The invention relates to non-woven protein fibers and to methods for forming and producing the same. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a method of processing a protein comprising dissolving a protein in a solution, optionally removing any insoluble materials from the solution, and spraying the solution under an applied pressure. In other embodiments, the protein can be derived from a range of sources, including but not limited to arthropod silks, animal keratin (e.g. hair and wool), tissue elastin, collagen, resilin, and plant protein. In certain embodiments, the methods of the invention are an alternative to electrospinning methods known in the art.

Composites based on a polymer and a mixture of proteins derived from a MaSp (major ampullate spidroin) protein are provides. Further, methods for preparation of same, and method of use of the composites are provided.

A method for making an elasticised yarn includes feeding a roving made of a cotton-based natural fibre at a weight percentage of at least 50% and having a linear mass density between 0.1 Nm and 50 Nm, to a stretching unit, and extracting it from the stretching unit at a speed higher than the unwinding speed. The stretched roving and an elastic fibre are jointly pulled through an overlapping unit, forming a spool of the elasticised yarn. The elastic fibre includes a natural rubber containing more than 80% polyisoprene 1,4-cis. The elastic fibre also includes sulphur as a vulcanization agent; a vulcanization accelerator and a vulcanization activator; an anti-tacking agent; an antioxidant agent; and a stabilisation agent. The elastic fibre is obtained by longitudinally cutting a longitudinally cut flat yarn made of the natural rubber, to attain a linear mass density between 50 dtex and 1000 dtex.

A top sheet for an absorbent personal care product is a water-permeable composite web produced by hydro-entangling a web of chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers and a web of man-made continuous filament yards such that a first side of the composite web exposes the chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers and an opposite second side of the composite web has the man-made continuous filament yarns. The web of chemical free natural and/or cellulosic staple fibers and/or blend of natural and cellulosic staple fibers is hydrophilic and the web of man-made continuous filament synthetic yarns is hydrophobic. The composite web weights between about 20 gsm and about 40 gsm.

An article of apparel including insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers can be present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.

A method for making an elasticised yarn (9) comprises the steps of feeding a roving (1) made of a cotton-based natural fibre at a weight percentage of at least 50% and having a linear mass density set between 0.1 Nm and 50 Nm, preferably between 0.3 Nm and 25 Nm, to a stretching unit (30), and a step of extracting it from the stretching unit (30) at a speed higher than the unwinding speed; jointly pulling the stretched roving (3) and an elastic fibre (2) through an overlapping unit (40) by a ring spinning unit (50), forming a spool (59) of the elasticised yarn, wherein the elastic fibre (2) comprises a natural rubber containing more than 80% polyisoprene 1,4-cis, along with to sulphur as a vulcanisation agent at a concentration set between 0.5% and 3.0% by weight, and along with: a vulcanization accelerator and a vulcanization activator; an anti-tacking agent; an antioxidant agent; a stabilisation agent, the elastic fibre (2) obtained by longitudinally cutting a longitudinally cut flat yarn made of the natural rubber, in such a way to attain a linear mass density between 50 dtex and 1000 dtex, preferably between 100 dtex and 800 dtex, in particular between 150 dtex and 500 dtex. This way, by the above mentioned natural rubber composition, a cotton-based elasticised yarn can be obtained that is not likely to break either when being spun, or when used to make a fabric, in particular a denim fabric. An elasticised yarn obtained this way and a fabric, in particular a denim fabric, manufactured from this yarn.

Disclosed is a method for producing a protein fiber, the method including: bringing a spinning dope containing a protein and an organic solvent into contact with a coagulation liquid to coagulate the protein, wherein a content of the protein in the spinning dope is more than 10% by mass based on a total amount of the spinning dope, and the coagulation liquid contains water or an aqueous solution of pH 0.25 or more and pH 10.00 or less.

Composites based on a polymer and a mixture of proteins derived from a MaSp (major ampullate spidroin) protein are provides. Further, methods for preparation of same, and method of use of the composites are provided.

An article of apparel including insulation material is discussed. The insulation material includes an insulating layer formed of waterfowl fibers and synthetic fibers. The waterfowl fibers are present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the insulating layer. The insulating layer is generally free of waterfowl plumage.

A screw feeder includes: a case that includes a material putting-in portion through which a fluff material is put in and a material putting-out portion through which the fluff material is put out below the material putting-in portion; and a screw that includes a rotational shaft and a blade portion, the rotational shaft being provided rotatably inside the case, the blade portion being spirally mounted on the rotational shaft; wherein the screw is rotated with repeated alternation of a slope-down direction in which the blade portion slopes downward spirally in a vertical direction and a slope-up direction in which the blade portion slopes upward spirally in the vertical direction.