One way to do this is to buy in pre-cut pieces that are just the right size for your frame. This simple but effective solution not only reduces the amount of waste material you produce but it can also provide you with significant savings on your purchase invoices.

At the moment companies buy the backing on the roll and cut it approximately using a scissor. This in itself is not ideal, as you have to take an operator off the machine or another task to cut up the backing. Then you have the problem of the accuracy of the cutting. From my travels, it looks like this method is the least efficient way off cutting backing.

The other, more common, method is for customers to buy ‘off the shelf' cut piece backing. This is often in 20cm square pieces that the embroiderer will then use on small frame sizes. Since the most popular sizes of frames used are 12cm and 15cm this means you produce an extra 8cm or 5cm waste. The most environmentally friendly way of way of using backing is to produce less waste. This may sound logical but sometimes the obvious solution is the one people overlook the most.

When we cut a roll of backing that is 100cm wide by 100 metres long, we produce the following yields:

14cm x 14cm = 5,000 pieces (approx)

16.5cm x 16.5cm = 3,636 pieces (approx)

20cm x 20cm = 2,500 pieces (approx)

You can see from the above chart that by taking a little more time, you can save between 1,136 pieces to 2,500 pieces, depending on what frame you are using. This will have a direct result on how much waste backing you produce and hence the cost of refuse disposal.

Now you have reduced your waste product by nearly 50% we can go on to consider the ways in which to dispose of the waste material. When customers ask whether a backing is recyclable or not, what they really should be asking is what the fibre composition is, because it is this which determines whether it can be recycled or whether it biodegrades, as you'll see from the following.

Photosynthesis

Nature uses photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water in the environment into plants and oxygen. This principle of photosynthesis is also the foundation for Viscose, which is made from cellulose in trees.

Cellulose is not only the most abundant renewable biopolymer on earth but also the key element in the plant world.

CO2 + water & sunlight > cellulose in trees + O2

Based on the renewable raw material wood, viscose fibres capture the principles of nature. Therefore Viscose non woven fibres are:

• Part of nature's cycle
• Pure and absorbent
• Sustainable
• Fully biodegradable.
• The eco-friendliness of a nonwoven is dependent on the raw materials used. Viscose fibres are part of nature's cycle since they come from nature and return to nature.
• The cellulose from trees is used for production of pulp, which is the basic material for Viscose fibres
• After use, products made from Viscose fibres will fully biodegrade in sewage treatment plants or after soil burial
• Viscose fibres are converted back into pure water and carbon dioxide, which are reabsorbed during photosynthesis of green plants and converted into cellulose.

 Recycling process

Clothing and fabric generally consists of composites of Viscose/cotton (biodegradable material) and synthetic plastics. The textile's composition will affect its durability and method of recycling.

Fibre reclamation mills grade incoming material into type and colour. The colour sorting means no re-dying has to take place, saving energy and pollutants. The textiles are shredded into "shoddy" fibres and blended with other selected fibres, depending on the intended end use of the recycled yarn. The blended mixture is carded to clean and mix the fibres and spun ready for weaving or knitting. The fibres can also be compressed for mattress production. Textiles sent to the flocking industry are shredded to make filling material for car insulation, roofing felts, loudspeaker cones, panel linings and furniture padding.

For specialised polyester based materials the recycling process is significantly different. The first step is to remove the buttons and zippers then to cut the garments into small pieces. The shredded fabric is then granulated and formed into small pellets. The pellets are broken down polymerised and turned into polyester chips. The chips are melted and spun into new filament fibre used to make new polyester fabrics.

The residues from other grades, remnants, off cuts from pattern cutting or "clips", etc. are passed on to board mills for the manufacture of roofing felt, linoleum, fascia board and floor tiles. Mixed rags are also pulled apart for remanufacture of "flock" for padding and protective covers for furnishing and mattresses and for sound insulation in the car industry.

So taking these principles on board and applying them to the ETC Embroidery backing range, we come to the answer to the question: "Are the backings recyclable?"

Product Range:             Soft & Easy

Fibre Content:  100% Viscose

Recyclable? :    Yes (and also biodegradable)

Product Range: Economy Tear Away

Fibre Content:  100% Viscose

Recyclable? :    Yes (and also biodegradable)

Product Range: Soft & Strong

Fibre Content:  100% Viscose/Polyester

Recyclable? :    Yes

Product Range: Easy Stick

Fibre Content:  100% Polyester

Recyclable? :    Yes

ETC and the environment

ETC accepts and acknowledges its responsibility to take care of the working and living environment. All of its products are strictly vetted for their environmental effects and it always ensures that the products it supplies are made by companies who have a responsible attitude towards the environment.

Wherever possible, it tries to develop products that are recyclable and therefore reduce landfill contamination and air pollution.

Its suppliers are encouraged to use European Markings, which can identify the raw material of the product and the most suitable way of disposing of by-products.

It is constantly communicating with other environmental organisations to ensure it maintains standards, and it has now become common policy for many of its suppliers to clean their factory wastewater before discharging it into the environment. This is often done by natural means using reef ponds that remove the chemical content from the water before discharging it.

The chemical content of many products is also continuously checked, in order to eliminate any harmful chemicals. As a key supplier to many of the quality chain stores it claims to be working hard with its chemical suppliers to reduce the Formaldehyde content of products such as interlinings to a level of less than 300 p.p.m. and in certain products to zero content.

"This will not only help the environment (remember the chemical plant producing Formaldehyde in India, which exploded killing many thousands and contaminating the land for years) but this will also have a positive effect on the employees of factories who have to work with products containing such chemicals," says Purba.

It supports the view that price labels should have an environmental rating as well, so that the customer is aware as to what effect that product has on the environment and the process that was used in its production compared to rival brands.

When accepting orders for cutting backings, ETC works with the customer to obtain the maximum number of pieces per roll. Sizes are often adjusted with the customer's consent and any off-cuts are delivered to the customer so they can make use of them in other frame sizes.

With thanks and acknowledgement to Lenzing Fibres. © Agentround Group Limited 2008.

Web: http://www.etc-embroidery.co.uk/

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