F.E.L.T.
Fiber Entanglement & Lamination Technology
Nonwoven Bonding Agent
Problem Statement
Nonwoven fabrics used in wipes, filters, geotextiles, and hygiene products rely on synthetic latex binders (styrene-butadiene, acrylic, vinyl acetate-ethylene) to bond fibers together. These petroleum-derived binders prevent nonwovens from being truly biodegradable or compostable, contributing to landfill persistence and microplastic shedding. The nonwovens industry consumes over 1.5 million tonnes of synthetic binders annually, and rising demand for 'flushable' and compostable wipes is driving urgency for bio-based alternatives.
Market Size
$725M biobased binder for nonwovens ($2.8B including petro-based)
Regulatory Drivers
EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019/904) mandates labeling for plastic-containing wipes. INDA/EDANA GD4 flushability guidelines require dispersibility and biodegradability. ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 compostability standards. US FTC Green Guides regulate 'biodegradable' and 'compostable' marketing claims. California AB 818 requires 'Do Not Flush' labeling on non-flushable wipes. France bans plastic-containing wet wipes (effective 2024).
Enterprise Interest
No enterprise interest recorded yet. Companies can indicate their volume and urgency to help guide research priorities.
Success Criteria
Dry tensile strength above 15 N/5cm (sufficient for wipe applications) per WSP 110.4. Wet tensile strength above 5 N/5cm. Wet/dry strength ratio below 0.4 (indicating dispersibility potential). Complete fiber separation in dispersibility test within 60 minutes. Compare favorably to commercially bonded nonwovens at equivalent basis weight.
Equipment Needed
Lab carding machine or fiber-blending equipment, trigger spray applicator, forced-air oven (up to 180C), tensile testing machine (Instron or equivalent), analytical balance, water bath, orbital shaker, viscose staple fibers, cotton staple fibers, cutting die for specimen preparation, ruler, graduated cylinders, pH meter
Existing References
Reference list will be published with protocols.
Protected Research Content
This section contains detailed protocols, proposed mechanisms, experiment designs, and safety information.
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