Israel-based Nilit Ltd. — a global manufacturer of nylon 6,6 fibers — has launched a line of
recycled yarns produced from a combination of Nilit® polymers and polymer waste. According to the
company, the development is a breakthrough in yarn engineering and production, as the process
involves shortened energy-consuming stages such as evaporation, reduces pollution, and does not
require autoclave use.
“With increasing demand for eco-friendly yarns and products, we decided to develop yarn spun
primarily from this recycled polymer,” said Alon Weiser, research, development and technical
service manager, Nilit. “We overcame the variability in efficiency and low-dye affinity by mixing
90 percent of the recycled polymer with 10 percent of our deep dye polymer to achieve a rich color.
The yarns have excellent uniformity and color depth, which makes them well suited for seamless
apparel, legwear and for other textile end-uses.”
Nilit recycles its yarn waste, re-melting it to produce polyamide chips. According to the
company, the process uses less energy compared to fiber spun from virgin polymers. Nilit also
captures energy from its facilities and reuses it in its manufacturing processes; has replaced
plant boilers with low-emission burners; and has reduced sulfur levels through the use of specially
designed systems.
“At the corporate level, we have a ‘zero waste’ policy,” said Fabio Kahn, Fibers Division
director, Nilit. “This development reinforces our company philosophy to respect and protect the
environment. Over the years we have consistently looked for ways to conserve water, reduce
emissions, recycle waste, and operate a cleaner enterprise.”
January 13, 2009
