Raw Material Processing
The Raw Material Processing Production Stage is an intermediate process where fibers are prepared for final finishing of the insulation material.
- Non-woven, melt spun or melt blown is the default process selection and should be used unless another raw material process is applicable. It should also be selected when melted polymer is extruded through small nozzles surrounded by high-speed blowing gas, causing a random mat of deposited fibers.
- Non-woven, water jet, for insulation material should be selected for fabrics where fibers are bonded together by using high-pressure water jets, which penetrate and bounce back into the fiber structure, causing the fibers to entangle.
- Spinning, microfibers (yarn size<1 DTEX), for insulation material should be used for insulations made with microfiber fibers (<1 DTEX).
- Down processing, including washing, drying and sorting is the default process selection for both duck down and goose down. Any down source, including recycled down, that has a washing, drying, and/or sorting step should keep this process selected.
- Scouring, natural fibers is the default process and should be used unless another process is applicable. In this process, the wool fibers are cleaned using water and surfactants as part of the insulation manufacturing.
- Carbonizing, natural fibers should be selected when the wool fiber has vegetable matter reduced to carbon and removed through the use of a sulfuric acid bath.