DuPont Sorona, renewably sourced fiber for the Indian textile market, addresses the four principal segments of dynamic fit denim, permanent flex woven, easy stretch woven, and ultra soft knits. DuPont Sorona continues to develop partners throughout the value chain to bring new offerings and products for a wide variety of end uses to the market. It recently organised seminars in New Delhi and Bangalore to focus on applications developed by Indian mills and textile companies.
At these two shows, partner mills featured Sorona-based products, including Arvind, Raymond UCO, KG Denim, Vardhman, Banswara Syntex, Suditi, Raymond Zambaiti, Precot Meridian and JCT. Some of the initial developments from select Surat mills working on sarees and ladies wear material segments were also on display.
“New applications, fabrics and end-uses that feature Sorona continue to be developed through our network of fiber and fabric manufacturers. The key to this new development is partners dedicated to working with fibers that can produce high quality garments while reducing the impact that textiles have on the environment,” said Gowri Nagarajan, business leader, Industrial Biosciences, DuPont India. “Sorona’s versatility and flexibility allow it to be extruded into a variety of fibers suitable for a broad range of end uses”.
DuPont Sorona renewably sourced fiber continues the company legacy in fiber and fabric innovation. These new applications continue to highlight the unique combination of performance attributes and environmental benefits that Sorona provides.
When used in dynamic fit denim and easy stretch woven, Sorona provides denim and woven fabric consumers with comfort stretch that lasts a lifetime with the exceptional softness next to the skin with a natural feel. Since these important fabric attributes are incorporated into Sorona at the time of manufacture, these features remain for the lifetime of the fabric.
For the intimate apparel segment, ultra soft knits, Sorona provides a valuable combination of benefits, including luxurious softness, flattering drape and easy care. When blended with other natural and synthetic fibers, Sorona adapts to enhance their performance. Sorona blends easily with natural fibers, including cotton. Spandex, nylon and other synthetic fibers also are able to be combined with Sorona for an almost endless limit to fabric development.
For the permanent flex woven segment, Sorona offers exceptional crease resistance coupled with a softness that makes it comfortable for Jacket wear launched in other regions of Asia under the “Shape Memory” fabric concept. Once again, these features stay for the lifetime of the fabric and consumers will benefit from the feel of a brand new appeal in the fabric every time they wear the garment.
All end uses benefit from the environmental benefits provided by Sorona. By replacing a traditionally petrochemical-based ingredient with one made from annually renewable feedstocks, Sorona helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and petrochemicals. Combine this with the reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions, when compared to the production of an equal amount of nylon 6, Sorona stands up to other fibers in environmental comparisons. The environmental benefits are verified by a peer-reviewed ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment. (www.renewable.dupont.com)
DuPont Sorona received the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certification this year. The Oeko-Tex Product Class 1 certification, the most stringent class, signifies that Sorona meets REACH and CPSIA standards and is safe for use with infants and toddlers. DuPont Sorona supports these various uses, as with the others, with hang-tags, literature, trade shows and other marketing and communication efforts.
DuPont, one of the first companies to publicly establish environmental goals more than 20 years ago, has broadened its sustainability commitments beyond internal footprint reduction to include market-driven targets for both revenue and research and development investment. The goals are tied directly to business growth, specifically to the development of safer and environmentally improved new products for key global markets.
For details, visit www.sorona.dupont.com
Strong relationship with India
DuPont India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Wilmington, Delaware, US-based E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. DuPont’s relationship with India began more than 200 years ago when it received its first shipment of raw materials from India to produce black powder for explosives in 1802. Today, DuPont India markets a wide range of products in varied market segments.
With over 1,900 employees (as of end-2010), six production facilities in three locations and a world-class DuPont Knowledge Center in Hyderabad, the company has been growing at double-digit rate annually in the last five years.