A method for manufacturing a loofah dish sponge includes cutting a first cover layer and a second cover layer from the dried-out fibrous loofah skeleton, positioning a slightly smaller sized inner layer in between the first and second cover layers with their respective external sides facing outward and away from the internal layer, deforming and sewing the peripheral edges of the first and second cover layers together, thereby forming an internal volume in between thereof allowing the inner layer placed inside to freely float in this space. The sponge is made without using any synthetic materials. It features superior durability, improved ergonomics, impedes mold growth after use and is fully compostable.

A method of fabricating a thermally insulating stretchable down feather sheet is described. The core of the sheet is comprised of down mixed with a binder mixture which exhibits elastic properties. The binder mixture consists of heat fusible stretchable glue particles and heat fusible elastomeric binding strands in dry form. The core is sandwiched between a bottom and a top stretchable elastomeric sheet having multi-directional stretchability. The core of down and the binder as well as the elastomeric sheet are bound together by heat treatment to provide a down insulating sheet which is stretchable in all directions without fractioning the sheet and which is capable of recovering substantially its original relaxed form after stretching or deformation.

An artificial leather sheet includes a substrate layer, a foaming layer formed on upper surfaces of the substrate layer, a surface layer formed on upper surfaces of the foaming layer, and a surface treatment layer formed on upper surfaces of the surface layer. The foaming layer includes a polyvinyl chloride resin, a plasticizer, a foaming agent, and a stabilizer. The surface layer includes the polyvinyl chloride resin, the plasticizer, and the stabilizer. The plasticizer is bis-(2-propylheptyl) phthalate (DPHP) and di-isononyl adipate (DINA).

Porous, binderless ceramic surface modification materials are described, and applications of use thereof. The ceramic surface material is in the form of an interconnected network of porous ceramic material on a substrate. The ceramic material may include a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, and/or hydrates thereof, or a metal carbonate or metal phosphate, on a substrate surface. The substrate may be in the form of a metal or polymer particulate, powder, extrudate, or flakes.

Provided are garments that comprise thermally-conductive materials, the materials comprising a heat-collecting coating disposed on a fibrous base material having a thermally-conductive additive dispersed within. Also provided are methods of fabricating thermally-conductive garments.

Assemblies of stacked layers of materials are described. The assemblies include functional and structural layers. Functional layers include binderless ceramic materials on woven or non-woven substrates of natural, synthetic, or metallic materials. The layers of functional and structural materials may be configured to transport moisture or heat from an inner surface to an outer surface that is exposed to an ambient environment.

A water activated tape and method of producing is provided, the tape comprising a repulpable material, a water-soluble material affixed to the repulpable material, and a water activated adhesive layer affixed to the water-soluble material.

An artificial leather includes a resin layer as the surface and a base fabric connected to the resin layer as the substrate. The base fabric comprises at least two monolayer structures arranged in an orderly manner as two laminates. Each monolayer structure is woven with some of the warp yarns and/or weft yarns in such layer or with some of the warp yarns and/or weft yarns in one or more other layers to form a number of connecting points, such that at least two monolayer structures arranged in an orderly manner as two laminates are connected with each other in the weaving process, forming a multi-layer integrated base fabric. The artificial leather incorporates a number of air vent holes distributed in the resin layer and the base fabric in the direction of thickness while retaining mechanical properties of tensile strength and tear resistance.

An insulated container may include a rigid container surrounding an insulation layer formed from a post-industrial, pre-consumer card waste. The insulation layer may be characterized by a lack of any wrapping material. The insulation layer may be manufactured using a variety of converting processes including, carding, airlay, and needle punch to form a non-woven material for providing consistent density throughout the insulation layer. The insulation layer may include a natural fiber lamination layer on an outer surface of the insulation layer. The insulation layer may be biodegradable in an anaerobic environment.

An insulated container may include a rigid container surrounding an insulation layer formed from a post-industrial, pre-consumer card waste. The insulation layer may be characterized by a lack of any wrapping material. The insulation layer may be manufactured using a variety of converting processes including, carding, airlay, and needle punch to form a non-woven material for providing consistent density throughout the insulation layer. The insulation layer may include a natural fiber lamination layer on an outer surface of the insulation layer. The insulation layer may be biodegradable in an anaerobic environment.