The introductory launch of Recron FS at MoOD2017 in Belgium was a big success. And now, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) will showcase an extended range of Recron FS, fire-retardant textile solutions with diverse features and applications, at Heimtextil Frankfurt, scheduled to be held during January 9 to 12.
Recron FS is a unique blend of safety and beauty. It takes eons to fulfil a dream, but in a moment it can be reduced to ashes, literally. Fire can engulf and destroy everything you cherish in the blink of an eye. Such is its destructive power.
As human race is evolving and modernising, incidences of fire are increasing. It is now one of the biggest hazards, leading to major fatalities and destruction of property.
One of the key causes of fire is negligence. Its spread is caused by the presence of flammable substances in the vicinity. In majority of the fire instances, textile plays a major role in quick spread as it is flammable and present in most establishments – be it home, office, hospital, cinema hall, hotel and car, or aeroplane.
Textiles are used to make homes, offices and entertainment, commercial and health establishments both appealing and comfortable. Things like seat covers, carpets and curtains are used in most establishments. Time and again studies into fire-related catastrophes have revealed that fabrics / textiles are to be blamed for the quick spread of the fire.
As a remedy to this, RIL has developed Recron FS, a fire-retardant polyester, which not only brings the highest standard of safety in the fabric by making it fire-retardant, but also enhances the aesthetical aspects. Recron FS is RIL’s unique offering to the textile world – the most beautiful and the safest textile.
In about a 340 million square metre global fire-retardant home textile market, fire-retardant polyester accounts for 33%, or exactly one-third.
Fabrics play an important role in beautification, and fabrics made from Recron FS not just enhance aesthetics, but also enhance safety.
Technologies to develop fire retardant fabrics has been in existence since the 1970s. However, they were limiting as far as permanency of fire-retardancy and toxicity of chemicals used were concerned. Most of these old technologies were restricted to flame-retardant levels corresponding to phosphorous contents below 6500 ppm, and only manufactured using virgin polyester.
But in coming up with Recron FS, RIL has developed a new technology that enables flame retardancy from the levels of 7000 ppm to 25000 ppm depending on the end use. The technology also allows the use of recycled polyester as a feedstock to produce permanently flame-retardant polyester. The technology also does not allow depletion of tenacity.
New sustainable technology
Recron FS, the new-age fire-retardant polyester, has all ingredients of sustainable technology. Life span, cost effectiveness, excellent and permanent fire retardant performance, permanency of colour, and the ability to use recycled polyester make it a sustainable technology.
The physical and chemical bonding of phosphorous with polyester matrix makes fire-retardancy permanent. This helps in the creation of a textile raw material that doesn’t allow fire to spread easily. And thus, fabrics made from Recron FS possess the unique ability to provide everlasting fire safety in any application and every instance.
Recron FS is manufactured under the most environment-friendly conditions and is a part of the responsible care product offering from RIL.
Recron FS is the most sought after fibre for all fire-retardant fabrics largely used in the transportation industry – aviation, marine and roadways. It is also used in cinemas, hospitals, hotels, banquet halls and libraries as well as for household furnishings.
Since Recron FS has a large bouquet of variants, it can be used in weaving fabrics for curtains, carpets and upholstery. It can also be easily dyed in various attractive shades and hues. Since the fire-retardancy is bound in the molecules, it can be washed without fear of losing its fire-retardant properties, shine, colour and texture.
Infinite applications
Recron FS gives the desired fire protection for the entire fabric requirement across industries and households. Moreover, the lifelong fire-retardant nature of the fabric assures higher safety and reduces the life cycle cost. It helps protect the colour of interiors and furnishings from fading and deteriorating from sunlight exposure. It also protects the room from sun glare and helps reduce the load on air-conditioners.
Since it is Oekotex Standard 100 (a stringent worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished and finished textile products) certified, it can be used to make fabrics that require the most stringent human-ecological standards established for baby products.
The key features of fibres that weavers look for are all embedded in Recron FS. It aids in the creation of high quality, easy-to-care and durable end-products and offers excellent dyeability, easy care and abrasion resistance properties. It does not need any special chemical processing or extra care in washing or drying.
In addition to strong technical support and promotional services, Recron FS will ensure that all fabrics undergo rigorous fire-retardant tests. RIL extends its support to the fabric makers to install a sustainable process to make permanently flame-retardant fabrics. In case any fabric does not pass the tests, the Recron FS team will work with the fabric maker to identify the problems and find solution for it.
Upon successful passing of the requisite tests, the fabric maker can manufacture and use the unique Recron FS trademark on the fabrics. This trademark is an assurance to the entire value chain and to the end customers about the quality, adherence of standards, and high performance of the fabrics.
Stringent tests
Recron FS has not only cleared RIL’s in-house tests at its R&D facilities but has also passed stringent tests at independent globally renowned testing centres.
Reliance Polyester Business, a part of Petrochemicals Division of RIL, is the largest integrated polyester fibre and yarn producer in the world with a capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per annum. Recron is the flagship brand for Reliance Polyesters.
Over the years, RIL has consolidated its leadership position in the polyester business on the strength of its integrated operations, economies of scale and diversified product range. RIL gives utmost importance and allocate vast resources on research and development activity pertaining to polyesters.