Long Tailed Neps for Fancy Yarns

A new process for manufacturing neps (knops) offers advantages to the spinner of fancy yarns and to the manufacturer of carpets or fabric using the yarns. Developed by Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand, the process gives a very special nep with a head of densely felted fibres and wispy tail, similar in shape to a tadpole or comet.

Advantages of long tailed neps

For the manufacturer of effect material:

• The machinery used is simple and relatively inexpensive.
• A dry process. In a single step, dry neps are produced.
• Production rate is high.
• Flexibility of raw material. Long tailed neps may be made from a variety of wools, since the process does not rely on the wool being short and fine.

For the spinners of fancy yarns:

• Versatile yarn styling. Long tailed neps can be made in a wide range of shapes, sizes, lengths of tail and degree of hardness.
• Resistance to carding. Long tailed neps can be made to withstand quite severe carding action without disintegrating or contaminating the base colour of a blend. Harder carding action means a more regular yarn with fewer thick and thin places, and consequently greater average yarn strength.
• Own processing. The process is usually compatible with the facilities of a spinning mill.

For the manufacturer of carpets or fabrics:

• Good anchorage. The tail of the nep becomes twisted into the yarn and is integrated with it. Change of appearance due to loss of neps from the surface of a carpet or soft fabric by abrasion is minimised.
• Versatile styling. A variety of yarns may be designed, incorporating long tailed neps with different geometry.
• Efficient processing. Because of the possibility of harder carding, yarns with long tailed neps tend to be stronger and more regular than most fancy woollen yarns, and perform well in tufting, weaving or knitting.

For further information on long tailed nep technology, contact:

FibreTech New Zealand Ltd
192 St Asaph Street,
PO Box 7004
Christchurch
New Zealand
Phone: +64-3-366 3966
Fax: +64-3-377 9732
Email: enquiries@fibretechnz.com