Textile economic importance

The most economically important materials with respect to ozone damage are paint, elastomers (rubbers), and textile fiber-dye systems. Damage to polyethylene by ozone is considered to be negligible. The 1970 ozone damage to materials has been estimated as follows paint, 540 million elastomers, 569 million and textile fibers and dyes, 84 million—for a total of over 1 billion. Thus, the total combined material and crop damage falls between 1.5 and 2 billion per year. Estimates of damage to natural ecosystems are not available. 

Because of its structural properties, cellulose has enormous economic importance. Products such as wood, paper, and textiles (e.g., cotton, linen, and ramie) owe many of their unique characteristics to their cellulose content. 

Expert information has been supplied in 47 chapters written by 70 industry specialists, professors, and consultants. Five chapters on fundamentals provide the theoretical and economic underpinnings—why adhesives work, how they are selected, how the surface is prepared, how they are applied, how they are set, how the cured joint is tested. The economic importance of the adhesive-using industries is spelled out, with specifics on the role of adhesives in construction, packaging, autos, aircraft/aerospace, textiles, footwear, abrasives, electronics, and in the home. The next 28 chapters cover the adhesive materials—thermosetting, thermoplastic, elastomeric, natural polymers, cou-... 

Opposition to the tariff bills, either parts of them or in their entirety, came from several quarters, including textile manufacturers, importers, and politicians concerned about political philosophy and the tactics of the industry proponents. The textile industrialists, as the largest consumers of synthetic organic chemicals, potentially wielded the economic clout to make or break U.S. dyes manufacturers. In the aftermath of the war, however, the textile manufacturers disagreed among themselves about the tariff... 

Cellulose acetate, the second oldest synthetic fiber, is an important factor in the textile and tobacco industries 731,000 metric tons were produced worldwide in 1991 (Fig. 11) (74). Acetate belongs to the group of less expensive fibers triacetate is slightly more expensive. An annual listing of worldwide fiber producers, locations, and fiber types is pubHshed by the Fiber Economics Bureau, Inc. (74). 

Naphthalene derivatives are of diverse importance as intermediates for agricultural, constmction, pharmaceutical, photographic, mbber, tanning, and textile chemicals. In this article production figures, economics, and processes are discussed for most commercially important compounds. Sources for a more comprehensive study of naphthalene derivatives are available (1 8). 

Polyesters are now one of the economically most important classes of polymers, with an overall world production between 25 and 30 million tons in 2000, consisting mostly of PET. This production is rapidly increasing and is expected to continue to do so during the next decade, driven by packaging applications, due to a very favorable image of environmentally friendly and recyclable polymers in western countries, and by textile applications, due to a strong demand in the far-east area to satisfy the needs of an increasing population. 

The viscosity of natural gums, such as cellulose gums, mannogalactans, seaweed, pectin, locust bean gum, guar gum, and tragacanth has important industrial applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile, adhesives, and paint fields. The characteristics of viscosity are related to specific uses and to the economics of the process. 

Azo dyes are one of the most important types of dyes that are extensively used in textile, leather, food, cosmetics, and paper product industries due to a more economical synthesis, firmness, and greater variety of color compared to natural... 

In summary, cotton s future is positive. Cotton use should benefit from consumer demand stemming from favorable economic growth prospects and because of research. On the production side, global output should continue to provide an adequate supply for mill demand. Finally, cotton, one of the most important textile fibers and one of the world s important oilseed crops, should continue to be recognized as a significant commodity in world trade and the consumption of this important fiber, food, and feed crop will continue to grow but at a slower rate than synthetic fibers. 

The world textile industry is one of the largest consumers of dyestuffs. An understanding of the chemistry of textile fibers is necessary to select an appropriate dye from each of the several dye classes so that the textile product requirements for proper shade, fastness, and economics are achieved. The properties of some of the more commercially important natural and synthetic fibers are briefly discussed in this section. The natural fibers may be from plant sources (such as cotton and flax), animal sources (such as wool and silk), or chemically modified natural materials (such as rayon and acetate fibers). The synthetic fibers include nylon, polyester, acrylics, polyolefins, and spindex. The various types of fiber along with the type of dye needed are summarized in Table 8.2. 

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