Tissue paper conversion consists of the transformation of base tissue papers into finished tissue products to meet specific demands. When base tissue paper arrives at the converting line, it already holds different requirements that were met during its manufacture in the paper machine (e.g., grammage, bulk, tensile index, etc.). However, what happens during converting can still influence the performance and quality of the finished products. The current work addresses this topic and aims to evaluate the influence of converting conditions on the final softness. For that, two 5-ply finished tissue products were analyzed using different methodologies for their proper characterization in terms of softness and surface analysis. The analyzed products are composed by the same base tissue papers, but some changes were applied on their settings in the converting line. In particular, the base tissue papers arrangement and the embossing pressure affected the finished products, resulting in one of them being softer and more pleasant to touch, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 75.3 units, and the other revealed to be rougher and less pleasant, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 68.0 units.

Embossing is a converting process in which the surface of a tissue paper sheet is changed under high pressure, allowing different functions. In this work, the authors intend to study how the embossing pressure affects the main properties of tissue paper, using a laboratory embossing system. An optimum pressure was achieved at 2.8 bar to this embossing laboratory set-up. The effect of pressure when densifying the paper sheet gives it a gain in mechanical strength but no differences in terms of liquid absorbency. The two embossing patterns present different behaviors but both evidence losses in mechanical and softness properties. On the other hand, the finite element method (FEM) does not show clear evidence of how the pressure affects the paper strength. For the deco die, it is possible to observe that the amount of yielding is slightly higher for lower pressure (2.4 bar), but this plasticity state parameter is very similar for 2.8 bar and 3.2 bar. For the micro die, FEM simulations of the manufacturing pressure do not show a considerable impact on the amount of plasticity state of the material; only for 3.2 bar, it shows a change in the pattern of the plasticity state of the paper during the embossing processes. In the end, to achieve a final product with excellent quality, it is important to make a compromise between the various properties.

Pilling is a defect that affects the appearance of fabrics, being its assessment carried out by the textile sector using a subjective method (reference). This method is simple and works well in most cases. However, uncertainties may arise when complicated cases are under evaluation. The current study addresses the use of an optical 3D-system for the topographic surface reconstruction of fabrics for their objective assessment. With the topographic data of the fabrics, it was calculated the total volume of pilling formed in their surfaces. Their equivalent pilling grades were also achieved through use of a correspondence model. A results comparison was then carried out with both methodologies (3D-system and subjective), which made possible to identify cases of analysis where the grading attributed to the fabrics did not match. These cases were thoroughly analyzed, and it was found that one of the studied fabrics seems to have been over-estimated whereas one other seems to have been under-estimated when initially graded with the subjective methodology.

Increasing concerns about environmental issues have recently intensified the search for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics that minimize ecological impacts. This study evaluates the biodegradability, compostability, and ecotoxicity of a PLA-based biocomposite containing 30–40% micronized cellulose fibers. The material complied with the European limits for fluorine and heavy metals. Biodegradability was assessed through a respirometric test under thermophilic conditions, achieving 81% degradation in 155 days. Thermophilic compostability was evaluated by monitoring the disintegration of injected products made from the biocomposite pellets and cut into pieces with thicknesses of 1.0 mm and 2.1 mm, revealing that increased specific surface area prolongs composting time. Ecotoxicity was tested through seed germination and plant growth assays on barley, onion, sunflower, tomato, and wheat using the biocomposite mature compost mixed (25% and 50%) with a TÜV Austria certified soil. Results showed species-dependent effects: sunflower germination was enhanced, while other plants experienced slight growth delays. No severe phytotoxicity was observed, except for barley and wheat. Despite the proven biodegradability and compostability, the biocomposite product’s dimensions influence disintegration and decomposition rates. Furthermore, compost applications may have variable effects on plant development. These findings improved knowledge about sustainable materials performance, raising awareness about more responsible design, consumption, and disposal strategies.

The embossing operation is one of the processes of tissue paper converting. The embossing parameters influence the final properties of tissue products, such as mechanical, softness, and bulk. In this study, the influence of the rubber hardness used against the embossing steel rolls with a pattern created by intaglio engraving was studied. Three different configurations of rubber plates stacking, each plate with different hardness, were studied. After embossing, mechanical properties, softness, and bulk were evaluated to analyze the effect of rubbers hardness on these properties. Furthermore, a Finite Element Model of the embossing operation was used that considered the same rubber plates stacking configurations used in experiments, and it was able to replicate the experimental results. This work led us to conclude that the configuration where two rubber plates with different hardness, where the rubber plate with higher hardness is in contact with the tissue paper sheet, has shown to be the best solution to obtain higher softness. These findings support the use of embossing operations rubber rolls with a low hardness internal layer and a high hardness external layer in industry. Thus, finite element models were also shown to be reliable tools to virtually test other configurations, such as, for example, three or more rubber plates with different hardness. Since embossing is one of the tissue paper transformation operations with the greatest impact on the key properties of the final product, this study allows the producer to optimize them by varying the hardness of the rubber roll, as well as its configuration.

Embossing is a functional and strategic process for creating high-quality multi-sensory tissue-paper products. Embossing modifies the sheet surface by generating hill and/or valley designs, changing the third-dimension z with a compressive die. This research work specifically concerns the impact study of the engraving finishing geometry on the final properties of tissue paper. This work led us to conclude that, even though the sheets individually present a higher hand-feel (HF) value for the straight finishing geometry, the highest softness was obtained in the two-ply prototype for the round finishing geometry. Moreover, this study confirmed that the HF value reduces with the increase of the bulk, being more accentuated for the micropattern. Relevant differences could not be seen in the spreading kinetics of the liquid droplets over time. Thus, the finishing geometry of the 3D plates did not impact the absorption kinetics on these samples. The finite element model allows us to understand the effect of the plate pattern and its finishing geometry on the paper, and the simulation results were in accordance with the experimental results, showing the same trend where patterns with a round finishing geometry marked the tissue-paper sheet more than patterns with a straight finishing did.