Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fiber-product converting company, has announced that it has developed Octa™ Neo, a multilayer fiber that combines the company’s proprietary Octa™ hollow, eight-fin polyester fiber with various chemical and natural staple fibers for diverse applications.
Teijin Frontier plans to release Octa Neo in time for 2017 spring/summer sportswear and underwear applications. Octa Neo fiber is also well suited for uniforms, bedding and various industrial materials. Annual sales of 500,000 meters are targeted by the fiscal year ending in March 2020.
Octa has a unique cross section comprising eight projections, or fins, aligned in a radial pattern around a tube-like fiber. Octa Neo is a sheath-core fiber that uses Octa filament as its core material and combines the low weight, high bulkiness, water absorption and water diffusion of Octa, with the texture and softness of staple fibers selected for each application. It also offers stiffness, stretchiness and breathability and can be integrated through combined weaving with other highly functional fibers from Teijin Frontier for expanded applications, such as T-shirts, polo shirts, underwear or denim.
The company recognized that there is strong demand for materials that offer better textures, not achievable with conventional fibers. Staple fibers offer the desired texture, but they lack sufficient strength and stretchiness. To combine the attractive features of both fibers, Teijin Frontier leveraged its original technology to develop OctaTM Neo, which combines OctaTM fiber and other chemial or natural fibers.
Teijin (is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the areas of sustainable transportation, information and electronics, safety and protection, environment and energy, and healthcare. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibers such as aramid, carbon fibers & composites, healthcare, films, resin & plastic processing, polyester fibers, products converting and IT.