Uno & Company Ltd. Launches New Bromine-Free Synthetic Hair Fibers Using FRX Polymers Nofia Flame Retardant

Bromine-Free Unolon-Eco and SF-Remi Fibers are Easy to Curl,Tangle-Free, and Easily Blended with Human Hair

Uno & Company Ltd. (UNO), Wanju-gun, South Korea, has announced the launch of new synthetic hair fibers for wigs and weaves which use bromine-free Nofia flame retardant (FR) from FRX Polymers Inc. The new synthetic hair fibers, called Unolon-Eco and SF-Remi, offer a range of new advantages including easy curling and completely tangle-free performance, along with easy blending with human hair due to their low specific gravity. Nofia flame retardant is a commercially available polymeric additive used in diverse industries such as electronics, building and construction, transportation, and textiles.

Both Uno & Co. and FRX Polymers also announced that the new synthetic fibers have been commercially adopted by one of the industry’s leading brand owners in synthetic hair, Royal Imex, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and will be featured under the brand name First. Royal Imex is the first brand owner worldwide to adopt the bromine-free, eco-friendly based fibers produced by Uno. Likewise, Uno is the first synthetic hair fiber producer to offer bromine-free synthetic hair fibers based on FRX Polymers’ Nofia polymeric flame retardant additive. During its first large-scale test marketing campaign in 2015, Royal Imex’s First by Zury product was extremely well received and sold out. The product was extensively tested by hair stylists and received excellent reviews for its softness, curling ability, human hair-like touch and feel and the fact that it utilized a hand-tied silk closure.

Propelled by the successful launch of first-generation Unolon-Eco synthetic hair fibers, Nofia-based brominefree SF-Remi synthetic hair fibers have been specially formulated as a sequel to provide the best ever completely tangle-free performance. Like Unolon-Eco, SF-Remi offers high temperature resistance (200°C) for use with curling irons and low specific gravity (1.34g/cm3) compared to bromine-based FR hair fiber, which allows it to blend easily with human hair. High-performance SF-Remi also passes stringent FR flammability testing and its water absorption properties gives it excellent touch and feel making it indistinguishable compared to human hair. The UNO and FRX Polymers technical teams, led respectively by Seung Min Oh and Dr. Youmi Jeong, collaborated closely in the development of these groundbreaking products.

“Our second-generation Unolon-Eco synthetic hair fibers deliver even greater performance while providing an eco-friendly alternative that is increasingly being embraced by the industry,” said Dr. John Kim, CEO of Uno and Company. “We are also launching the first ever completely tangle-free fiber trade named SF Remi which will also be based on Nofia flame retardants.”

“We are excited that during our 2015 introductory market campaign of First by Zury, we sold out the product and we are grateful to Uno for continuing to innovate with the release of their second-generation products as the future of eco-friendly synthetic hair is indeed bright,” said Steve Ra, General Manager of Royal Imex.

“Nofia FR is making strong inroads in the synthetic hair market and this latest development from Uno attests to not only its environmental benefits but the enhanced performance it can deliver in these demanding applications,” said Marc Lebel, CEO of FRX Polymers. “We are proud to have partnered with Uno for they are a real innovator in the synthetic hair industry.”

Some traditional brominated flame retardants have been discontinued due to their toxicity, bioaccumulation in humans, non-degradable nature, and the release of dioxins during fire events. Nofia flame retardant is the first phosphorus-based polymeric (plastic) flame retardant additive which is both highly effective as a flame retardant while also having a highly favorable toxicological profile. The fact that it is melt processible in its own right, makes Nofia flame retardant particularly well suited for difficult-to-process applications like fiber spinning. Unlike competitive liquid and powder-based flame retardants that tend to migrate out of the plastic over time, Nofia flame retardants will not migrate out. Its chemical structure and polymeric nature make it a better choice for many consumer products that are used regularly like wigs, weaves, or hair extensions, according to Lebel.