[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textile chemistry

Covestro advocates its environmentally friendly Waterborne PU Coatings at the International Technical Textiles Symposium (ITTS)

In recent years, many downstream sports and fashion brands have set ambitious carbon-neutral targets, thereby driving the transformation of upstream processing industries. In response to this trend, Covestro, as an expert in waterborne polyurethane (PU) coatings, presented a technical topic titled “Circular Textile Coatings Solutions with INSQIN®” at the 16th International Technical Textiles Symposium 2024 on March 20th.

Covestro’s aim was to introduce the Taiwanese textile industry, which is mostly original equipment manufacturing (OEM), to the environmentally friendly coating trends pursued by international customers.

Covestro’s fossil-based waterborne coatings have become industry leaders due to their excellent coating functionality and comfort. Recently, the Covestro group published its climate neutrality targets for Scope 3 emissions[1] at the end of February this year and invited partners throughout the value chain to actively participate in the low-carbon future and achieve its comprehensive climate neutrality vision. INSQIN®, the Covestro brand introduced at the symposium, maintains consistent quality while focusing on sustainability, and includes partially bio-based, partially biodegradable, and mass-balanced waterborne PU coating solutions. To meet the needs of renowned international sports brands, Covestro has also collaborated with Taiwanese manufacturers in the development of bio-based coating formulations.

“INSQIN® is free from DMF solvents, enabling our customers to transform to environmentally friendly production,” stated Rich Guo, Technical Sales Manager, CA (Coatings & Adhesives) Sales & Market Development of Covestro Taiwan, who served as a speaker at the symposium. “In recent years, we have continuously introduced innovative solutions to enhance the sustainable components in our customers’ products, while maintaining the same excellent performance as our fossil-based materials.”

INSQIN® waterborne PU technology provides high-quality waterborne PU coating materials and crosslinkers, offering more sustainable solutions for fashion design and high performance in textile fabrics. It is applicable for various coated textile products, including PU or PVC synthetic materials, PU coatings, printing, and impregnated fabrics. The excellence of INSQIN® makes it highly regarded by leading global brands in industries such as automotive, sports and outdoor, technical textiles, furniture, and fashion.

INSQIN® delivers superb durability, elasticity and flexibility, allowing for a wider range of colors and fashion choices. It also enables a great surface feel. Additionally, as a low-VOC waterborne coating, it consumes less water and results in lower emissions in the production process.

The Impranil® CQ in the INSQIN® system contains partially bio-based PU dispersions from renewable resources. All the solutions with the “CQ” suffix contain a minimum of 25% alternative materials and offer comparable performance to their fossil-based counterparts. On the other hand, Impranil® DLN in the INSQIN® system is used in textile products such as disposable gloves and can achieve 66% biodegradation within 28 days. This is a higher level of environmental friendliness compared to many conventional natural latex or non-biodegradable chemical materials available in the market.

As the global textile industry moves towards sustainability, Covestro’s leading position in the green coatings field will help push the sustainable transformation of the entire industry chain, collectively achieving a more environmentally friendly and circular future.

© 2024 Covestro
© 2024 Covestro





More News from Covestro AG

#Smart Textiles

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

#Techtextil 2026

Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

#Technical Textiles

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

#Textile chemistry

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

More News on Textile chemistry

#Textile chemistry

DyStar releases FY2025 sustainability report, marking a new milestone towards its 2030 targets

DyStar, a leading specialty chemicals company with more than a century of expertise in product development and innovation, today announced the release of its FY2025 Sustainability Report, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey and reinforcing its commitment to long-term value creation.

#Textile chemistry

CHT Group introduces ARRISTAN 7220 for durable soft finishes on coloured and white textiles

The CHT Group has expanded its portfolio of textile finishing solutions with the introduction of ARRISTAN 7220, a non-ionic silicone microemulsion designed to deliver an exceptionally soft handle while maintaining high durability and process reliability.

#Textile chemistry

The CHT Group GmbH awarded Best Managed Company 2026

The CHT Group GmbH has been honored as Best Managed Company 2026. The seal of approval recognizes excellently managed medium-sized companies and is awarded as part of a program by Deloitte Private, UBS, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

#Denim

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

Latest News

#Sustainability

Global Standards establishes new non-profit foundation to strengthen governance

Global Standards gGmbH, the nonprofit organisation behind the globally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), announced a new governance structure designed to support its long-term mission and reinforce organisational autonomy of its Voluntary Sustainability Standards and programmes.

#Research & Development

TERIS reaches milestone: Fraunhofer consortium develops new standards for tire analysis

In the “TERIS” project, the Fraunhofer institutes ICT, IGD, and IWM—led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF—have reached a decisive milestone. For the first time, the teams aim to generate, analyse, and predict tire wear in the laboratory in a standardized and practical manner. As part of this milestone, results are now available on reference abrasion, particle analysis, tribological models, AI-based surface analysis, a test bench concept, and methods for accelerated aging and VOC detection. The tire industry, testing services, and environmental agencies will in future benefit from reliable, rapid laboratory procedures for emissions assessment.

#Textile processing

Pathfinder expands into Mexico to support growth across Latin America

Pathfinder Australia Pty Ltd, a global manufacturer of advanced cutting room technology for the textile and related industries, today announced the launch of Tecnología de Corte Pathfinder, S. de R.L. de C.V., its new Mexico-based subsidiary.

#Yarn & Fiber

R-Evenge chooses Q-NOVA® yarn by Fulgar for its line of technical socks dedicated to wellness

Q-NOVA®, Fulgar’s sustainable polyamide 6.6 yarn, has been selected by R-Evenge for the development of its collection of technical socks dedicated to wellness, fitness, and water-based activities.

TOP