LTB PROCESS BGD NOV 2012 ASUTEX, COMMITED TO THE FUTURE In an each time more stringent environment-conscious future, textile processes must be adapted to fulfill the new challenges, so that means - LESS WATER CONSUMPTION - LESS ENERGY EXPENSES - LESS PROCESSING TIME - GREEN CHEMICALS

LTB PROCESS Picture of Bangladesh ANOTHER LINK IN THE CHAIN: It is just another step for word with ecofriendly textile industry. Bangladesh is already a green country, all of us must contribute to keep this heritage for the future generations. We take the legacy of previous jobs and we just want to be another step in this way.

LTB PROCESS Our commitment with constant INNOVATION in the TEXTILE FIELD, developing new procedures and modifying our offers to the newest market requirements, allows us to introduce the new LOW TEMPERATURE BLEACHING SYSTEM LTB PROCESS

THE SYNERGETIC COMBINATION OF THREE PRODUCTS ENSURES THE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY IN GETTINGS THE SAME WHITENESS DEGREE AS IF IT IS PRODUCED ACCORDING TO A CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUE AND ALSO THE IDEAL HYDROFILITY NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT ANY OTHER TEXTILE PROCESS WITHOUT AN SPECIAL CARE. There are three products involved in the LTB PROCESS. All of them developed in our R&D department. PRODER LTB 0,5-1 GR/L ASUTOL LTB0,5 GR/L NaOH 50%3 CC/L H 2 O 2 50%2-3 CC/L ACTIVATOR LTB0,5-1 GR/L 30’ AT 75ºC

LTB PROCESS 1.-LTB PRODER : DETERGENT-WETTING – DISPERSING AGENT IT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY DEVELOPED TO GET THE MAXIMUM REMOVAL OF NATURAL OCCURING WAXES CONTAINED IN COTTON SO AS TO IMPAIR THE MAXIMUM HYDROPHILITY TO THE SUBSTRATE DURING THE LOW TEMPERATURE NOVEL PROCEDURE. IT OVERCOMES THE DRAWBACKS RESULTING FROM THE FACT OF WORKING AT LOW TEMPERATURES OFFERING VERY EFFICIENT OUTCOME. There are three products involved in the LTB PROCESS. All of them developed in our R&D department.

LTB PROCESS 2.-ASUTOL LTB : SEQUESTERING – DISPERSING – STABILIZING AGENT SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE BEST PERFORMANCE DURING BLEACHING STAGE, AVORDING THE CATALYTIC INTERFERENCES CAUSED BY THE PRESENCE OF HEAVY METALS AND ALKALINE EARTH ELEMENTS. ALLOWS TO GET OUTSTANDING WHITENESS LEVELS. There are three products involved in the LTB PROCESS. All of them developed in our R&D department. IRON SEQUESTERING CAPACITY – QUALITATIVE ANALISE -20 ppm de Fe ,5 cc/L NaOH 50% 60 min in reflux at 100 ºC, cool down to 80ºC and filter WITHOUT AUXILIAR2 gr/L ASUTOL LTB

LTB PROCESS 3.-ACTIVATOR LTB : SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED COMPLEX PRODUCT THAT ENHANCES HYDROGEN PEROXYDE ACTIVITY PERMITTING TO BLEACH CELLULOSIC FIBRES INTO MILDER AND SMOOTHER WORKING CONDITIONS. CONTROLS PEROXYDE DESCOMPOSITION AND SPEEDS UP THE DESIRED WHITENESS DEGREE. Alkaline hydrogen peroxide solutions can be discomposed as ion (heterolytic decomposition) or as a radical (homolytic decomposition). Radical decomposition is responsible to reduce de cellulose DP. There are three products involved in the LTB PROCESS. All of them developed in our R&D department.

LTB PROCESS COMPARISON BETWEEN THE NEW/CLASSICAL BLEACHING PROCEDURES 3ºC/min TIME (min.) TEMPERATURE (ºC) LTB ProcessTraditional process

LTB PROCESS  PROCESSING TIME DECREASING UP TO 30’ COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL BLEACHING.  ENERGY SAVING (30 KCAL/KG ) COMPARED WHEN RAISING UP BATH TEMPERATURE TO BOIL IS NOT NECESSARY.  ENERGY SAVING AND TIME & WATER SAVINGS WHEN COOLING DOWN BATH TEMPERATURE FROM 98ºC TO 75ºC IS NOT NECESSARY.  DECREASING BLEACHING TEMPERATURE INVOLVES LESS FUEL CONSUMPTION, THIS FACT SUPPOSES LESS CO 2 RATES RELEASED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMEN ADVANTATGES OF LTB PROCESS IN FRONT OF TRADITIONAL ONE

LTB PROCESS  WHEN USING LESSER PROCESSING TIMES, THE PILLING FORMATION IS ALSO OF LESS IMPORTANCE.  RESULTING HANDLE IS BETTEER, THIS IS MORE RELEVANT WHEN BLEACHING FINER NUMBERS OR OPEN-END YARNS.  CELLULOSIC YARNS BLEACHED AT LOWER TEMPERATURES UNDERGO LESS DAMAGE, SO THAT RESULTING POLYMERIZATION DEGREE ARE HIGHER.  WHEN BLEACHING YARN PACKAGES DUE TO THE LESS SHRINKAGE AT LOWER TEMPERATURES, WIND AND REWIND OPERATIONS ARE EASIER AND YARN BREAKINGS ARE LESS.  WHEN USING LOWER BLEACHING TEMPERATURES, THE TREND TO CREASING FORMATION IS LESS, THIS FACT IS OF MAIN IMPORTANCE WHEN HANDLING CELLULOSIC ELASTANE MIXTURES. TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES WHEN COMPARING LTB PROCESS AGAINTS CONVENTIONAL PROCESS

LTB PROCESS LTB PROCESS, BENEFITS IN FRONT OF TRADICIONAL BLEACHING PROCESSES Lower modification of Cellulose Polymerization Degree (DP) Results for polymerization degree test: Polymerization degree from raw cotton: 3327 LTB Process at 75 ºC using 2cc/L NaOH 50% & 2cc/L H2O2 50% : 3253 LTB Process at 75 ºC using 3cc/L NaOH 50% & 3cc/L H2O2 50%: 3170 Traditional Bleaching at 100 ºC using 3cc/L NaOH 50% & 3cc/L H2O2 50% : 2515

LTB PROCESS Traditional Process 100 ºC LTB PROCESS 75 ºC 3 NaOH / 3 H 2 O 2 LTB PROCESS 75 ºC 2 NaOH / 2 H 2 O 2 Raw Cotton POLYMERIZATION DEGREE DECREASE

LTB PROCESS CORN YARN DYERS ARE SPECIALLY PLEASED WITH THE BENEFITS BROUGHT BY THE NEW LTB BLEACHING PROCESS. WHEN BLEACHING AT 75 ºC AND DYEING AT 60ºC THE SHRINKAGE LEVEL BECOMES MINIMUM WHAT IS TRANSLATED DIRECTLY TO A MORE STABLE BOBBINE AND MORE HOMOGENEOUS YARN PACKAGE. YARN’S STRENGH IS INCREASED STRIKINGLY, SPECIALLY IN SHIRT-YARNS (40-50/1H NE OR SUPERIORS) WHERE NUMBERS OF BREAKINGS DECREASES AROUND 80%. THE HIGHEST YARN RESISTANCE ALLOWDS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY THE REWINDING SPEED WHAT BECOMES AT THE END AND SHORTAGE OF TIME. THIS ALSO HELPS REDUCING LIQUID PARAFINE’S PERCENTAGE OR REPLACE IT BY USING MORE ECONOMIC CHEMICALS AS POLIETHILENES. SPECIAL APPLICATION: CONE YARN BLEACHING

LTB PROCESS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL POINTS WHEN WORKING WITH THE COTTON-LYCRA IS HOW TO AVOID THE CREASE MARKS. THIS PROBLEM IS SPECIALLY WEIGHTLY ONCE WE REACH 80ºC. EVEN AFTER PRE-SETTING, IT IS ADVISABLE TO WORK WITH SPECIFIC ANTICREASE AGENTS AND TAKE AN EXTRA CONTROL REGARDING PROCESS TEMPERATURE. CONCRETLY, ONCE WE OVERPASS 80ºC IT IS IMPORTANT TO INCREASE OR REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE VERY SLOWLY, FOR EXAMPLE AT 1 ºC/min. WORKING WITH LTB, WE WILL NEVER CROSS THE CRITICAL TEMPERATURE WORKING FULL TIME BELOW 80 ºC, IT MEANS IN THE SAFE CONDITIONS. REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE WILL ALSO PROTECT THE LYCRA ELASTICITY. SPECIAL APPLICATION: SPECIAL APPLICATION: CELLULOSIC ELASTANE MIXTURES.

LTB PROCESS COMPARISON LTB vs CLASSICAL BLEACHING PROCEDURES 3ºC/min 1 ºC/min TIME (min.) TEMPERATURE (ºC) LTB ProcessTraditional process 1 ºC/min

LTB PROCESS BLEACHING OF COTTON KNITTING AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES USING LTB PROCESS 73,3 75,5 71,1 76,8 78,3 70, WHITENESS DEGREE 30' at 70ºC 4 cc/L NaOH 50% 4 cc/L H2O2 50% 2 cc/L NaOH 50% 2 cc/L H2O2 50% 3 cc/L NaOH 50% 3 cc/L H2O2 50% 30' at 75ºC 1 gr/L Proder LTB 0,5 gr/L Asutol LTB 1 gr/L Activator LTB CHEMICALS DOSES

LTB PROCESS BGD DEC 2012 INDUSTRIAL TRIALS ACCORDING TO LTB PROCESS PRODER LTB ASUTOL LTB0.5 NaOH 50% H 2 O 2 50% ACTIVATOR LTB ’ at 75ºC and LR 1:10 CIE DEGREE WICKING TEST FOR HYDROPHILITY DROP TEST TIME IN SECONDS FOR COMPLETE WETTING InstantaneousInstantaeous Instantaneous 2” Instantaneous 3” After 5 min of fabric contact with the coloured solution

LTB PROCESS AS FINAL SUMMARY FOR LTB PROCESS, WE HAVE: 1.- WHITENESS DEGREE – THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS ARE: NAOH / H 2 O 2 CONCENTRATION TEMPERATURE: THE HIGHER (75 ºC) THE BETTER WITHENESS DEGREE THE ACTIVATOR: THE HIGHER DOSAGE (1 GR/L) THE BETTER WHITENESS DEGREE. 2-. HYDROPHILITY – THE MUST IMPORTANT POINTS ARE: NAOH / H 2 O 2 CONCENTRATION TEMPERATURE: THE HIGHER (75 ºC) THE BETTER HYDROPHILITY THE DETERGENT DOSAGE: THE HIGHER (1 GR/L) THE BETTER HYDROPHILITY. 3-. OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS COTTON ORIGIN, SUBSTRATE FORM (PACKAGE, HANK, WOVEN, KNITTED FABRIC, …), TYPE OF MACHINERY (JIG, OVERFLOW, DYE BECK,…) AND LIQUOR RATIO ARE ALSO OF MAIN IMPORTANCE IN THE FINAL RESULTS. 4-. ADVISABLE RECIPE FOR BLEACHING ACCORDING TO LTB PROCESS IS: PRODER LTB 0,5-1 GR/L ASUTOL LTB0,5 GR/L NaOH 50%3 CC/L H 2 O 2 50%2-3 CC/L ACTIVATOR LTB0,5-1 GR/L 30’ AT 75ºC

LTB PROCESS JUNE 2011 Yarn : 80/2 Ne CO 100% STANDARD PROCESS ON CONE YARN BLEACHING – INDUSTRIAL TRIAL 2 min A B CE 75 ºC ºC 4 º/min 40 ºC 30 min 15 min A.- PRODER LTB 1 gr/L ASUTOL LTB 0,5 gr/L Caustic Soda 50% 3 cc/L B.- Peroxide 50% 3 cc/L C.- ACTIVADOR LTB 1 gr/L D.- Acetic AcidE.- PEROXFIN MI 0,5 % In case de-mineralization process is need, then add ASUTOL A-P in acid conditions RAW YARNLTBSCOURED RKM(CN/TEX) 20,2520,9319,74 Elong.(%) 3,955,654,39 ºCIE WHITE 68 mgCaCO3/gr 0,62 3 min Overflow rinse 75 ºC 10 min 3 min Overflow rinse

LTB PROCESS JUNE 2011 Yarn : 70/1 Ne CO 100% STANDARD OPTICAL BLEACHING ON CORN YARN – INDUSTRIAL TRIAL 2 min A B C D E 75 ºC ºC 4 º/min 50 ºC 30 min 20 min 15 min A.- PRODER LTB 1 gr/L ASUTOL LTB 0,5 gr/L Caustic Soda 50% 4 cc/L B.- Peroxide 50% 5 cc/L C.- ACTIVADOR LTB 1 gr/L D.- ASUBLANC PIBE.- Water Acetic Acid pH 5 In case de-mineralization process is need, ASUTOL A-P can be added in the last rinsing/neutralizing bath 3 min Overflow rinse 3 min Overflow rinse 75 ºC 2 º/min RAW YARNLTB RKM(CN/TEX)26,8626,80 Elong.(%)5,876,76 ºCIE WHITE 127,8

LTB PROCESS JUNE 2011 Fabric: Jersey 50/1 Liquor Ratio : 1:11 STANDARD PROCESS ON KNITTED FABRIC BLEACHING – INDUSTRIAL TRIAL 5 min 2 min 2 min A load B C D E F 75 ºC ºC 4 º/min 75 ºC 30 min 10 min A.- PRODER LTB 1 gr/L ASUTOL LTB 0,5 gr/L C.- Peroxide 50% 3 cc/L D.- ACTIVADOR LTB 1 gr/L E.- Water at 75ºCF.- Acetic Acid pH 6-7 In case de-mineralization process is need, proceed as in corn yarn process B.- Caustic Soda 50% 3 cc/L G HI G.- PEROXFIN MI 0,5 % H.- Acetic Acid pH 5 I.- Biopolish or Dye 2 min 10 min 2 min 40 ºC 3 min Overflow rinse 3 min Overflow rinse

LTB PROCESS JUNE 2011