Cocoontec is a silk fabric, suitable for ties, scarves and other silk products.
An extremely oleophobic (= oil repellent) surface finish is an advantage for silk ties, and for the material used in clothes for special occasions, so that soiling by various forms of food can be avoided. Conventional wet chemical finishes repel dirt by means of siloxane or fluorocarbon chemicals, partially combined with structural effects caused by nanoparticles. They affect the sheathing of the fibres, and the subsequent resinifying, whereby coating layers in the micrometer range are required. This affects the feel of the fabric.
Collaboration with a chemicals company led to the development of a fluorocarbon chemical that provided the best oil repellence values, and was ideally suited to combination with silk.
A special new pad-dyeing machine was developed in association with a machine manufacturer. This enabled the chemical coating process to be optimised such that extremely thin coatings of about 200 nanometres became possible. cocoontec® was introduced to the market on silk in the spring of 2008.
The Weisbrod-Zürrer AG silk weaving mill was founded in 1825 and continues to produce fine materials for furnishings, women’s wear and men’s ties to this day. By now, Oliver and Sabine Weisbrod-Steiner represent the sixth generation of the family to take part in the management of the company.