TFJ
Eco-Friendly Technology for Next-Gen Fabrics

The textile industry is currently looking for sustainable alternative chemistries that can deliver equivalent liquid repellency to per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (highly fluorinated chemicals) due to ongoing regulation and concerns about these harmful molecules in textiles. When it comes to water repellent fabrics, manufacturers use fluorine-based C8 and C6 chemicals to produce the clothing; but they are highly toxic to humans. Where many are struggling to develop a safe water repellent fabric, TFJ, against all odds, developed “BLUELOGY”– an environment-friendly water repellent fiber manufacturing technology that uses non-fluoride-based C0 chemical.

TFJ constantly competes with other players on the market owing to constant and steadfast technological changes; along with that, there is also a continuous flux in the prices of raw materials, which plays a crucial role in the development of fabrics. Another factor that impacted TFJ and other startups was the need for large sums of capital for continual research and development of technology. These efforts also take a lot of time and effort to recruit people for product sales and develop various applications for its technology. However, TFJ has a significant advantage over competitors owing to its environmentally friendly portfolio of solutions. The company started with a water repellent processing technology called ‘BLUELOGY’ and is now working on a fire-retardant fiber called ‘MATERIUM.’ Through cutting-edge technology, research, and development, it expanded as a high-tech material company focused on water repellent processing.

Most water-repellent technology developers in the industry formerly employed fluorine-based C8 and C6 compounds for manufacturing textiles; however, in recent years, the international community made utilizing C0 mandatory for the garment industry. Organizations did not mix the chemicals as cross-linking agents with C0, but because C8 and C6 have fluorine chains, materials can achieve hydrophobicity by coating the substances on the fabric. The C0 water-repellent solvent is non-fluorine, and the compound lacks chains, owing to which it has lower durability after washing than conventional fluorine-based water-repellent solvents. Several companies have investigated non-fluorine water-repellent solvents and passed lab tests, but companies commercialized none of their products.

It was necessary to enhance the washing durability to reach the mass manufacturing stage - a challenging problem to solve. To remedy this obstacle, many water-repellent solvents companies have developed C0 cross-linking agents by precisely decomposing substances like paraffin, urethane, and wax into nano-sized particles and applying them to clothes and industrial products. Water-repellent chemicals are stripped off by abrasion and friction during washing since the cross-linking agents scarcely work as a durability control mechanism. Many textile industries use these chemicals for water repulsion since they contain no toxic substances; however, they have washability, color change, and texture change limits.

TFJ stands atop this market by manufacturing all the fabrics using natural liquid or powdered compounds for mixing and use rather than decomposing through chemical reactions. The company has devised a chemical formula that allows cross-linking agents’ atomic structure to penetrate the materials.

Compared to other firms, its water-repellent processing technique is environmentally benign. The chemicals and water used during processing are thoroughly utilized with no waste, making it a free-wastewater technology. Since 2020, the company’s ‘Relaxer’ has been intended to apply water-repellent solvents to the fabric uniformly. The washing process maximizes physical strength, and the RPM is regulated to ensure that the chemicals optimally adhere to the products as well as possible. TFJ also increased the water-repellent durability of clothes using its unique curing technique. Furthermore, ultra-hydrophobicity can be found in all materials and clothes; even a mesh cloth can cause water to roll around on the surface without getting wet. While other companies only have processing technology or only produce chemicals, TFJ has both and can continuously boost its technology so that cross-linking agents can be applied well to various textiles.

The company’s “BLUELOGY” is an antimicrobial water-repellent processing technology that is OEKO-TEX certified as non-toxic to humans and outperforms other water repellent technologies in terms of water repellency. Its other technology– “MATERIUM”– was created with KIST (Korea Institute of Science and Technology) and outperforms existing flame retardant fibers in fire resistance. The “BLUELOGY” technology can be employed to fuse into numerous previously created textile materials and can even be used for electronic devices. TFJ’s portfolio also includes “PRODI,” an enhanced antibacterial technology developed utilizing the “BLUELOGY” chemicals, improved for the present COVID 19 pandemic. The most valuable aspect of the technique deployed by TFJ is its ability to expand applications indefinitely. Currently, it is processing conductive thread with “BLUELOGY” to avoid short-circuits without using a traditional rubber coating, allowing live power and not harming the individual.

Although the company manufactures materials and chemicals, it is also working on ways to convert waste into carbon powder, which aids in pollution reduction and elimination. In addition, technology convergence is a central theme for the organization, and new technology is being developed following next-generation ESG management, resulting in superior materials in the manufacturing industry.