LJ Specialities, a subsidiary of the ITOCHU Group, Japan, was established in 1981 in the UK. The company supplies high quality dyes and chemicals to the global textile, paints, inks and plastics industries. The textile industry, along with the retail brands, has always been coming out with innovations in the finished products, to stand alone.
The company’s range of dyes and performance chemicals are complemented by a growing number of unique products that deliver rare unique characteristics and benefits to textile products. It is working with global agencies in the Indian market.
In an informal chat with The Textile Magazine, Mr. Andy Lee, GM, LJ Specialities, said: “LJ Specialities, for more than 30 years, has been exporting its products such as finishes made from silk extracts, plant extracts for scouring and ultra-fine screen printable reflective glass beads for safety wear, to almost 62 countries across the globe. The company is a leading supplier of a wide range of dyestuff and functional finishes meeting the requirements of the textile industry.”
With ongoing investment in facilities and equipment, LJ Specialities Ltd. is able to offer technologically advanced and dedicated support services to the textile industry, designed to maintain product quality and production excellence creating competitive advantages for our customers. Supplying a wide range of dyestuffs, chemicals and functional finishes, LJ Specialities which can meet the most exacting textile industry requirements was the first dye or chemical supplier worldwide to have accredited Marks & Spencer Laboratory and technicians.
The ITOFINISH range made from aloe vera, collagen and chitosan helps reduce body odour, acts as an excellent moisturizer on the skin and gives a soft silky finish to the fabric. ITOMOSQUITO is a micro-encapsulated product that acts as a natural insect repellent.
LJ Specialities offers a wide range of natural dyes made from sources such as pomegranate, indigo, logwood, betelnut, Japanese pagoda tree, and so on. The ITODYE NAT series is suitable for dyeing of wool, polyamide and cotton fabrics. The ITOFLAM series meets any flame-retardant need on all fabrics. The ITOGUARD series is a multifunctional fluorocarbon finish which exhibits both water absorbent and oil repellent properties. The AROMA GRANULE range consists of a large variety of micro-encapsulated fragrances of apple, banana, lemon, lavender, camomile, pine, sandalwood, and so on. Its thermo-regulating finishes help maintain fabrics at a constant temperature by absorbing or emitting heat.
The ITOMILLING MF dyes are a new range of metal free acid dyes with good migration and good wet fastness properties. ITOSOLT MEND is a powerful levelling agent used in the dyeing of polyester and on stain removal.
Referring to the solutions offered for the home textiles and terry towel segment, Mr. Lee said: “We have very good products for home textiles and terry towels, which are oil repellent, stain releasing and can be used longer. India is an upcoming market and a global hub for the terry towel manufacturing. We are working very closely with Indian customers who are exporting to global retailers like Marks & Spencers. We have a huge market in Pakistan for their home textiles.”
The company earned a turnover of £76 million in the last financial year, in its speciality chemicals business to the textile and plastics industry.
LJ’s extensive technical department, purpose built to create the most up-to-date and accurate testing and quality control facility available, offers specialist technical analysis and support and sample dyeing facilities within three separate laboratories to ensure quality specifications can be met at all stages of textile processing.
The dry laboratory is equipped with investigative analysis equipment and interactive communication facilities to create detailed customer reports, from a range of test data, including analysis of oil/wax content, accurate colour match prediction, pattern card production by Marks and Spencers accredited technicians, and sample conditioning for high level of reproducibility.
The analytical laboratory is designed for product development, quality control and customer problem solving. The facilities include water content analysis equipment, UV/VIS spectrophotometer, optical density analysis, LC (high pressure liquid chromatography), FTIR (fourier transform infra-red) and hydrostatic head.
LJ’s wet processing laboratory is UK’s first sophisticated solution preparation and recipe dispenser for the accurate preparation of dye and chemical solutions for automatic and volumetric dispensing. The laboratory reflects a typical dye house for sample dyeing, including high temperature 10 KG sample jet, package dyeing, rotary dyeing as well as light fastness testing.
Auditing of products and processes releases customers own equipment, and LJ Specialities central PC control system allows valuable comparable data to be extracted to enable process modifications and chemical and dye products to be adjusted to meet pre-set criteria.