Bellingham, Wash.-based Tidal Vision Products Inc. has announced a partnership with Leigh Fibers Inc., Wellford, S.C. Tidal Vision produces a line of water-based textile treatments formulated using chitosan — a biodegradable, non-toxic, abundant biopolymer — that is extracted from crab and shrimp shells that are unwanted byproducts of the seafood industry. The treatments may be applied using dip, spray or coating methods to fibers, yarns or fabrics; and are cured by simply removing the water through drying.
The partnership includes a new Tidal Vision 24,000-square-foot-facility inside Leigh Fiber’s
1-million-square-foot headquarters location in Wellford. The cooperation offers economies of scale and Tidal Vision hopes to offer its bio-based solutions at a lower price.
“In the textile industry, to have the biggest impact it made sense to start with fibers treated at the top of the supply chain,” said Craig Kasberg, CEO, Tidal Vision. “Leigh Fibers was our ideal partner since their mission, values and business model are so synergetic with ours. Both of our companies produce sustainable solutions by upcycling byproducts that would otherwise end up in landfills, and through vertical integration we provide high performance products out of what was previously considered waste.”
“Partnering with Tidal Vision is a win-win for our company, our customers, and the environment,” said Eric Westgate, senior vice president of Leigh Fibers. “Their Tidal-Tex product line delivers the key benefits that our customers look for in textiles at a lower price and is made from sustainable materials in the USA.”
July/August 2021
