TEXTILES.ORG
Germany’s Bayer MaterialScience and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) of the Netherlands are collaborating to improve innovation and sustainability in the apparel and footwear industry. The partners recently ran a series of INSQIN workshops addressing the concerns of brand owners that use polyurethane (PU) coated fabrics—for example, PU synthetic leather. INSQIN is Bayer MaterialScience’s solution for brand owners and manufacturers looking to achieve ambitious goals related to innovation and sustainability.
PU leather is increasingly becoming the material of choice for footwear, apparel and accessories. Brand owners who use the PU technology face challenges in dealing with the environmental side effects of mainstream PU technology. Large amounts of solvent are used in the current PU coating process, creating occupational hazards and environmental pollution risks. The INSQIN pure waterborne PU technology enables PU leather to be manufactured without the use of solvents.
The INSQIN series workshop also addressed supply-chain transparency regarding the origin and quality of fabric materials. Bayer MaterialScience’s INSQIN Partner Manufacturer Program verifies the management system and production processes of manufacturers using the technology.
Based in Leverkusen, Germany, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials for products used in many areas of daily life.
The IAF, headquartered in the Netherlands, is a federation of national associations of apparel brands and manufacturers.