Ascend offers dyeable, antistatic fiber

Houston, Texas-based chemicals, fibers and plastics developer Ascend Performance Materials has introduced No-Shock®, an antistatic fiber that is dyeable and chemical free, and enables manufacturers—from yarn producers to apparel makers—to better meet the demands of consumers who want garments that are static free, dust repellent and more comfortable. Ascend presented the bicomponent, conductive filament and staple platform at the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ (AATCC) regional meeting in Providence, R.I.

Antistatic fibers are used in carpets, military and industrial apparel. They also can be used in consumer apparel, but their use has been limited because most fibers are black and do not integrate well with fashion-colored fabrics. Ascend offers off-white anti-static fibers that can be dyed to match a variety of fabric colors, opening markets in performance wear, children’s wear, and sueded and brushed materials.

No-Shock is also environmentally safe. With no finish, curing or effluent, it is added to the fabric before wet processing and remains in the fabric for its lifetime. It also is REACH and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Classification 1 compliant, a requirement for fibers used in children’s wear.