——s
3
gio irra
Sms
SE
stm
SS
a
d.S. textile companies go green
A wealth of environmental
success stories can be found
in the U.S. textile industry,
- ranging from new products to
improved manufacturing pro-
"CESSES.
The following case studies
provide a glimpse at the U.S.
textile industry's environ-
mental philosophy-turning
green is the only way to op-
erate.
Reacting to public demand
for environmentally sound
products, one company is us-
ing recycled materials to
make polyester carpet fiber.
The fiber contains 93 percent
recycled content, of which 31
percent is post-consumer so-
da bottles. Processors collect
the bottles that are made up
from polyethylene terephtha-
late, known as PET, and
grind them up. The ground
material is then processed in-
to chips or pellets which are
used to extrude fiber. The
polymer used to make the so-
da bottle is a much higher
grade than is typically used
in the manufacturing of vir-
gin fiber. Because it has to
meet FDA requirements for
use in the food industry, the
raw material is extremely
pure and therefore lends it-
self nicely to recycling.
A recycling system that us-
es discarded vinyl-backed
carpeting to produce a broad
range of usable products,
such as park benches, bird
houses and picnic tables, was
recently introduced at one
textile company. Instead of
sending material to a landfill,
this system uses it to create
products that companies can
use with no further depletion
of natural resources.
Recently, a textile compa-
ny has introduced a new line
of towels, sheets, bathe rugs
and blankets made of organi-
cally grown, colored cotton.
The company does not use
bleach, dyes or resins to
manufacture the natural bed
and bath products. And the
consumers get a product that
is good for the environment. -
Fabric printing in most
companies is now done with
water-based dyes instead of
solvent-based.
Environmentally, water-
based dyes lower air emis-
sions, use less water in clean-
up and are more easily
treated by a wastewater treat-
ment facility. Operational
costs are also lower.
ANVIL
From 1 C
During 1959, Craftspun
Yarns began operations at the
site where Anvil is located.
Prior to that, the plant was
known as the Cora Mill.
Older residents still refer to
the facility as the Cora Mill.
In 1961, BVD bought
Craftspun Yarns and initiated
a period of modernization
and additions which included
the purchase of new spinning
equipment in 1962.
They built a spanking new
spinning facility the same
year, and, in September of
1963, the first part of the fin-
ishing area was completed.
That department was expand-
ed in the ensuing years, and
the result is a busy, quality-
oriented operation with an
ever-widening customer
base.
The changeover from a
manual to an automated
plant, begun a few years
back, is almost completed.
Anvil Knitwear's products
enjoy a reputation of quality
and durability.
Woven polypropylene and
polyethylene bags that cover
rolls of fabric are recycled to
reduce trips to landfills.
One textile company got
local schools involved in re-
cycling more than 350 tele-
phone books and allowed
students to understand the
impact recycling has on the
environment.
One U.S. textile company
is one of a few in the world
that is recovering and reusing
indigo dyes. This process not
only recycles the dyestuffs
but improves waste treatment
plant operation. It saves
cones to be packed in boxes.
An innovative heat pump
heat recovery system was in-
stalled in a dyeing and finish-
ing plant, to reclaim heat
from wastewater and reduce
wastewater discharge tem-
perature. This system won a
national award and is a
"first" in the industry.
Denim is being recycled to
make new denim and paper
products, such as stationery
and shopping bags.
One textile company built
and operates then water treat-
ment processes for the com-
munity where it is located. Its
to a clean
environment.
money and reduces pollution
at the same time.
A national plastic recycling
program has been set up to
help several textile customers
recycle plastic cones, spools
and poly bags. In addition ,
cardboard cones have been
replaced by recyclable plastic
cones that also enable more
wastewater treatment facility
has enough capacity to han-
dle the entire community's
needs.
As textile companies con-
tinue to find new ways to
"reduce, reuse and recycle,"
they will further enhance
their role as industry leaders
in the "green" movement.
TEXTILE
WEEK
We Are Proud To Be A Part Of The
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
KINGS MOUNTAIN
Jackie Roberts, creeling yarn at the Anvil Knitwear facility in Kings
Mountain. Anvil employs 345 people at Kings Mountain who are
working a 3-shift, 5-day work week. Anvil has another plant in
Swannanoa and several cut and sew operations in the two Carolinas.
mm - . eee
Thursday, October 21, 1993 -THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD TEXTILE EDITION-Page 3C
RUPPE
From1C
computerized Lonatis -
Bravos and Juniors - and
there are 56 more on order,"
Ruppe said.
"The Lonatis cost $30,000
apiece. They've been on the
market for just one year,"
Ruppe said. "We're at the
top. We've got the latest
equipment so far developed!"
Lonatis are completely
electronic knitting machines
imported from Italy, that
Ruppe Hosiery strategically
employs in order to increase
production from 40,000 to
50,000 dozen per week.
"People in this business are
going to have go with the
new technology to keep up
with the times otherwise
they're not going to be
around," Ruppe said. "We
have a good head-start on the
game," he said.
"The original machines in
the 60's produced 5 dozen;
these produce 14 dozen in
the same period of time with
half the labor," he said.
Ruppe quickly dispels
fears about machines taking
over the jobs of the people of
Kings Mountain. "With this
type of machine, you have to
have operators. So no em-
ployee will be let go. We're
just going to use these ma-
chines to increase what we're
selling and produce more
jobs."
Tony Ruppe's focus on
progress is not limited to
Ruppe Hosiery. "We're defi-
nitely interested in seeing
Kings Mountain grow. There
is not enough new industry
coming into town to support
the community," he said.
"We'd like to see our industry
grow as well as others’. It
would make it better for all
of us."
2
Tufted Carper, Uptoloteny & Apparel
W/ 7%,
0 7°
oN 5
N ust
tee INDUSTRIES, INC.
PO BOX 1509 « SHELBY, NC « 482-3826
Jerry Williams operates the control panel on one of the Anvil Knitwear dyeing machines. Anvil is in
the process of converting over to total automation. Their dyeing machines are computer-controlled,
and are high-efficiency equipment. The coloring process is an integral part of Anvil's operation.
Melissa Sanders and Margaret Robles operating a cutting machine at Anvil Knits. Anvil is in the
process of relocating some of their machinery to utilize space that is now being used for storage.
Their in-house expansion should be finished by the end of the year.
ANVIL KNITWEAR, INC.
304 Linwood Drive
Kings Mountain, North Carolina
739-5463