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Not All Natural Fibers Are Created Equal: The Truth about Viscose Rayon

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Not All Natural Fibers Are Created Equal: The Truth about Viscose Rayon

As the earth matures and we come to grips with humanity’s role in the degradation of the environment in multiple forms of pollution and the overarching condition of climate change, it’s important that we make the right choices as individuals and companies with regard to the products we use and the effects they have on the environment.

Product choices we make for sustainability should include the clothes we wear, which are predominantly made from cotton, an all-natural product; polyester, a man-made fiber, and viscose, the subject of this article. We can safely assume that natural products have a lower negative impact on the environment than man-made products, but they are certainly not equal; furthermore, not all products perceived to be natural actually are.

Let’s take a look at viscose, and why it shouldn’t be considered a fabric choice that’s also pro-environment. Continue reading →

Purified Cotton versus Mechanically Cleaned and Sterilized Cotton

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Purified Cotton versus Mechanically Cleaned and Sterilized Cotton

When considering the type of cotton to be used in applications such as nonwovens going into hygiene products, there are several considerations including the use of purified cotton or mechanically cleaned and sterilized cotton.

While purified cotton going into hygiene products is mechanically cleaned much like nonpurified cotton, that’s where the similarities end.  Let’s take a look at some of the important differences between cotton that has been prepared via purification vs. sterilization. Continue reading →

Wade Hubbard Jr. – new Director of Product Management for Natural Fibers Division

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Cotton growing in the wild.

January 09, 2019

Barnhardt Manufacturing Co. is pleased to announce Wade Hubbard Jr. as the new Director of Product Management for its Natural Fibers Division in Charlotte, NC.  Lewis Barnhardt, President of the company said, “We are very excited to have Wade on our team as a proven leader in strategic & innovative product stewardship having worked in the past for a leading global company.” Continue reading →

The Truth about Cotton and Environmental Safety: Separating Fact from Fiction

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The Truth about Cotton and Environmental Safety: Separating Fact from Fiction

If you’ve heard something on the street about the production of cotton, chances are, it’s likely wrong. One of the most versatile crops grown all over the world, the cotton story is one that’s commonly told with misconceptions and some outright falsehoods, especially with regard to the environmental impact of a product so crucial to the success of multiple industries, including apparel, non-wovens, upholstery, and many more.

Let’s take a look at some of the more common misperceptions that the public has as a result of misinformation on the world of cotton production, especially here in the United States, where scrutiny of many industries is more intense than in other markets. Continue reading →

An In-Depth Look at Cotton Bales

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An In-depth Look at Cotton Bales

It takes a lot of work and processing to bring raw, field cotton from the farmland to our homes, in its final form in a variety of products ranging from clothing and linens to nonwoven products like feminine hygiene and baby care.

In the course of reading about cotton at any point in the supply and distribution chain, you’ll often see the term “bale” referenced, as a unit for referencing cotton. In today’s article, we’ll take an in-depth look at cotton bales. Continue reading →

Economic Forecast: First Quarter 2019

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Economic Forecast: First Quarter 2019

As the 2018 cotton crop comes to a close, the overriding theme continues to be the trade showdown with China.  On any given day, one might hear that trade talks are moving forward, and the very next day we hear that the trade talks are stalled or are even closed.  The only thing that’s clear is that Sino-American trade talks are volatile, and both the US and China are trying to better their perceived position. Continue reading →

What Determines the Quality of Cotton for Nonwoven Manufacturers?

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Quality for Nonwoven Manufacturers

In one of our articles from this past summer, we discussed several influences on the price of cotton worldwide, including the commodities markets and several factors related to the grading and classification of cotton based on quality.

Among the factors considered for measuring quality and determining class in a universal sense that’s unbiased by the application were color, uniformity, leaf, staple length, micronaire, strength, and trash content (bark, leaf, and other extraneous matter). For some market applications, such as certain types of fine, expensive clothing, all of these factors may be important. But for other applications, such as those marketed by nonwoven manufacturers, some factors have more importance than those in knitting of woven fabrics.

Let’s take a look at the factors that most affect the quality of cotton in nonwoven fabrics. Continue reading →