The Dow Chemical Company (DOW) recently introduced DOW SOFT TOUCH, which is a Propylene Resin. The product is a recent breakthrough in single-pellet resin solutions for the efficient production of mono-component spun bond nonwoven fabrics. These fabrics offer extraordinary softness and drape, preserving the physical properties of the propylene nonwoven fabrics.
The product caters to the customers’ need for softer fabrics in absorbent hygiene products and medical nonwovens. After 30 years of research, the company unveiled its first product in the new DOW SOFT TOUCH PP Resin family, DC 543 Developmental Polypropylene Resin at INDEX 11; a global trade fair for the nonwovens industry, currently being held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 12, 2011 to April 15, 2011.
DOW has been working since 2009 to manufacture softer nonwoven fabrics having lower content of formaldehyde. A degree of softness can be found in each solution, for a marginally higher cost or increased operational complexity. There is a small but growing segment of consumers demanding fabric having minimum formaldehyde.
On the other hand, fabrics made with DOW SOFT TOUCH PP resin have successfully overcome these challenges and offer a degree of comfort with reduced noise intensity. Fabric made with DOW SOFT TOUCH PP resin provided favorable and improved results compared with fabrics made with homopolymer polypropylene.
Why DOW SOFT TOUCH over others?
The resin overcame the challenge of retaining physical properties. It has a low bonding temperature and a broad bonding window for processing efficiency and flexibility; it also offers ductile properties comparable with polypropylene and excellent abrasion resistance for low linting and fuzzing in the final nonwoven article.
The resin also enables the production of excellent, cost-effective nonwoven fabrics in mono-spunbond lines; nonwoven fabrics made with resin can also be recycled into mainstream production, thereby reducing operational waste. Finally, a lower bonding temperature than homopolymer polypropylene reduces energy consumption during processing.
Currently, Dow has a short-term (1 to 3 months) Zacks #3 Rank (Hold) and a long-term Neutral recommendation.
Headquartered in Michigan, The Dow Chemical Company is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world, offering a range of chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services. Its wholly owned subsidiary Dow AgroSciences, is a top-tier agricultural company providing innovative agrochemical and biotechnology solutions globally. The company competes with the likes of EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DD) and BASF SE.
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