats which show added durability and greater longevity, and 3/8 for lighter weight routine mats. These are coarse enough to effectively clean moisture and dirt from shoes and hide the appearance of walking patterns.

Fig 1: Outdoor Mesh Mats Some of the commercially available outdoor mats sizes are: Standard Size 3' Wide Mats 4' Wide Mats Unit Price ($) $5.50 $5.50

Material
The outdoor mats are in continuously under severe action, so it should be made of some resilience material. Due to this reason, the entrance mats are made of vinyl, which provides a durable and wear resistant product. The mats are constructed of an extruded vinyl in a random loop pattern [5], backed with a heavy duty vinyl base for superior resilience. The best feature of this mat is its anti-slip surface capability under extremely wet conditions, which makes it an excellent weather-proof outdoor mat [6]. Vinyl is a synthetic man-made material. It is a type of plastic that is made from ethylene and chlorine. When processed, both the substances are combined to form Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) resin, or as is commonly referred to Vinyl. 2

Properties of Vinyl Resistant to moisture and humidity Good acid resistance Excellent adhesion to synthetic fibers Very strong and durable Low cost material to produce Easily recycled Environment friendly Manufactured as transparent or variety of colors [1, 8]

Manufacturing process
The random loop pattern of mesh mats is achieved by spun laying of extruded vinyl. As laying and bonding is normally continuous, it is the shortest possible way from textile to fabric [7]. It is easy to handle and roll up for cleaning and maintenance. The spun laid fabrics have a high tensile and tear strength, which makes it preferable for numerous applications. In addition, the spun-laid process is more versatile. Web Formation (Spun laying) Spun laying technique most commonly involves melt spinning involves. Melt solution of a thermoplastic fiber forming polymer is extruded through a systems of spinnerets in a high velocity current of air or other gas as shown in Fig 2. The fibers formed are deposited on a support (usually a conveyor or a screen) to form a web [1]. If necessary, the extruded filaments are drawn and internally oriented prior to web formation either by rollers or high velocity air current. The support then carries the web to the bonding stage where consolidation of web occurs.

Fig 2: Technique of spun laid web formation

Web Bonding There are several possibilities for bonding spun laid webs. The filaments may be self bonded when heated under pressure, subjected to a heat, a bonding agent, interlaced by needle punching or sprayed with an adhesive. The bonding of this web is usually through hot air, also referred to as through air thermal bonding. The hot air flows through holes in a plenum positioned just above web, as in hot air ovens [1]. A suction pressure pulls the air through open conveyor apron, which supports the non-woven web, shown in Fig 3. This pulling of air allows a rapid and even transmission of heat.

Fig 3: Through air thermal bonding Binders used are mostly binder fibers and powders, which melt to form molten droplets throughout nonwovens cross section. Bonding occurs at those points on cooling. The resultant product is bulky, open, soft, strong and absorbent.

Properties
The most important features of vinyl mesh mats are: Super anti-slip surface due to random loop construction Vinyl backing to trap dirt and moisture in the mat Vinyl mesh, condensed and compressed for extreme wear ability Easy to clean by vacuuming or extraction UV-stabilizers make this resistant to fading, even in direct sunlight Capable to remove the dust and dirt from the footwear Durable in all weather conditions Fast drying Easy to clean by vacuum or with a hose and water 0.65 lbs per sq. ft. for unbelievable durability [5, 6]

Reference
[1] Patel M. and Bhrambhatt D. Introduction to Non Woven Technology in Non Woven Technology, pp 2, 16, 26, 40-41. [2] Russel S. J. Development of Non Woven Industry in Hand Book of Non Woven, Wood Head, 2007, pp 2.

[3] PP Non woven, a revolutionary fabric [online], Available: http://www.indiapackagingshow.com/indiapackage meet/rajkot/3.pdf (Accessed: January 4, 2013). [4] Parmar S. and Malik T. Home Textiles A review Lecture in Department of Textile Technology, Shri Vaishnav Institute of Technology and Science, Baroli.

[5] American Floor Mats [online], Available: http://www.americanfloormats.com (Accessed: January 2, 2013).

[6] Commercial Mats & Runners [online], Available: http://www.floormatsystems.com/floor-mats/commercial-mats.html (Accessed: January 2, 2013). [7] Horrocks A. R. and Anand S. C. Technical fabric structures Nonwoven fabrics in Hand Book of Technical Textiles, Wood Head, 2000, pp 137.

[8] What is vinyl [online], Available: http://www.whatisvinyl.com (Accessed: January 1, 2013).