Dow Corning to showcase environmentally responsible textile innovations at the ESH and RSL Factory Summit  

Dow Corning Corporation, a leading supplier of innovative silicone solutions for the textile industry, will exhibit at the Second Annual Multi-Brand Environment, Safety & Health (ESH) and Restricted Substance List (RSL) Factory Summit April 27-28. Dow Corning will feature its silicone textile printing inks, a water- and energy-saving product for denim processing and a hydrophilic softener for the textile finishing market.

Booth visitors will learn how Dow Corning’s solutions provide competitive advantages. For example, Dow Corning® brand Silicone Textile Printing Inks are durable, color-fast and suitable for tough-to-print, high-performance sports apparel. The inks offer high elongation and a soft, non-sticky handle. With heightened consumer concern about the environment, silicone textile printing inks are an ideal solution because they contain no organotin, phthalate, formaldehyde, PVC or solvents. Visitors will also discover how to achieve significant water savings during denim processing. Dow Corning® GP 8000 Eco Solution saves up to 50 liters of water on every pair of jeans and provides faster processing time, using less energy to finish jeans.

The company will also highlight Dow Corning® OP-8800 Premium Hydrophilic Softener, which provides an environmentally sustainable solution to the textile finishing market and contains virtually no VOCs. OP-8800 Premium Hydrophilic Softener offers excellent softness, wickability, and water absorbency with no impact on whiteness or stain-release properties. The ESH and RSL Factory Summit is hosted by Nike, Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Columbia Sportswear and New Balance, and will take place April 27-28, 2009, at the Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok in Thailand. The event will address topics such as product chemistry, energy and water conservation, and chemical management.

Dow Corning offers a comprehensive selection of proven silicon-based performance enhancers and process aids for textiles and is breaking new ground in the realm of eco-innovation. In addition to materials, the company provides supportive services and solutions tailored to the specific business and sustainability needs of the global textiles industry. To learn more about Dow Corning’s full range of textile solutions, visit dowcorning.com/textiles.