The American economy would not be what it is today without outsourced manufacturing. But is it essential to the health of our industries?
What was once a cost-effective solution is now facing problems. Emerging regulation standards, longer lead times, rising shipping costs, and quality control issues are plaguing the global manufacturing industry. Whether you work with domestic manufacturers or not, sourcing decisions should be backed by careful analysis to avoid costly repercussions. Here is why staying in America can alleviate most issues concerning supplier relationships.
Keeping Manufacturing in America
Buying local is more than a transactional act of patriotism. And although the upfront cost may be higher, its best to remember that cheaper does not always mean better. In fact, according to a recent Thomasnet.com survey of manufactured goods buyers (given the current post-covid economy), over 83% of companies are looking to re-shore their supply chain within the next 3 to 6 months.
Here are the benefits of using a domestic manufacturer.
Higher Labor and Manufacturing Standards
Labor costs were the initial reason for the major trend in outsourcing that began in the later 1970s. Up until 2011, America witnessed millions of jobs move overseas to China. Today, we see a moving wage gap shrinkage between America and its foreign competitors every day (with global wages increasing by 20% year after year).
When addressing the issue of labor costs, you must consider the whole picture. High employee turnover associated with low labor wage costs typically results in low productivity. On paper, it looks mathematically sound to partner with an international manufacturer who makes a product for $4 an hour vs $20+ domestically. But the money saved will be tested by production rate issues associated with low labor costs. Not to mention the hassle of dealing with poor currency exchange rates.
In the United States, employers comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) enacted in 1938 as a federal guideline for reasonable working wages and conditions. As a business, protecting your brand by working with morally compliant manufacturers benefits your company’s reputation (and your conscience).
“On-shoring” is making an economic comeback with a newfound desire for locally sourced goods. At BIT, we carefully manufacture our industrial grade felt for industrial application according to SAE and ASTM mandated standards. We guarantee quality control, provide samples, and welcome plant visits (all facilitated by transparent communication without any time-zones to maneuver).
Supplier Relationship Opportunities
Fostering a long-distance relationship with your manufacturer can be tricky; differing time zones and language barriers can lead to costly communication issues. Proximity to your supplier reaps the benefits of quick response times, so if there is an issue, it can be addressed with little to no repercussions. You also have the personal touch of meeting face to face with your supplier, giving you the firsthand opportunity to oversee the facility and operations.
Building a rapport with your manufacturer can lead to growing business opportunities. Recently, we were able to produce and color match our Poly-Sonic acoustic panel felt for our sound abatement customer located on the west coast. From a plant visit, their supply chain team witnessed our production line firsthand. This key insight provided them with a new line of upholstered materials to match their current acoustic panel line.
Shorter Lead Times with Lower Shipping Costs
More companies have begun “re-shoring” jobs in the past ten years due (in part) to unreliable international shipping costs. Less than 1% of goods travel by air to the United States. 99% of the rest of all goods arrive here by container. It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months for product arrival by boat. If shipping wasn’t costly enough, COVID had only exasperated prices with considerable surges in container freight rates at the height of the pandemic. Just as we believed business was normalizing, incidents like the Suez Canal in March prompted a new price surge re-emphasizing the uncontrollable nature of overseas shipping. If that does not complicate things enough, extra add-ons to your overall cost include local tariffs, customs and duty taxes.
The cost of transporting goods from the point of sale ultimately adds up to time. Can you meet the demand of your customers with the given supply of your manufacturer within a proposed time-period? Unlike labor wage costs, quantifying international shipping can be tricky and lead to missed ship dates or, worse, missing inventory. There is little to no control over maritime trade. And without the proper regulations in place, it might as well be impossible to know when your shipment will arrive in adequate condition. Economic/geopolitical disruptions, competition with foreign markets, and weak currency further complicate getting your product to its end destination.
Domestic manufacturers can (potentially) bypass long lead times without the hassle of unwanted shipping costs, proving to be the most economical choice.
Tight Quality Control
Most companies partake in low-cost country resourcing to take advantage of available and cheap resources. With the added bonus of a low wage cost. But cut-down on operational expenses is easily disrupted by supply chain mishaps and unforeseen foreign barriers (geographical and political). As those are issues out of your control, the lack of quality control on product specs and regulations is slowly becoming a dangerous risk.
Knowing what could go wrong before it goes wrong should be detailed in advance to then formulate quality processes and policies relevant to your company. Minimizing overhead costs is appealing but can result in lower-quality materials managed by inexperienced workers leaving you with a not-so-great product.
This is not to say that every overseas manufacturer is a poor-quality choice. In recent years, international manufacturers have elevated production to mimic the standards and expertise of western principles. But most companies still fall short of properly executed quality policies and plans. With little to no insight into the production’s facility, relying on foreign companies to regulate in the name of your brand is risky. Good questions to ask yourself before engaging in business with any manufacturer (domestic or not) are:
Have they made this product before and under these regulations?
Not only have they produced them, but can they produce in mass production?
Are they able to ship to you on time?
Do they allow company quality checks?
We have worked with a handful of customers who have received acoustic panels from Chinese manufacturers with failure to test the finished product. Acoustic panels must pass a surface flammability test, testing both surface flame spread and smoke development (expressed as Flame Spread Index and Smoke Developed Index). You can read about our acoustic panel line with relative technical documentation here on our website.
To recertify the proper testing, the company chose to re-test the acoustic panels in-house upon arrival. Unfortunately for these clients, the quality control tests they were promised were never met, leaving the supplier and buyer at loggerheads over quality. After 3 months and threatened legal action, the refund from the supplier could not make up for robbed time and potential of a ruined reputation.
Diminish Risk with a Domestic Manufacturer
Like anything in life, you get what you pay for. And what you pay for has everything to do with overall product quality; from the sourced raw materials to the expertise of employees to the operational standards of the factory.
Localizing your choice of manufacturer places control back into your hands. And with a supply chain in sight, you can guarantee your company’s credibility all while promoting the local economy.
Interested in finding out if Bouckaert Industrial Textiles can help you re-shore your non-woven supply chain like we have so many others? Contact us today!
In design, sound matters. The function of a space is not determined by its aesthetics only but also by the sounds it makes.
“Sound may be invisible or only unconsciously perceived, but that doesn’t make it any less an architectural material than wood, glass, concrete, stone or light.” – Michael Kimmelman.
Sound inextricably becomes attached to function. But because design begins first on paper, it isn’t until we inhabit a room that we determine how to relegate noise.
The growing popularity of decorative acoustic felt panel installation proves that balancing the acoustics of a space does not have to clash with its original design elements. Although it’s true one size does not fit all when it comes to acoustic treatment, polyester felt is proving to be the choice material for acoustic felt panels by the design industry.
What is PET?
Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, is a thermoplastic polymer resin comprised of recycled transparent plastics. PET is frequently referred to as polyester in textile applications but retains its acronym PET regarding packaging, bottling, etc.
Polyester was first patented in the 1940s by Dupont chemists in Delaware, U.S.A, as a new textile fiber. It wasn’t until the 1970s that new technology made it possible to mold PET into bottles. Today, it is the number one recycled plastic worldwide.
PET is highly flexible in its natural state and therefore easily moldable for its end use depending upon how it is processed. Its applications as the number one recycled plastic range from food packaging and bottling to fabrics to thermoforming in manufacturing and automotive insulation.
The textile industry is a significant end-user of PET, making up about 60% of overall PET consumption.
What is Polyester Felt?
Polyester felt is made of recycled PET plastics, mostly water bottles or other single-use products. The recycled material is compressed and melted down until left with plastic flakes. The plastic bits are then remelted and extruded as fiber. This fiber is then used to produce rolls or sheets of PET textile material, similar in any felting process. It can contain anywhere from 0% to 100% recycled content. Not only is it sustainable, but it is fast becoming the premium choice for sound dampening performance in lieu of other traditional materials, like fiberglass.
Polyester felt’s lightweight durable nature (combined with an additional lower melting point ) create the ideal properties for acoustic felt panel design. Its capability to be easily cut, variety of color options, and limitless forms are making polyester acoustic panels part of the visual landscape in modern interior design.
Benefits of Using Polyester Felt in Acoustic Insulation
When we design for sound, we are designing for experience. Before, implementing sound insulation into already existing spaces meant the only solution was to hang unattractive hanging baffles and deal with the eyesore.
Now, polyester felt delivers an appealing design in junction with high-functioning performance rates of acoustic insulation.
There is a symphony of reasons the design industry is choosing polyester felt over any other material; acoustically, environmentally, and aesthetically.
Excellent Acoustic Performance
While it is possible, it is challenging to include acoustic design into a space before it has been occupied. In most cases, sound is the last piece an architect will fit into the puzzle. Knowing how a room will be used and where the potential challenges will be for sound issues are essential pieces of the puzzle to negotiate when implementing acoustic solutions. The building layout may not be flexible, but the acoustic solutions can be.
Polyester acoustic felt soaks up ambient noise in a variety of forms. Do you need to mitigate noise in your office conference room? Consider hanging acoustic clouds strategically over spots where noise reflection is at its highest. Are your gym guests experiencing an overload of noise in a large open floor plan? Ceiling baffles would work best here, especially when dealing with higher ceilings.
Using polyester acoustic felt to your best advantage involves finding your key sources of noise and adopting different paneling styles to adapt to the parameters that will help aurally orient your space.
Appealing Function in Design
If, as Kimmerman claims, sound is as vital as wood is for building framing, how far can we take acoustic solutions? Structural possibilities with PET are far-reaching. Its flexible form can be bent, molded, and shaped to any design for an assortment of interior applications, including furniture and lighting fixtures. Designers can exercise creative freedom with a host of different color options and texture choices (dependent on manufacturing methods).
Felt itself is a nuanced fabric that works to your elemental design. You can play it safe and subtle, blending your acoustic felt panels into the background or creating statement pieces that accentuate your already developed design theme. Acoustic insulation can be as simple as under-carpeting or as intricate as 3D ceiling baffles.
Ultimately, polyester felt complements a space without compromising it.
The Sustainable Choice
It is estimated that Americans alone throw away upwards of 35 billion plastic bottles a year. And subsequently, roughly 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans. But a major culprit of waste is the textile industry adding billions of pounds of waste to our landfills and depleting energy and water resources.
Reworking the end-use for so many single-use plastic products (and the proposed 95% of all textiles that do have the potential to be recycled), PET is the friendliest raw material in textile applications (among other industries) as well as the healthiest.
Polyester needle punch felt is manufactured without the demand for any chemical additives like glue or resin to bond the fibers. Furthermore, polyester felt does not give off VOCs or odors. This makes it safe for indoor use (able to meet building standards and certifications) while requiring fewer energy resources in the manufacturing process.
The amount of recycled content in PET material can vary from 0% to 100%, depending on the providing manufacturer’s specs and the customer’s desire for a “greener” source. It is not only recyclable at the end of its life but possibly reusable dependent on its modularity.
Designing for the Ears
The acoustic properties of a space have a significant impact on its residents. Managing unwanted noise by integrating acoustic solutions promotes your community’s overall wellness and health, whether it be at home or in your commercial office building.
In the acoustic design process, custom is the standard. Finding the best product for your project starts with making the quality choice of polyester felt. At BIT, we manufacture 100% polyester acoustic panels under our Poly-Sonic line. Each panel has a recycled content of at least 60% PET plastic and is made entirely in the US in our facilities.
Poly-Sonic acoustic felt provides fantastic sound quality that is available in any weight, thickness, or color necessary to meet your specialized products’ demands. We also provide rolled goods that can be molded into any form of acoustic panel solutions or used as a wrapping fabric for other soft-touch surfaces, so the design process is entirely yours.
Acoustics should be a part of your building design, whether you choose to stay traditional or seek out artful installations. Contact us today to learn more about our Poly-Sonic line and how you can begin designing your space for both eyes and ears.
SAE industrial felt, or technical felt, is nonwoven wool felt used in technical applications. There are two methods of manufacturing industrial felt: wet felting or dry needle punch felting.
Technical felts are produced in a variety of thicknesses, densities, and compositions to meet a wide range of needs. The SAE, formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, mandates the standards of measurements applied to nonwoven wool felts used in:
Gaskets
Dryer seals
Pads
Washers
Vibration Cushioning
Dust Shields
Acoustic Panels
At Bouckaert, we custom manufacture our SAE industrial felt using the needle punch method. Before discussing the differences between manufacturing methods, here are the characteristics of SAE felts and nonwoven wool felts in general.
Characteristics of Industrial Wool Felt
Felt is a versatile fabric explicitly engineered for high-pressure applications in specialized industries. With the natural benefits of using wool fiber (click here for our previous post on wool felt usages), here are some of the advantages to using industrial wool felt:
Maintains its physical properties as it wears
Highly absorbent and moisture-wicking (will seal out lubricants and oil)
Sound and vibration dampening
Does not ravel or fray
Resistant to wear and tear
Acts as a filtration system (gas and oil applications)
Excellent padding for moving parts in machinery
Natural fire-retardant properties
Industrial applications such as these require high levels of aversion to abrasion, oil and grease absorption, and wear and tear. To ensure the best application results, SAE felts are classified by their density, wool content, and durability.
Density: Each grade of SAE felt ranges from hardest to most pliable, the main differing characteristic between felt grades. The thickness of pressed wool felt is controlled by the amount of pressure or needling applied during the manufacturing process. The denser the felt, the better it will retain its shape against the physical environment.
Wool content: Each grade of SAE felt is (usually) a combination of raw wool fibers and polyester fiber but additional materials such as cotton, rayon/viscose, synthetic, or plant fibers can be used instead. These “filler” materials are added to create a particular characteristic to the final product that can not be achieved by wool and/or polyester alone.
Durability: During the manufacturing process, the more pressure/needling applied (we will get into this in the next segment), the denser the felt will be. Durability relies, in part, on the amount of densification.
To note, the color of SAE industrial felts will vary. Since the wool used is natural and undyed, there is no way to control color consistency from lot to lot. There are also strict tolerance requirements based on wool content and density combined. The shape of wool can change naturally (depending on temperature) or manually (from cutting the material); density and wool content need to be adjusted to consider tolerance issues.
The Differences in Manufacturing
Wet Felting VS Dry Needle Punch Felting
All technical felts are produced under the same specs; the difference lies in the manufacturing process. Despite these “technical” differences, both processes in making SAE grade felt start the same way.
The wool fiber is first cleaned and blended with any additional synthetic materials before the carding process. The carding machine disentangles and mixes the fibers together to create a uniform web, aligning the individual fibers into a singular direction. Several of these webs are layered in alternating directions on a machine called a cross-lapper to build-up to the weight of the desired finished felt. This layered material will be much thicker (and less dense) than the finished product as it has not been densified yet. This material is referred to as a batt.
Wet Felting
The wet felting manufacturing process is known as the more “traditional” way of producing nonwoven felts. It uses heat, moisture, and pressure to mat and densify the fiber together.
The batts are wetted with hot water and fed into a plate hardener. The plate hardener applies vibrational pressure to the wetted material using rollers to help the fibers interlock together. The hot water, added acid, and pressure eventually cause the batts to shrink down in size, creating the densely matted fibers of a pressed felt.
The wet felt is left with a sulfuric acid residue that is then neutralized in tanks filled with sodium chloride (soda ash) and warm water solution. Once the felt is neutralized, it goes through a refulling machine to smooth out any irregularities on the surface. The felt must then be dried either in a dryer or oven or hung and stretched in a drying room.
Needle Punch Method (Dry Needle Felting)
Here at BIT, we manufacture our SAE grade felts using the needle punch method. Needle punched SAE felt is marked with an “N” for “needled in the official designation (example F-7N). Here’s the difference in manufacturing:
As the name suggests, dry needle punch felting eliminates the use of moisture. Instead, the batts enter a needle loom; a precise machine that uses thousands of barbed needles mounted on a needle board to pierce the layered webs of fiber. The repeated punching of the needles entangles the fibers together to create the thick, dense felt.
Depending on the desired density, some needle punched SAE felts will then go through a heated press to further densify the material. Read more in-depth on the needle punch method here.
So Why Use Needle Punched Felt Vs A Pressed Felt for your SAE Needs?
The Pros and Cons of Needle Punched SAE Felt Vs Pressed SAE Felt
The use of chemicals in wet pressed felts gives the advantage of creating a smoother finish that allows the material to hold its shape better as it wears. The upside for needle punched felt is its economical and eco-friendly benefits; eliminating the use of harsh elements makes a cleaner production line that is more cost and time effective.
For exceptional sound insulation, needle punched felt is the go-to choice for acoustic paneling needs. But if there is one thing to remember when choosing between a wet felt or a needle punch felt, it is that both are produced under the same specs mandated by the SAE. The performance of needle punch felt is not compromised because of its manufacturing process.
Want to know how BIT can add value to your business by providing custom manufactured SAE grade industrial felts? Get in touch today!
The modern office is not governed by a geometric design. Its architectural simplification breaks down the walls of cubicles to invite an open and airy work environment. This stimulates office culture and promotes personal interaction. The landscape may be pleasing but this minimalist approach to the office space comes with its issues.
It was believed that a breakdown of cubicles would lead to genuine social interaction and collaboration. However, a lack of privacy has shown the opposite with avoided face time and more digital communication. But it is not just the lack of privacy that is plummeting employee productivity. An unwanted side effect of fewer walls, higher ceilings, and minimal furnishings is a whole lot of noise.
Noise Pollution in the Office
Noise is not just an everyday nuisance we can brush off. It’s an irritation that can affect our health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), any noise above 65 decibels (dB) is considered noise pollution and anything exceeding 75 dB becomes harmful.
Unwanted noise in the workplace can come from all sources.
Noise from AC and heating units, kitchen spaces, keyboards, and fax machines are all inevitable culprits of noise. Exterior noises as well, traffic outside of the buildings and car noises, are all unaccounted for in an open space plan.
The open office lacks the fundamentals of proper space planning like involving full or partial enclosures, as mentioned before. The “all in this together” environment for employees is an easy way of meaning no matter what, you are always in direct earshot of someone’s phone conversation or your table mate clicking his pen every ten seconds.
The lack of visual privacy is also cause for problems in the workplace. Although not necessarily auditory, constant visual contact with your peers makes it even more challenging to avoid any unwanted noise from overhead conversations, meetings, etc.
Sound bounces off of hard surfaces. In open office spaces with little walls and plastic or glass furnishings, it’s easier for sound to travel. There is a much higher tendency of echo and sound reverb in this type of environment. It creates a fluctuation in noise that can make everyday activities much more challenging to focus on.
Effects of Noise Pollution in the Office
Constant exposure to noise in the open office space is not healthy for intellectual focus and productivity nor is it good for our personal health.
Excessive levels of noise can cause stress by overstimulating the nervous system and consequently raising blood pressure and increasing heart rate. This also can lead to increased irritability as employees push to work through the noise.
With the range of noises overlapping in the workplace, attentional functions begin to deteriorate. There is even evidence to support that background noise can decrease cognitive functions like learning and memory.
Noise makes multitasking impossible. It becomes dangerously easy to fall off task with constant uninterrupted distractions. It will not just stunt work productivity but affect actual work performance.
When work performance suffers so does workplace motivation. Over 65% of people consider leaving their work due to noisy situations.
While headphones may seem like a simple solution, they can make things worse. Headphones are not the direct problem but the volume at which we listen and the duration of time we use them. Simply put, when sound waves reach your ears, your eardrum vibrates and sends those vibrations to the small bones of your inner ear. This travels on to your cochlea, a fluid-filled chamber that houses thousands of tiny hairs. The louder the sound, the louder the vibration of the cochlea and its hairy helpers. One can guess that over extended periods of time, the hair cells will become less sensitive. Headphones in the office may not cause permanent damage like being at a concert or working in a factory, but there is still a risk of causing hearing problems while masking the bigger issue in the workplace.
Redesigning Office Space with Acoustical Panels
How is it possible then to address the issue of noise in the workplace without compromising the integrity of an open office design? The solution: acoustic panels.
Remember we stated before that noise travels; it reflects off surfaces and moves throughout the space creating overlaps and reflections of sounds. An acoustic panel is a sound-absorbing panel made from soft materials that reduce echo and reverberation helping to mitigate noise in a space. It limits sound travel and effectually clarifies sound, ultimately giving way to creating a more comfortable environment for an employee to work in.
Acoustic Panels- Different Solutions in Different Forms
Acoustic absorbers can come in many forms and materials.
Nonwoven felts or woven fabrics (wool, cotton, etc.)
Polyester panels
Fiberglass panels wrapped with other fabrics
Cellulose-based materials wrapped with other fabrics
Style and Function
Controlling sound in the workplace does not have to sacrifice the style of the office layout. When determining how to achieve the best acoustic performance, consider these questions.
What is the room being used for?
What is the size/scope of the room?
What materials in the space are contributing to noise pollution? (glass, wood, plastic)
Office furnishings
Acoustic panel materials are available in different varieties of colors, shapes, and textures making them functional pieces of art (or even real art printed on an acoustic panel!). It can become a part of the company brand for its practical use that adds a personal and customizable touch through design. It’s always best to consult an acoustic consultant/architect to utilize sound absorbers to the best of your advantage and marry that with a great interior designer.
Where and How Acoustic Panels Can be Utilized In the Modern-Day Office
Acoustic Panel Dividers/ Wall Mounts
Instead of reverting to the outdated life of cubicles, acoustic panels can be strategically placed to create quiet areas. Acoustic panels can also cover a larger surface area, like a wall, to get the biggest amount of area covered without encroaching in on the office space.
Acoustic Tiles
To the same effect, acoustic tiles can be used to cover an entire wall or portion of a wall in any fashion you see fit. Acoustic tiles are great for smaller spaces where the need to control noise is not as demanding as using an entire wall mount. They can be arranged in different patterns and styles, even creating subtle 3D effects on the walls. Decorative acoustic tiles can be subtle or enhance the design of your space by adding color and shape.
Acoustic Baffles
Hanging acoustic baffles are great for treating larger spaces with higher ceilings. Baffles are typically installed in two or more directions and at varying depths to best capture sound in a space. They are also multifunctional and can be outfitted with lighting solutions.
Acoustic Clouds
Acoustic clouds are suspended horizontally and come in a variety of sizes, styles, and shapes. These are best used to strategically place over areas to capture sound where it’s most needed.
Desk Dividers
Acoustic workspace dividers provide privacy for a quiet personal workspace still engaged in an open work environment. They can be mounted to desks or tables giving you infinite opportunities to customize the area as needed. And at a time like this, they are a perfect way of safely maintaining social distancing standards among employees in the office. Many desk dividers on the market are made of acrylic plastic (a clear or frosted material) that divides but only increases sound reflections. By using a felt polyester panel, you gain all the advantages of a physical divider with the extra benefit of acting as a sound absorber.
Office Privacy “Phone” Booth
A privacy “phone” booth can be assembled in any given area to give employees a designated space for focused work without any distraction from the outside. The acoustic properties reduce outside noise simultaneously keeping any conversation inside the phone booth for ultimate discretion. It’s a great opportunity for any employee to get away from the office without having to physically leave the office.
The Ultimate Benefits of Acoustic Panels
Noise is a global occupational hazard that does not have to go untreated. Acoustic panels tick off all the boxes for reducing noise in an open office without cluttering the space. The benefits of acoustic panels
It creates a comfortable office space that employees will want to work in therefore upping employee performance and motivation.
Provide privacy for personal conversation and work without compromising the open office plan.
Reducing echo will take away sound interference that will better foster interpersonal communication and work without being distracted by other day-to-day office activities.
Avoid personal health-related issues like increased stress.
Take the opportunity to not only better the work-place environment but enhance the aesthetics of the space with decorative panels or baffles.
At Bouckaert Industrial Textiles, we are the leading supplier of nonwoven acoustical insulation materials including Poly-Sonic (our own brand of 100% polyester acoustic panels). We help acoustical consultants, interior designers, office managers, furniture companies and many others solve their acoustical issues.
Wool is a unique all-natural fiber with qualities that outshine many of its synthetic alternatives. 60% of all wool is used in the apparel industry, but wool felt is widely used in industrial applications. It is especially used in thermal insulation, acoustical insulation, gasket materials, and even saddle pads.
A Brief History of Wool
Humans first began domesticating sheep in Mesopotamia between 11000 and 8000 BC. Sheep were first bred for their meat, skin, and milk to solve the basic human needs of shelter and food. It was not until around 4000 BC that sheep began being bred for their wool.
As the wool trade became profitable, the migration of sheep trickled from Asia to North Africa and Europe. Sheep arrived in America with Christopher Columbus and then by the British Colonies to Virginia in early 1600.
Today, wool is used in a variety of ways from clothing to carpets to industrial applications.
BIT is the largest manufacturer of industrial felt products in North America. We use the technical felting process of needling to produce our wool felt.
Needle-punching takes loose fibers and joins them together using a needle loom full of barbed needles. The needles move up and down through the fibers to mechanically entangle them.
Wool’s durability and long-lasting properties surpass those of its synthetic alternatives. Here is why:
Flame and melt resistant. Wool requires more oxygen than is present in the air to ignite.
Retains its shape due to its natural “crimp” texture that allows for elasticity, durability, and shape memory.
Water repellent: wool can absorb large quantities of water without feeling wet.
Excellent insulator against cold, heat, sound, and vibration.
Resistant to wear and tear.
Anti-Microbial; wool will not support mold growth.
Indoor environment regulation: Wool will almost act like a natural HVAC filter, purifying indoor air by absorbing noxious gases and regulating free moisture in the air.
100% natural, renewable and sustainable. It naturally decomposes in soil releasing nutrients back into the air.
Wool felt is manufactured in a variety of thicknesses, densities, and compositions. The most common wool felts are defined by SAE specifications. The SAE, which began as the Society of Automotive Engineers, sets a standard of requirements applied to felts that require higher durability and resistance to abrasion and wear.
Here are 7 markets where nonwoven wool felt is used.
Wool Felt and Its Industrial Uses
Green Roof and Agricultural Felt
Wool’s water-resistant properties (wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water) allow for permittivity and free water flow. This makes industrial nonwoven wool felts a perfect match for the green roof industry.
A green roof is any roof or wall that is partially or wholly covered with vegetation and a growing medium (a soil replacement such as nonwoven wool felt), planted over a waterproof membrane. In certain environments, using soil as the main growing medium is difficult. In this scenario, needle-punch felts act as drainage panels and facilitate the distribution and storage of water within the root zone as a “soilless” growing media.
Felt Gaskets
A gasket is a mechanical seal that prevents leakage from or into joined objects while under compression. Able to perform in all kinds of environments and found in virtually every industry from manufacturing to mining, oil and gas, to automotive, and others, gaskets help industry function.
Its fire-retardant properties help insulate against heat in these high-pressure situations. Simultaneously, wool can stand up against consistent oil exposure all while still maintaining its shape.
Boot liners and Accessories
Boot liners, whether it be for hiking shoes, rain boots, or anything in between, provide an extra layer of protection against a variety of weather conditions.
Nonwoven wool felt for boot liners will keep you warm without overheating in cold environments and keep out moisture in wet environments, making them a comfortable option for any situation. Unlike fleece or synthetic fiber-based liners, wool is antimicrobial making it odor-resistant even with long wears. It will naturally conform to the shape of the foot over time.
The same principles apply to fashion bags and totes. Using a nonwoven felt benefits the design of the piece while keeping it safe against the elements.
Equestrian Textiles
Used as a buffer between the saddle and the horse, a saddle pad, or blanket, is a must-have for any horse and rider. It offers an extra layer of shock absorption, increases the horse’s comfort, and improves saddle balance for the rider.
Nonwoven wool felt’s natural wicking properties keep the saddle pad cleaner and the horse cooler. Its multifunctional purpose of creating comfort for the horse and cleanliness of the saddle makes it essential for the rider.
Carpeting and Interior Needs
While a pricier option for under carpet padding, wool felt has many advantages over traditional foam or even synthetic needle punch felt pad.
The thermal insulation properties of wool make them a great energy-saving option for any building while also creating comfort for the buildings’ occupants. Also and perhaps the primary advantage is in wool’s ability to help maintain a healthier indoor environment by absorbing odors and other noxious gasses (VOCs). Even in unventilated circumstance, it helps aid in indoor humidity control and temperature regulation.
To sum it up, nonwoven wool felt is key to the comfort, design, and overall safety of indoor environments.
Felt Dryer Seals
Dryer seals are vital to the proper functioning of a clothes dryer by preventing clothing from falling between the drum and the dryer cabinet. It maintains a certain level of heat inside the drum which reduces friction between the metal parts that come in direct contact with each other.
Wool is resilient, durable, and holds higher natural fire-retardant properties than those of synthetic fibers. As a result, it takes higher temperatures for wool to ignite making it an obvious choice for dryer seals.
Interior Design: Decorative Design Felt and Acoustic Paneling
The best option for improving sound quality within a space is acoustic treatments. Acoustic treatment mitigate sound within a space by reducing reverb and echo as opposed to soundproofing which keeps unwanted noise from going in or out. Acoustic panels range from wall and floor coverings, hanging panels, baffles, desk dividers, and tiling while other acoustic treatments include soft surfaces and wraps.
Ten years ago, materials used to absorb sound were limited to foams, fiberglass, and other soft fabrics. Now with the use of nonwoven wool felt, you can achieve a balance of design and acoustic value from texture, saturated color (due to its ability to dye well), and take advantage of its natural acoustical dampening properties when used in acoustic paneling. They are also more cost-effective and lighter weight (making for easier do it yourself installation).
From virgin wool straight from the sheep to recycled fibers, we utilize the advantages of wool by custom manufacturing wool felt and wool blend felts of various grades, densities, and blend contents to match your specific needs. As the leader in the manufacturing of nonwoven technical felts in North America, we know there is not a one size fits all answer. We work with you from conception to completion.
Have questions or want to learn more about us? Contact us today.
One of the hottest trends in office furniture and interior design is the rise of polyester (PET) acoustic panels. The use of these panels is growing significantly in markets such as construction, retrofits of existing offices, and other commercial and public spaces.
Over the past 3 years, polyester acoustic panels have seen a massive upsurge in demand. This is due, primarily, to their flexibility in color, form, and ease of use when compared to traditional fiberglass acoustic panels. Fiberglass panels can cause irritation and air contamination due to the chemicals they sometimes contain in their binders.
The industry has quickly adopted these panels whether being used as desk dividers, light fixtures, hanging sound baffles, wall-mounted art, or any number of other uses. But what exactly are polyester acoustic panels? How are they made? What should you look for in a quality product or a vendor? We answer all of these questions and more.
How are polyester acoustic panels made?
To understand the challenges that arise on the quality front, you first have to understand how polyester acoustic panels are made.
1. Define the desired outcome
The process to create a finished acoustical panel starts with determining what characteristics we want the finished panel to have. We can affect acoustical curves (NRC), stiffness, surface texture, or color by changing the fiber material or size, product density or thickness, or manufacturing processing of our finished panels. Each variable lets us dial in the ideal finished characteristics. Our standard Poly-Sonic panels are comprised of recycled polyester fiber and special lower melting point polyester fiber.
2. Manufacture the needle punch felt
Next, we start the manufacturing process. Every polyester acoustic panel starts out life as a nonwoven, needle punch felt. This felt is similar to the felt kids make craft projects out of, but much thicker and denser!
We begin by taking raw fiber and turning it into a “web”. We then build density and surface characteristics by adding batts and needling the material together. The repeated needling that the felt receives is one of the keys to creating a stiff panel while maintaining a super smooth-surfaced panel. From this process, we create a “master roll” of felt. For a more detailed description of how needle punch felt is made, check out this link.
3. Heat-setting
The felt moves to the heat-setting machinery following the creation of the master roll. This could be a mold for 3d shaped panels or some form of flat pressing system. This process changes the material from a roll of flexible felt to a stiff polyester acoustic panel.
When heat hits the polyester fibers, they melt and flow like a liquid thermo-plastic. Fibers like these are specially designed to have a low melt point. As this material cools, it turns back into plastic but is now spread throughout the felt, attached to all the fiber around it, and (with the assistance of the needling) creates the stiffness of the finished acoustic panel.
The heat-setting process is one of the most difficult to perfect. This is because the material will shrink three-dimensionally while being heated. And any imperfections in needling will create very obvious surface defects.
4. Cutting
The final manufacturing step is to cut the panels to their final dimensions or shape. Most architects and interior designers need tolerances of +/- 1/8th of an inch. Some elaborate designs require tighter than +/-1/16th of an inch. This would normally favor a die-cutting process but in many cases, the variety of shapes and rectangular dimensions needed would make this cost-prohibitive. Only with extremely precise cutting tools such as CNC machinery using oscillating blades, lasers, or waterjet cutting can near-perfect acoustical panels be cut every time.
What quality attributes should you look for when assessing polyester acoustic panels?
There are several factors to consider when determining whether a polyester acoustic panel is of top quality.
Uniformity
Is the first panel just like all the others and, also as important, is each individual polyester acoustic panel consistent within itself?
One of the key giveaways of an inconsistent process is that one panel does not look like the next. When dealing with large-scale projects, even minor consistency problems can stand out when looking from panel to panel or from one section of a panel to another. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the panel manufacturing process, it is impossible for panels to be exactly identical, but the closer they are, the better.
Blending
The distribution of colors in a panel is one of the first things to stand out. Many panels have a “heathered” look to them. This comes from blending two or more colors of fiber together. Do you see clumps color? Or is everything evenly spread out?
Thickness
Another one of the most noticeable attributes comes when comparing the thickness of different panels. When placing panels next to each other on a wall or in a line of desk dividers, check to see if the panels are of different thicknesses.
The thickness of each acoustic panel is one of the major drivers of its acoustical absorption capability. Thicker is better!
Stiffness
Many applications for acoustic panels, such as desk dividers, require very stiff panels. Make sure to check if the panels stiff enough for your use. Is each panel consistently stiff? This could be from one corner to another or from one surface side to another.
Many manufacturers struggle with getting enough heat all the way through the panels to fully activate the low-melt fiber. This is especially true on thicker panels. Often, an inferior panel will have a softer center and two harder surface faces when you look at the panel from the side. When this happens, the panels tend to not hold mounting bolts or hardware as well and also tend to collapse and bend easily when held from only one side. This usually destroys the panel by creating unwanted wrinkles on the surface.
Acoustic Certifications (ASTM C423)
Polyester acoustic panels have many uses, but as the name implies, “acoustic” tends to be the key attribute for many applications. All panels should have an NRC value, and most “standard” specifications will.
Where this gets tricky is when comparing panels from different vendors that look the same but have vastly different ASTM C423 results. Logic says that the higher number is better, right? Well, not quite…
There are different variations of the ASTM C423 test. These range from “A” mount where the acoustic panel is placed directly against a cement floor (and will have a lower NRC number) to “E Mount” where the panel is suspended several inches in the air (and the NRC number will be higher). It isn’t wrong for a vendor to use “E” mount test data, but make sure you compare apples to apples when comparing!
As a secondary note for ASTM C423 testing that produces an NRC value, keep in mind that NRC is an average of performance at different frequencies. If you have specific acoustical profiles or sound frequencies that you need to target, then make sure you look at the charts to compare performance at your specific frequency.
The acoustical curve of BIT’s Poly-Sonic 45 (9mm thick) acoustical panel using ASTM 423 A-mount. Note the different absorption coefficients at different frequencies. NRC: 0.30
Flame and Smoke Certifications (ASTM E84)
The ASTM E84 certification uses a combination of a flame spread and smoke generation test. It is one of the most important certifications for applications that are considered “building materials”. Depending on your application, you may not require this certification, but most suppliers will have their acoustic panels tested to this specification.
There are several results possible all resulting from the flame spread portion of the test. The generally accepted standard is “Class A” and, if your application requires this test then be sure to look for this.
One word of caution here, not all ASTM E84 tests or testing labs are equal. Many of our customers are wary of using unknown foreign laboratory results for good reason. We have heard some horror stories about vendor-provided laboratory results looking good but when independently tested their panels fail miserably.
Due to the moral values and legal penalties involved in failing this test, most of our customers will conduct their own testing using a US certified lab. We recommend that you do the same if you do not personally know the lab that conducted the testing.
What to look for in a vendor
Now that we have reviewed the critical parts of a quality panel, it is easier to identify what to look for (and what we strive to be!) in a vendor as well. For many customers, being able to provide a consistent, high-quality panel is paramount and all-encompassing. Other normal vendor characteristics to inquire about are minimum order quantities, lead times, and, of course, price. However, there are a few other factors to consider that not every PET acoustic panel vendor can provide.
First is the ability to customize. The market is becoming flooded with 9mm thick panels that look, feel, and perform pretty similarly. But your company might require a distinct acoustical performance curve, custom color options, or different thicknesses. Finding a supplier who can work with you to provide the exact product you need isn’t always needed, but be sure to review your requirements and make sure the company you are working with can handle them.
Another often overlooked aspect of vendor capability is someone you can build a relationship with. Maybe you are in a bind and need an order shipped early. Or you are stuck with a whole truckload of panels after a customer backed out of a deal. Is your vendor willing to take them back no questions asked? Finding a company that you can work with is often worth paying a bit more when they save you headaches down the road!
Bouckaert Industrial Textiles tries to meet all of our customer’s needs from minimum order quantities, to lead time, to price, to customization and relationship. Our Poly-Sonic polyester acoustic panels are designed and manufactured entirely in the USA.
Have questions or want to learn more about us? Contact us today!
Bouckaert Industrial Textiles is pleased to announce it’s further investment in its growing share of the polyester acoustical panel market. BIT hopes to continue its success in this space with the purchase of several pieces of new equipment that will be installed starting in Q1 2021.
Bouckaert first entered the polyester acoustical panel market two years ago as a US manufacturing alternative to Chinese imports. Since that time, it has greatly improved quality, capacity, and capabilities on existing equipment and gained a sizeable client base. Primarily targeting customers who are looking for high-quality, US-made acoustical panels BIT has seen massive growth in this industry. BIT has separated itself from competitors in a number of areas. First, the ability to manufacture in the United States. Secondly, the ability to produce industry-standard specifications at an extremely high quality. Finally, BIT has distinguished itself with its ability to customize any characteristics such as weight, thickness, dimensions, or colors. Combined with over 30 years of advanced technical knowledge of how to engineer felt for best results, BIT has become a primary source for PET panels for many customers. Bouckaert sells acoustical panels under its own brand name “Poly-Sonic,” white-labeled, or as roll goods for customers to molded shapes from. BIT stands ready to help acoustical consultants, interior designers, architects, furniture and lighting companies, and others realize their needs.
The addition of a brand new double belt press will allow BIT to double its production capacity of polyester acoustic panels. This machine will also significantly improve the quality of the PET sounds absorbers with increased stiffness and exceptional surface quality. With an installation target date of Q1 2021, this is a major component of BIT’s growth plans in the future.
Furthermore, coming in Q3 2021, a new carding production line will again double BIT’s capacity. This will also improve quality by more consistently blending fiber (and therefore color!) throughout the acoustical panel.
Driven by customer demand, BIT already has several anchor customers lined up. Once complete, Bouckaert Industrial Textiles is positioned to take the next step as a provider of polyester acoustical panels to the North American market.
Have questions about BIT’s polyester acoustical panels? Visit our Poly-Sonic page for more details!
What is needle punch felt? When most people think of textiles, they think of products like shirts, jeans, and blankets. But the world of fabric goes far beyond clothing and blankets. Textiles are used to make everything from the seatbelts in your car to acoustic panels or desk dividers in your office to the blue medical PPE masks that everyone has become used to in 2020.
Most of the fabrics you encounter each day are woven or knit (think of those warm blankets your grandma knitted for you as a kid). Even most of your shirts are made this way except they use much thinner fibers. If you look closely at the clothes you are wearing, then you will likely see a very small grid pattern.
But a large portion of the fabric that we encounter every day is made using “nonwovens”. As the name suggests, nonwoven felt is made by joining fibers through methods other than weaving such as by using needle entanglement, heat, moisture, or pressure to hold the fibers together.
One of the most well-known types of nonwoven is children’s craft felt. Remember that colorful fabric you used to make your art projects? That is made using a nonwoven construction technique called “cross-lapped needle punch” or more simply “needle punch.”
Needle punching is one of the methods used for making a nonwoven felt. This involves taking loose fibers and “needling” them together using a needle loom full of barbed needles to force the fiber to push through and entangle itself. It is also one of the types of nonwoven that Bouckaert Industrial Textiles specializes in producing.
What Applications is Needle Punch Felt Used For?
Beyond craft felt, needle punch felt has many uses, often in highly technical applications. Some of the most common uses are:
Soundproofing
Acoustic panels and baffles
Filtration
Equestrian saddle pads
Office and desk dividers
Padding for vehicle sun visors
Molded automobile headliners and trunk liners
High-performance thermal insulation
Vibration isolators
Mattress pads
Synthetic soil growing media
Under-carpet
Gasketing
How Is Needle Punch Felt Made?
Design:
The process for making needle punched felt begins with determining the final use for the felt and what properties it needs. Depending on whether the goal is to create a thermal “heat shield” or under carpet padding or filtering COVID19 particles out of a house filtration system, will create very different needs for how an engineer will create a product.
For any type of nonwoven, including needle punch felt, this process starts with fiber selection. Different fibers have different characteristics that provide different traits that can help with different requirements and can potentially be combined in different percentages to create even more capabilities in the finished felt.
Once the desired fibers have been chosen, other specifications such as weight per sq yard, thickness, surface texture, and many other factors must be determined to achieve the optimal product for the end-user.
Construction:
Once all of the design engineering has been determined, the construction of the felt starts with large bales of loose fiber. These fibers can be synthetic like polyester, nylon, acrylic, rayon, or fiberglass, or they can be organic like wool, cotton, or alpaca.
These bales of fiber must then go into machines called bale breakers. These machines break the compact bale of fibers apart so that they are easier to process.
Many felts involve mixing different types of fiber together in order to get the desired outcome. This is done by carefully weighing the fiber that goes from the bale breakers into the next step of the process, blending and carding to achieve the correct % of the blend.
The breaking up and mixing of fiber is done at carding. Carding works by feeding loose beds of fiber into large wired rollers. This wire works to separate each strand of fiber, mix and blend the components together and orient the fiber in a single direction.
The fiber exits the carding machine in the form of a web. This webbing is similar to the fake spider webs you see around Halloween time and resembles the consistency of cotton candy. It is the first time the fiber looks like a fabric but, just like cotton candy, this material has very little strength to it.
This webbing is laid onto a conveyor belt which carries the web to a cross-lapper. The lapper folds each thin layer of webbing over itself which provides weight and thickness to the finished felt. The number of layers depends on the target thickness and weight of the finished product.
After the lapper, the layers of webbing will enter the needle loom. This is where needle punch felt gets its name.
A needle loom is a precise machine that uses barbed needles mounted on a needle board to pierce the layered web of fiber. The needle boards punch the fibers at a rate of 600-2,000 punches per minute. This repeated punching of needles entangles the fibers together which creates a strong bond. Needle looms can be “in-line” or “off-line.”
This is the end of the felt-making process for some felts. But others go on to receive different finishing treatments such as additional needling or adding more layers of felt to build density, heat treating, calendaring, singeing, and laminating. Some felts also get combined into composite layers with other felt, foam, rubber, or other materials. Here is a quick video of an “off-line” needle loom that is further entangling (or densifying) a piece of felt.
Whether creating an automotive heat shield, an acoustic panel, an industrial felt for gasketing, or any other needle punch nonwoven. Bouckaert Industrial Textiles is here to help you engineer the best product to meet your needs. If you think that a nonwoven felt might be the right choice for your application or have any other questions, then contact us today!
