Polypropylene (PP)
Also known as: PP fibre, Polyolefin fibre
Light, hydrophobic polyolefin fibre with high moisture repellency — basis for base-layer underwear and non-woven bags.
Description
Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic made by chain polymerisation of propene. Developed as a fibre in 1957 by Giulio Natta (Nobel Prize 1963); today with around 19 million tonnes a year (2020) one of the most important standard plastics. Density is only 0.90–0.92 g/cm³ — PP floats on water.
PP fibres are virtually non-absorbent (moisture pick-up <0.05 %), so they wick moisture away from the body — ideal for ski underwear, sports socks and base layers. As spun-bond non-woven, PP is processed into shopping bags, hygiene products and filter media. Downsides: melts as low as 160–170 °C, low UV stability without stabilisers, very poor dyeability (usually spin-dyed).
- Polyolefin (polypropene)
- Density 0.90–0.92 g/cm³ (floats)
- Moisture pick-up <0.05 %
- Sport base-layer, PP non-woven bags
PP is fundamentally recyclable, but textile PP is rarely captured in closed-loop systems.
Properties
| Fibre type | Polyolefin |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.90–0.92 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 160–170 °C |
| Use | Base-layer, non-woven bags |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- Wikipedia: Polypropylen Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylen
