Today's textile and plastic converting factory is a modern, automated production unit where experts deliver quality high-end products based on scientific insights and laboratory trials. 

Centexbel-VKC supports the textile and plastic converting industry in their search and development of novel and quality products by offering a series of tools, including specialised tests, flaw analyses, technological and environmental advice, innovation support, information and brainstorming sessions and research projects.

In short, Centexbel-VKC helps your company to translate ideas into concrete concepts and products. We will also test their quality, composition, recyclability and legal conformity and verify together with you the necessity and manner in which to proceed to protect your intellectual property rights.

Our Research fields

Centexbel-VKC created several competence fields to organise and structure our research activities dedicated to textiles and plastics, allowing us to cover the most important aspects related to both industries, including:

  • the characterisation and optimisation of raw materials and polymer/textile recyclates
  • yarn engineering
  • the research focusing on high-end textile and plastic applications
  • health related aspects of textiles and plastics
  • technical textiles and composites
  • creating added value through coating and finishing

Materials

Centexbel-VKC is especially focused on the development and optimisation of:

  • composite materials
  • biomaterials
  • smart materials

Applications

Applications are an important trigger for new product developments and research projects:

  • Personal protection
  • Clothing
  • Building
  • Comfort
  • Healthcare
  • Transportation
  • Energy
  • Novel solutions
  • Packaging

Processes

Textile manufacturing and plastic processing involve a complex series of different processing steps, departing from different resources, necessitating different treatments to answer to different applications and to be conform with product standards and regulatory requirements.

Centexbel-VKC expertise is focused on:

Environment

Although the environmental performance of European textile and plastic converting industries has improved in recent decades, in terms of water management and air pollution, there are still some major points that need to be ameliorated.

To reduce the impact of the textile and plastic converting industry on our planet, Centexbel-VKC focuses on:

Consumer Safety

Consumer Safety or product safety is regulated by laws all over the world, including

These legal rules are complemented by more specific regulations, directives and voluntary labels.

In its research and test programme, Centexbel pays special attention to health and safety aspects related to

  • indoor air quality
  • toys
  • children's wear

Business models

Although new technologies are often major factors in industrial transformations, they have never transformed an industry on their own.

Industrial transformation is the result of a business model capable of linking a new technology to an emerging market need.

Seminars and conferences