A semi-metal or other semiconductor material is applied to a portion of a fur, skin, or feather commodity. The material is applied in a liquid, aerosol, or adhesive formulation, such that the material is molecularly adhered to the fur, skin, or feather commodity. The material may also be applied by a laser burning or branding process. The material may be applied prior to a chemical treatment of the fur, skin, or feather commodity.

A method of forming a single piece, shaped, down feather thermally insulating article having different thermal insulating sections is described. A mold is formed with a cavity defining a non-uniformed prescribed shape and having sections of different shapes and depths. Down feather clusters or a mixture thereof is mixed with a binding material and is injected into the mold which is then heated with a suitable heat source to cause the binding material to soften and fuse the mixture together. After cooling the mold, there is formed a single piece, shaped, down feather article which is comprised of sections having different thermal insulating values for use in a product where parts of the product provide different thermal insulating properties.

A method of forming a single piece, shaped, down feather thermally insulating article having different thermal insulating sections is described. A mold is formed with a cavity defining a non-uniformed prescribed shape and having sections of different shapes and depths. Down feather clusters or a mixture thereof is mixed with a binding material and is injected into the mold which is then heated with a suitable heat source to cause the binding material to soften and fuse the mixture together. After cooling the mold, there is formed a single piece, shaped, down feather article which is comprised of sections having different thermal insulating values for use in a product where parts of the product provide different thermal insulating properties.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency is disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency is disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

A method and an apparatus for forming a down feather sheet is described and wherein a mixture of down feathers and a binder material is fused together by injecting hot air under pressure into the mixture. A plurality of hot air injection needles are caused to penetrate into a layer of the mixture as it is conveyed along a conveyor and to release hot air at a temperature sufficient to cause the binder material to fuse together and to the down causing the down and the binder material to be trapped into the layer. The displacement of the hot air injection mechanism is synchronized to the conveying speed and the projection of the needles into the layer is adjusted to the thickness of the layer being conveyed.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency are disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency are disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

Provided is an animal hair waste treating apparatus, which is intended to dissolve and treat animal hair waste, the apparatus including: a first treatment container configured to inject the animal hair waste and a treating solvent and to be heat-treated; a heating unit for heating the first treatment container; an animal hair waste storage and supply unit supplying the animal hair waste to the first treatment container; a treating solvent storage and supply unit supplying the treating solvent to the first treatment container; and a solid treating unit configured to neutralize the treating solvent and to filter and discharge remaining solids after treatment of the animal hair waste.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency is disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.