After the well reported EarthColors, a range of dyes synthesized from materials such as almond husks or saw palmetto leaves – bio-waste from the agriculture and herbal industries –, Archroma is launching another new innovation based on natural ingredients.

The new product, Appretan NTR, a water-based textile coating binder developed for applications such as tea bags, coffee filters or capsules, uses a natural, renewable raw material that is widely available near the production site of Lamotte, France, where Appretan NTR is produced.

The new binder was introduced for the very first time at the Techtextil exhibition. About one third of Appretan NTR’s active content is based on a polysaccharide from renewable raw materials, allowing a reduction in the use of fossil fuel based resources without compromising performance.

Appretan NTR does not contain biocides or alkylphenolethoxylates (APEO) and does not release formaldehyde. It has been designed so that the optimum properties can be achieved without additional curing step at high temperature compared to the industry standard process, thus helping to save significant energy for textile producers and the planet. Initially developed for the chemical bonding of non-wovens for technical textiles and coating, Appretan NTR displays excellent film forming properties and very hydrophobic behavior.

In addition, the unique chemistry of this binder makes it resistant to water, mild solvents, oil and fat, and it also provides an increase in dry and wet tensile strength.

Appretan NTR can also be applied in combination with other crosslinkers.