Process for regenerating post-consumer and post-industrial fibers

Abstract

Processes for producing regenerated fibers from post-consumer and post-industrial waste are disclosed. The process generally involves obtaining a source of post-industrial and/or post-consumer scrap material comprising fibers, cutting the material into a desirable size in the range of from one square inch to thirty square inches, detangling the fibers, removing any finish from the fibers, if present, combing and/or picking the fibers to convert any threads into fibers, humidifying the fibers, and intimately blending the fibers. These regenerated fibers can be blended with other fibers, and intimately blended to provide a uniform blend of fibers. The fibers can then be subjected to a carding process to orient the fibers. The regenerated fibers can be used in any application that would otherwise use virgin fibers, including their use to form woven or non-woven materials.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention is generally in the field of regeneration of post-consumer and post-industrial fibers.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Roughly a hundred billion pounds of post-industrial waste are landfilled or incinerated each year. While there are processes for recycling or regenerating these materials, such process traditionally provide materials used in lower value products such as carpet padding, automotive acoustic panels, and other items not visually impacted by a “shoddy fiber” technology. While these are good uses for pre or post industrial waste streams, consumers want more sustainable products in their everyday lives. The area of non-wovens, such as personal care products and household wipes, is a rapidly growing industry. There would be a tremendous value associated with using fibers which have been repurposed through a regeneration process into such non-woven products, instead of using virgin materials. This is particularly true for dis...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]Before going into woven or non-woven materials, it can be advantageous to pass the fibers through one or more stages of “intimate blending,” so that the fiber distribution is relatively homogeneous. The term “relatively homogeneous” is used to mean that the average fiber size and density varies by 20% or less throughout the fiber. The intimate blending can also provide color uniformity, which can otherwise be difficult to attain when different batches of fibers are used to produce a single non-woven fabric.

[0017]Intimate blending involves initially humidifying or treating the fibers, which strengthens the fibers, if they are organic fibers such as cotton, cotton blends or fibers such as rayon or ramie, reduces dust particles for better product performance and, protecting the fibers from tensile elongation, and reduces neps. The fibers can be humidified, for example, by exposing them to steam, contacting them with a hydrophilic compound such

Problems solved by technology

This equipment when used takes textile waste a

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