BERGAMO, Italy — May 18, 2017 — RadiciGroup — an Italian multinational engaged in the production and sale of chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers — has its headquarters in the province of Bergamo, where the cycling tour caravan is going to finish and start a stage. Technical sportswear is one of the applications utilizing RadiciGroup products: the Group’s polyester yarn, for example, is the yarn of choice for many manufacturers of the latest-generation warp-knitted fabrics used to make highly technical, functional garments for a wide range of sports, including cycling, skiing, running, triathlon and swimming, as well as outdoor activities, in general.
Today, thanks to its experience acquired in the field of synthetic fibers and, specifically, its over 40 years of business activity in the polyester market, RadiciGroup is able to manufacture yarns that fuse performance with sustainability. The Group is developing more and more yarns from recycled polymer (r-Radyarn®), featuring reduced environmental impact, but at the same time lightness, comfort and sun protection (Ultraviolet Protection Factor [UPF] +50). r-Radyarn is the trade name of yarn made with PET obtained from recycled PET (ordinary plastic bottles). Recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies have shown that less carbon dioxide is emitted during the production of recycled PET. Indeed, for every kilogram of PET obtained from recycled PET bottles, up to three kilos less carbon dioxide is emitted. Data on energy consumption also show a 45 to 50-percent reduction in energy usage per kilo of product, compared to products obtained from non-renewable raw materials.
r-Radyarn yarns are the result of a multi-stage process — from post-consumer bottle collection to reprocessing and yarn production — all taking place in Europe and monitored at every step. RadiciGroup can provide UNI 11505 certification attesting to the full traceability of the recycled material.
Polyamide, better known as nylon, is yet another type of synthetic fiber manufactured by RadiciGroup, starting from the polymer. Polyamide yarn is very popular for sportswear, as it is soft, has a natural look and endows garments with breatheability. All of these characteristics are of fundamental importance for anyone who plays a sport.
Polyamides can also be produced from renewable source base materials. One example is PA 6,10, (Radilon® 6.10) a polymer obtained from sebacic acid (64-percent by weight), which is extracted from castor oil plant seeds, and hexamethylenediamine (36 percent), a petroleum derivative. The use of these materials allows for noticeably lower consumption of non-renewable source materials compared to other polyamides made entirely of petroleum intermediates.
RadiciGroup is a manufacturer of a wide range of high performance synthetic fibers with limited environmental impact: It is a sole upstream supplier in the sportswear supply chain offering innumerable solutions and opportunities.
And who knows what the future has in store? Perhaps the Giro d’Italia will become a “Ride Green” event which promotes sustainability and raises awareness to separate waste collection by finding a way to gather all the plastic bottles discarded along the entire route of the race and recycle them for recovery and re-use in the production of new sportswear textiles.
Posted May 22, 2017
Source: RadiciGroup
