KoSa to offer new enhanced color intensity

By Carole Sloan -- Home Textiles Today, 1/29/2001 11:53:00 AM

NEW YORK — KoSa, one of the major polyester fiber producers, last week introduced new specialty fibers that will offer new color intensity in solution-dyed filament and anti-microbial protection.

"Emblazia," the new solution dyed product, is offered in textured and flat yarns for weaving and knitting. The fibers are blendable with other fibers and can be overdyed to provide contrasting and styling effects, according to Dick Osman, director of new business and market development.

The name Emblazia, he explained, reflects the product's objective, "to emblazon or display brilliantly with bright colors."

The Emblazia fibers can also be combined with the firm's Extra Stretch Performance polyester (ESP), creating ESP Emblazia with high-stretch potential and excellent recovery. The combined fibers are available in 40 colors.

The third new product, Osman said, is the anti-microbial filament that incorporates an inorganic anti-microbial additive into the polymer in its molten state, which eliminates the yellowing that other additives produce. The anti-microbial fibers will inhibit the growth of microorganisms that often cause odor and staining.

KoSa also has created a new fabric library at its Shelby, NC, facility encompassing more than 3,000 fabrics that the company has developed. Each fabric is cataloged in a computerized database that can be searched by properties such as fiber type, denier and construction.