Card C 80: High Productivity with a Challenging Raw Material

Fig. 1: The denim fabric made of 70% cotton and 30% post-consumer material was of a flawless quality.

The potential for recycling applications is huge – as are the challenges during processing. The card plays a decisive role in the yarn production process by opening and cleaning the material. The C 80 is perfectly equipped for recycling applications. The machine runs with high production rates and allows goodquality yarn to be manufactured even with a high proportion of post-consumer material.

In a direct comparison at a customer spinning mill, the card C 80 with a production rate of 270 kilograms per hour achieved around four times the production rate of an older model of a competitor machine. 70% cotton and 30% post-consumer material were used as the material blend for producing rotor yarn with a count of Ne 12. Despite the high production rate of the C 80, the yarn quality was significantly better than the limit value defined by the customer. The thoroughly prepared fiber material also resulted in greater efficiency for the rotor spinning machine. The number of ends down was between 118 and 156 per 1 000 rotor hours. The finished product also convinced with its appearance and quality (Fig. 1).

75% lower energy consumption

The significantly higher production rate with very good sliver quality enabled the customer to use fewer cards during production and therefore to make considerable savings on energy costs. With a production rate of 270 kilograms per hour, the card C 80 replaced four cards with a working width of one meter. Energy consumption at the same production volume therefore decreased by 75%, which is equivalent to USD 40 000 per year.

Raw material with 90% post-consumer material

Another customer processed a blend of 90% recycled, bleached cotton from postconsumer material and 10% polyester for its rotor yarn with a count of

Ne 8 to Ne 24. With this challenging material blend and a yarn count of Ne 9, the card C 80 achieved a production rate of 120 kilograms per hour. In a direct comparison with the previous model C 70, with the same working width of 1.5 meters, the C 80 can achieve double the production rate and a higher yarn quality. Yarn imperfections are reduced by around 50% with the C 80.

Tailor-made Graf clothings

Specially developed Graf clothings are used for processing recycling material. The material is thoroughly pre-separated with a sawtooth clothing on the licker-in unit. Non-compliant materials, such as unopened pieces of fabric, are efficiently eliminated at the mote knife of the lickerin. With the freely adjustable position setting of the mote knife and the licker-in speed, the quantity of waste can be easily set on the display and therefore specifically adjusted to the requirements of the material.

Proven benefits for all raw materials

The C 80 is the card with the largest active carding area on the market (Fig. 2). The working width of 1.5 meters and 40 active flats of the C 80 are key advantages also for recycled material with a low separation level and a high number of neps. The longest pre- and postcarding zones can be individually equipped and configured to suit the raw material. The reliable web guide with optimally designed guide lips provides a flawless card sliver that is compacted in three stages. This is very important due to the high short-fiber content of recycled materials and the high delivery speeds. Thanks to these benefits, the card sliver of the C 80 also offers theoptimal condition for a ring yarn made of recycling materials. This considerably increases the range of potential recycling products.

About Rieter

Rieter is the world’s leading supplier of systems for short-staple fiber spinning. Based in Winterthur (Switzerland), the company develops and manufactures machinery, systems and components used to convert natural and man-made fibers and their blends into yarns. Rieter is the only supplier worldwide to cover both spinning preparation processes and all four end-spinning processes currently established on the market. Furthermore, Rieter is a leader in the field of precision winding machines. With 17 manufacturing locations in ten countries, the company employs a global workforce of some 4 900, about 18% of whom are based in Switzerland. Rieter is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker symbol RIEN.

Fig. 2: The card C 80 offers outstanding performance and high-quality card sliver.

The LYCRA Company launches online customer portal, driving digital transformation for the apparel industry

The LYCRA ONE™ portal includes the latest innovations, fabric library, knowledge center, certification services, and merchandising assets, allowing mills and retailers to collaborate digitally

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, today announced the launch of their LYCRA ONE™ Online Network Exchange. The new online customer portal empowers brands, retailers, and garment makers to connect to a global network of mills all in one convenient platform focused around the science of comfort, fit and performance.

Prior to the pandemic, there was already a need in the marketplace for a digital experience allowing brands and retailers to connect with mills and manufacturers in a virtual capacity without losing the inherent advantages of an in-person connection. Through the LYCRA ONE™ portal, users can source innovative fiber solutions using the digital fabric library. Users can also directly connect with mills to begin or expand on business relationships, learn about capabilities, and view product catalogs.

“The LYCRA Company has a rich legacy of innovation, and we must embrace digital transformation. The launch of the LYCRA ONE™ portal leverages our connectivity across the apparel and personal care value chains and offers a one-stop seamless solution to rapidly move our customers’ ideas from concept to launch,” said CEO of The LYCRA Company, Julien Born.

LYCRA ONE™ features a knowledge center where users can access exclusive content such as webinars, white papers, and videos covering new fiber technologies, industry trends, marketing, sustainability, and more. These resources help educate users on maximizing the value of The LYCRA Company and its innovative solutions to deliver products that can meet their consumers’ needs and provide inspiration for new ideas.

Customers will discover innovative marketing and merchandising solutions through the LYCRA ONE™ portal, including brand assets and garment hang tags. Additionally, requests can be submitted for trademark license agreements and fiber certifications that help to reinforce the quality of products backed by the power of the LYCRA® brand.

To learn more and register for the LYCRA ONE™ portal, visit one.lycra.com and select the signup button, or contact info@itextiles.com.pk to know more about the LYCRA ONE® portal.

About The LYCRA Company

The LYCRA Company innovates and produces fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its innovative products, technical expertise, sustainable solutions, and unmatched marketing support. The LYCRA Company owns leading consumer and trade brands: LYCRA®, LYCRA HyFit®, LYCRA® T400® , COOLMAX®, THERMOLITE®, ELASPAN® , SUPPLEX®, and TACTEL®. The LYCRA Company’s legacy stretches back to 1958 with the invention of the original spandex yarn, LYCRA® fiber. Today, The LYCRA Company focuses on adding value to its customers’ products by developing unique innovations designed to meet the consumer’s need for comfort and lasting performance. For more information, visit

www.thelycracompany.com.

About iTextiles®

iTextiles® is the sales representative of The LYCRA Company in Pakistan. It is a multi-disciplinary textile solutions company that creates, manages and innovates the entire value chain in performance textiles. Started in 2006 as a trading concern for fibers, the company has rapidly evolved to become a leading value chain manager in the region, supplying raw material to and representing some of the biggest international companies and their brands.

LYCRA® and LYCRA ONE™ are trademarks of The LYCRA Company.