A system and associated method include coconut fiber liners used in hanging wire flower baskets. The coco fiber basket liner may create a water seal in the liner by over-coating a portion of the inner liner with a unique blend of all-natural rubber latex, then molding the liners into shape. The added latex coating may seal in and hold water in the bottom portion of the liner. This feature may keep the soil moist while still allowing air to flow thru the plants. The moisture and airflow may help promote healthier plants and roots and require less watering. Excess water beyond the intended amount may drain out thru the permeable side walls of the coco liner.

A coating created entirely from plant-derived ingredients is disclosed. Illustrative embodiments of the coating may be particularly well suited for use on leather-like materials created from epoxidized natural rubber-based formulations. Illustrative embodiments of the coating created may be comprised of substantially the reaction product between epoxidized vegetable oil and a polyfunctional naturally occurring acid (such as citric acid). Illustrative embodiments this reaction product may be used to produce porosity-free castable resins and vulcanize rubber formulations based on epoxidized natural rubber. Materials made from disclosed materials may be advantageously used as leather substitutes.

A drum cover (20a-c) for a drive drum (12) of a corrugated cardboard machine has a textile carrier layer (21), which has a first coating (22) on a first side and a second coating (23) on a second side. The second coating (23) has a glass transition temperature in the range of 20 C. to 60 C.

Coated nonwoven fibrous mats, building panels, and methods for making the same are provided. A coated nonwoven fiber mat includes a nonwoven fibrous mat having a continuous barrier coating on a surface thereof. The continuous barrier coating includes a set composition of gypsum and a binder. A building panel includes a panel core associated with a coated nonwoven fiber mat. A method of making a coated nonwoven fibrous mat includes depositing a composition of water, gypsum stucco, and a binder onto a surface of a nonwoven fibrous mat and setting the composition to form a continuous barrier coating.

Described herein is a building panel comprising a body, the body comprising: a fiber; a latex binder present in an amount ranging from about 3 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the body; and an inorganic particle having an average particle size ranging from about 1 micron to about 13 microns; wherein the inorganic particle and the binder are present in a weight ratio ranging from about greater than 1:1 to about 6:1.

The technology relates to plant-based materials that may be used as a substitute for animal leather. In some embodiments, the plant-based leather substitute material has properties and performances similar or equivalent to the properties and performances of animal leather. The plant-based leather substitute material includes a textile substrate, a plant-based resin, and a non-vulcanized natural rubber. The plant-based resin and the non-vulcanized natural rubber, once mixed, are provided on the textile substrate. The plant-based resin may made from castor seed oil. The plant-based leather substitute material has water vapor-permeability, water-impermeability properties, and abrasion resistance properties similar or equivalent to the water vapor-permeability, water-impermeability properties, and abrasion resistance properties of animal leather but does not contain any animal products or derivatives thereof.

Coated nonwoven fibrous mats, building panels, and methods for making the same are provided. A coated nonwoven fiber mat includes a nonwoven fibrous mat having a continuous barrier coating on a surface thereof. The continuous barrier coating includes a set composition of gypsum and a binder. A building panel includes a panel core associated with a coated nonwoven fiber mat. A method of making a coated nonwoven fibrous mat includes depositing a composition of water, gypsum stucco, and a binder onto a surface of a nonwoven fibrous mat and setting the composition to form a continuous barrier coating.

A floor protector has a pair of non-woven material layers. A film layer is bonded between the pair of non-woven material layers. The film layer provides a moisture barrier. A non-skid layer is applied on one of the non-woven material layers.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with -hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

An illustrative embodiment of a manufactured surface component may be comprised of a textile material on a first face and an elastomer material on a second face, wherein said elastomer material is bonded to said textile material, wherein said manufactured surface component is substantially planarly configured, wherein an area of said first face and said second face is from about 0.04 square inches to about 4.0 square inches, wherein a thickness of said manufactured surface component is from about 0.3 mm to about 2.5 mm, and wherein said manufactured surface component is substantially free of any petrochemical-derived plastics, petrochemicals, and toxins.