Emerald Specialties Debuts FREEREZ® ZERO Crosslinking Resins

Emerald Specialties — a business group of Emerald Performance Materials LLC, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio —
has introduced FREEREZ® ZERO formaldehyde-free crosslinking resins for jeans and denim fabric wet
processing.

The company reports the glyoxal-based resin offers a more environmentally friendly solution
for producing fashion denim products than that offered by traditional low-formaldehyde resins, and
creates durable effects for dark vintage shades and 3-D appearances on jeans. In testing by
regulatory and compliance group WIL Research in accordance with Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development guidelines, the resin has been shown to be a non-irritating substance.

“There has long been a demand in the textile and apparel industries for a durable resin that
combines a formaldehyde-free formula with performance and economy for denim textiles,” said Barry
Ferguson, textile sales and marketing manager, Emerald Specialties. “Prior generations of
formaldehyde-free technology fell short in providing an economical solution that met all the
performance criteria. As a leader in this technology platform, Emerald has developed a solution
that addresses all the key needs of the market — formaldehyde-free, economical, excellent
processing characteristics and performance to create the desired crinkle effects in today’s
designer jeans.”

September/October 2013

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