A sheet manufacturing apparatus has a manufacturing unit that makes a sheet; and a plurality of supply units that supply loaded feedstock to the manufacturing unit; and the feedstocks supplied from the plural supply units are conveyed overlapping each other.

A sheet manufacturing apparatus has a manufacturing unit that makes a sheet; and a plurality of supply units that supply loaded feedstock to the manufacturing unit; and the feedstocks supplied from the plural supply units are conveyed overlapping each other.

An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system with a relatively low Stokes Number for the dry solid additives.

An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system with a relatively low Stokes Number for the dry solid additives.

An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system.

An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system.

It is disclosed a method of producing a yarn having the look and feel of natural fibers, the method comprising the steps of preparing a first plurality of man-made textile fibers or a second plurality of natural textile fibers, the first and second plurality of textile fibers being obtained from breaking the first or the second textile fibers under the effect of a mechanical force applied to the first or the second textile fibers. A final blend for producing the yarn, can be prepared by adding the first plurality of textile fibers to a plurality of man-made fibers, or by adding the second plurality of textile fibers to a plurality of man-made fibers, or by adding the first plurality of textile fibers to the second plurality of textile fibers.

It is disclosed a method of producing a yarn having the look and feel of natural fibers, the method comprising the steps of preparing a first plurality of man-made textile fibers or a second plurality of natural textile fibers, the first and second plurality of textile fibers being obtained from breaking the first or the second textile fibers under the effect of a mechanical force applied to the first or the second textile fibers. A final blend for producing the yarn, can be prepared by adding the first plurality of textile fibers to a plurality of man-made fibers, or by adding the second plurality of textile fibers to a plurality of man-made fibers, or by adding the first plurality of textile fibers to the second plurality of textile fibers.

Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.

Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.