Covestro will showcase new polyurethane (PU) coating systems and films at this year's Techtextil trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, that are more sustainable and environmentally compatible in terms of raw materials, processing, and properties. 

Digital textile printing enables economical production of small batches, shortens time-to-market, and reduces waste volumes by up to 85 per cent compared to analogue printing technologies. With Impranil® DL 1602, Covestro is launching a new anionic, aliphatic-based PU dispersion that can be used to formulate water-based pigment inks for digital inkjet printing. PU dispersions are currently establishing themselves in the production of inks for digital inkjet printing processes because, among other things, they enable a stable printing process due to their low viscosity and particle size. The dispersions show excellent stability at high shear rates. They produce finely divided ink dispersions with good jetting behaviour that are characterised by high re-solubility. Other strengths of PU-based inks include good abrasion and rub resistance and high colour and wash fastness.

The new INSQIN® 2K PU system consists of Impranil® HS 1062 and Imprafix® IO 3330. It mainly targets synthetics for car interiors. The High Solid system does not require blocking agents. 

Several TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) films in Covestro's Dureflex® product line have now been certified to the 100 by OEKO-TEX® standard. The films are breathable, waterproof, tear-resistant and, above all, kind to one's skin. That makes them the material of choice for sports articles, outdoor clothing, and furniture and seat covers for cars. In 2019, several Platilon® brand TPU film grades were already certified to the standard.

Covestro will also be showcasing its partially biobased Platilon® H2 EC hot melt film at Techtextil.