Shellac, a remarkable natural resin, begins its journey high in the branches of select trees, where tiny Lac insects create a protective coating – Sticklac. At NobelPath Export, we guide this natural wonder through a meticulous process, transforming it into the high-quality Shellac products your industry demands.
The Raw Material - Sticklac and Seedlac
The journey starts with Sticklac, the resinous secretion encrusted on tree branches. This raw material undergoes careful processing to become Seedlac, the foundation of all Shellac products.
- Harvesting Sticklac: Sticklac is collected and meticulously separated from branches, ensuring the purest raw material.
- Refining to Seedlac: Sticklac is crushed, cleaned, and impurities are removed, resulting in Seedlac – the refined granules ready for further processing.
- Color Removal: During seedlac processing, the natural red dye is removed, allowing for the production of varied color Shellac.
Manufacturing Processes: Transforming Seedlac to Shellac
- Heat Process:
- Seedlac is gently melted using indirect heat, then filtered through fine cloth.
- The filtered liquid is pressed through rollers to create thin sheets, which are then crushed into Shellac flakes.
- This process yields high quality Shellac flakes.
- Solvent Process:
- Seedlac is dissolved in ethyl alcohol, then filtered.
- The alcohol is evaporated, leaving a viscous liquid.
- This liquid is rolled into thin sheets, dried, and broken into Shellac flakes.
- This process is very common in the industry.
- Bleached Shellac:
- Seedlac is dissolved in a sodium carbonate solution and filtered.
- The solution is bleached with sodium hypochlorite to achieve the desired clarity.
- The bleached Shellac is precipitated, washed, dried, and ground into fine flakes.
- This process allows for colorless Shellac.
Quality Assurance: Our Commitment to Excellence
At NobelPath Export, quality is paramount. We ensure rigorous quality control measures at every stage:
- Strict Impurity Removal: Ensuring only the purest Seedlac is used.
- Monitoring and Testing: Every step of the manufacturing, processing and refining process is monitored.
- Consistent Quality: We guarantee consistent quality and shelf life of our Shellac products.
- Dewaxed Bleached Shellac: Removal of wax through filtration creates a very high quality product.
The Unique Properties of Shellac
Shellac stands out as a unique natural resin with exceptional properties:
- Natural Thermo-setting Resin: Only natural thermo-setting resin.
- Alcohol Soluble: Easily dissolves in alcohol.
- Oil Resistant: Provides a strong barrier against oils.
- Electrical Insulator: Excellent insulating properties.
- Abrasion Resistant: Creates a durable, protective finish.
- Durable Film: Creates a smooth, durable film after application.
- Water Insoluble: Does not dissolve in water.