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Industry News

OSHA offers $12.7 million in training grants

May 31, 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor will provide a funding opportunity for more than $12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to support training initiatives designed to promote safety and health in the nation’s workplaces. Administered by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the grants will support recipients’ efforts to provide instructor-led remote and in-person hands-on training for …

Industry News

China trade tariff exclusions expiring

May 30, 2023

Exclusions from the Section 301 tariffs on imports from China for the following medical care products needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic will expire June 1. – HTSUS 3923.21.0095 (other plastic sacks and bags for the conveyance or packing of goods) – HTSUS 5603.14.9090 (other nonwovens, whether or not impregnated, coated, covered, or laminated) – …

Company News

Avery Dennison elects Deon Stander CEO

May 24, 2023

Avery Dennison Corporation announced that its board of directors, as a result of a planned succession process, has elected Deon Stander, as president and chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2023. Current chairman and CEO, Mitch Butier, will serve as executive chairman of the company’s board of directors. “It has been a privilege to have …

Company News

Trevira GmbH is now Indorama Ventures Fibers Germany GmbH

May 23, 2023

Trevira GmbH has been renamed Indorama Ventures Fibers Germany GmbH. For some time already, Trevira has been an affiliate of Indorama Ventures, Thailand, which acquired the German company in 2011, initially together with a joint venture partner, and then completely in 2017. After numerous other international company acquisitions, Indorama Ventures now has 147 locations in …

EcoNote

Nanocellulose fibers are used to create biomaterial fabric

May 22, 2023

Biotechnology company Modern Synthesis has developed a biomaterial from bacterial fermentation that can be used to create a low-carbon alternative to traditional clothing fabrics. The biomaterial was developed in the company’s London lab by growing nanocellulose (a lightweight material produced by bacteria) on a framework of thread to create a new type of fabric. Modern Synthesis founder …

What's New?

Smart fabric responds to both temperature and electricity

May 22, 2023

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, say that a new smart fabric is the first to change both color and shape in response to two different stimuli. Inexpensively made with polymer nanocomposite fibers from recycled plastic, the material is activated by both heat and electricity and is programmable. The unique design paves …

What's New?

Textile researchers prepare stem cells to become organ tissue

May 22, 2023

Nearly 3,000 people died waiting for an organ transplant in 2022, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, and more than 100,000 people remain on the wait list. Envisioning a future without the need for donor organs, a North Carolina State University (NC State) researcher is laying the foundation to grow stem cells into …

My Take

Idea generating

May 22, 2023

My son asked me recently how I thought of all the ideas for stories in this publication. He thought it would be hard to keep coming up with something new to say. (After all, I’ve been doing this for quite a few years.) Well Joe, it would, if I had to come up with all the …

Features

The life-changing possibilities for biomedical textiles

May 22, 2023

The pandemic heightened the public’s awareness of textile substrates and elevated the value of textiles in everyone’s eyes, but relatively few know of breakthrough technologies that could transform segments of the medical textiles field. Key attributes of these textiles are their functionality and biocompatibilities, but a range of functionalities may need to be considered, depending …

Company News

Nikwax partners with Outdoor Research

May 17, 2023

Outdoor Research (OR), an outdoor gear and apparel company, has announced a strategic partnership with Nikwax, a pioneer in aftercare solutions for outdoor gear, apparel, and footwear. The partnership will officially launch in September 2023. Under the partnership, Nikwax will become OR’s preferred partner for after-purchase Durable Water Repellent (DWR) care and treatment. This collaboration …

Events

Messe Stuttgart’s Sun Shading Expo North America moves co-location debut with IFAI Expo to 2022

July 7, 2021

Messe Stuttgart announced that its new U.S.-based show Sun Shading Expo North America will not be held in 2021 as a separate trade show but will instead contribute its expertise in internal and external sun shading systems at IFAI Expo 2021 in the form of expert talks, open discussions and more. IFAI Expo 2021 will still take place …

Expo News

Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021

May 10, 2021

Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021. IFAI Expo celebrates the 100th anniversary of the show this November, and you won’t want to miss it! After a long hiatus of in-person events, this year’s show is the perfect place to reconnect with your industry. Register now to get the Early Bird rate! Early Bird rates end …

Expo News

Standard for active illumination developed in Europe

November 16, 2020

In a session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, “Smart Textiles Standardization, Active Illumination,” Dr. Jan Beringer, senior scientific expert Hohenstein Group, explained the new standard for active illumination that will soon be implemented in European Union countries. Organizations worked together to develop the standards. It is notable, he said that both textile and electronics industries …

Expo News

Textile industry leaders call for policy changes to support U.S. production of PPE

November 13, 2020

The U.S. textile industry has stepped up to meet the demand for face masks, medical gowns, wipes and other products necessary to combat the coronavirus pandemic, but it needs policy changes from Washington so that the U.S. is not caught off-guard again in a future crisis, according to association leaders speaking at Industrial Fabrics Association …

Expo News

The larger issues in respiratory protection

November 12, 2020

Dr. Bryran Ormond, assistant professor, Wilson College of Textiles, NC State explained respiratory protection in an “Ask an Expert” session with Jing Liang, Medical PPE Consulting LLC. Dr. Ormand has typically worked in the area of chemical and biological protective equipment, but with the onslaught of the pandemic, began to focus on respiratory protection generally, …

Expo News

Surgical gowns require extra manufacturing considerations

November 11, 2020

All surgical gowns are not created equal, and a Nov. 11 presentation at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020 helped sort out the differences. The finer points of surgical gowns were discussed by Dr. Martin King, a professor at the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, and Jing Liang, president of Medical PPE Consulting LLC. …

Expo News

Rodgers: Textiles are the “T” in STEM

November 11, 2020

How do you create a channel from research to application? How do you create a pathway toward understanding complex human problems across supply chains and market sectors? STEM—a curriculum based on teaching science, technology, engineering and math—has branched out from basic chemistry and biology and physics classes, into collaborative efforts, including textiles, according to Stephanie …

Expo News

E-textile testing and standards are evolving

November 11, 2020

At the 2020 Virtual Expo session, “Ask the Expert: Textile Electronics Testing and Standards,” Jesse Jur, a professor at the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, discussed how standards and testing continue to evolve due to the evolution of textile-based electronics (e-textiles). Jur said that standards have long been a vital resource for …

Expo News

Guidance offered in commercial insurance market

November 10, 2020

Wildfires, hurricanes, a pandemic and civil unrest have wreaked plenty of chaos on the commercial insurance market in 2020. Steve Christenson, with Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, offered guidance to business owners Nov. 9 at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020. “The business insurance market has been going through several changes this year,” says Christenson, with U.S. …

Expo News

How to make your business attractive to a buyer

November 6, 2020

Thinking about selling your business—either to an outside party or the next generation? Then it’s time to start considering how your equipment and processes fit into your succession plan. Jonathan Palmer, the second-generation owner and CEO of equipment supplier Autometrix, and Autometrix director of global sales Truy Pham, led an educational session at IFAI Virtual …

Features

The life-changing possibilities for biomedical textiles

May 22, 2023

Features

The Smart Fabrics Conference 2023

May 8, 2023

This year’s Smart Fabric Summit was again organized by the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) and the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University (NC State) in Raleigh, N.C. The event took place on the NC State campus April 11–12. It began with a full day of education and ended with an additional morning of …

Features

The future of polyester (as we know it)

April 24, 2023

Where would we be without polyester textiles? Fibers created from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are ubiquitous in our apparel, home furnishings, automotive, filtration and personal care industries. In 2021, they represented 57.57 percent of the global fiber market, according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro. Yet the need for more sustainable textiles, combined with a volatile …

Features

Advanced durable textiles for protective applications

April 10, 2023

We wear textiles for protection from the elements—walking in the rain, shielding ourselves from the sun, or even removing dinner from the oven. It’s interesting to consider what goes into making these everyday textiles, but what about making more robust protective textile applications, such as gloves for utility work, scrubs in a medical setting or …

Features

Helping the body heal itself

March 27, 2023

The health and wellness market has been among the first to embrace advances in smart yarns and to take advantage of the versatility of engineered textiles. Supreme Corp., a producer of high-tech textiles and electrically conductive yarn and sewing thread, has now created a revolutionary fabric called Thermoregulating Therapeutic Smart Fabric (TTSF), which it says …

Features

Protective textiles: a sunrise sector

March 13, 2023

Images full of camouflage patterns and army combat gear are seen frequently in the news, no doubt in part because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Next to weapons systems, the bullet proof gear and garments we are so used to seeing are, in fact, occupying an important place in defense procurement. But these images …

Features

Trends in smart textiles for health and wellbeing

February 27, 2023

Smart textiles for health and wellbeing are becoming both more diverse and interconnected. Three key market segments—home healthcare, healthcare facilities and work environments—are worth noting. Home healthcare has come to dominate the wearable medical device market globally, with an estimated 54.5 percent share in 2021, according to a report by Grand View Research. When considered …

Features

Avenues and opportunities

February 13, 2023

Recent world events regarding supply chain issues, the ongoing war in Ukraine, market volatility and persisting inflation concerns are underscoring the need to diversify and strengthen the manufacturing sector. But in this scenario, there are opportunities for growth and diversification in developed and developing economies alike. Attention on advanced textiles The recent COVID-19 scenario has …

Features

Resiliency in the face of change

January 23, 2023

Editor’s note: This month in our features we’re looking at the question, “What defined the advanced textiles industry in 2022?” I asked the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) board chair, Amy Bircher, and the ATA 1st vice chair, Roy Chism, to respond to my questions about the industry in 2022 and where we may be going in …

Features

The year ahead in textiles

January 9, 2023

Will 2023 be the year that heralds a deglobalized, but more highly networked, textile industry? If so, what might that look like? One may look at this topic through four different lenses, starting with the supply chain, then robotics in manufacturing, 3D printing and the scalability of biotechnology. All have been hot topics over the …

Industry News

OSHA offers $12.7 million in training grants

May 31, 2023

Industry News

China trade tariff exclusions expiring

May 30, 2023

Industry News

PMI increases to 50.2 in U.S.

May 10, 2023

The U.S. manufacturing sector registered a slight improvement in operating conditions in April 2023 with a seasonally adjusted purchasing managers’ index or PMI at 50.2 in April, up from 49.2 in March, and broadly in line with the earlier released flash estimate of 50.4. The latest index reading was the first to post above the …

Industry News

Recycled yarn challenges and solutions

March 31, 2023

Spinning yarn blends of virgin and recycled fibers is a much bigger challenge than any other commonly used blend. But the results can still be acceptable with comprehensive quality testing, know-how and experience – as well as the new Uster Statistics 2023 edition as a vital benchmarking tool. The European Union has defined a strategy …

Industry News

Jeanologia reduces garment finishing water consumption

March 22, 2023

Jeanologia, the Spain-based company developing eco-efficient technologies, reduced water consumption from 100 to 1 liter from the fabric to the finished garment thanks to its technologies. For World Water Day, celebrated on March 22, Jeanologia reminds us that the textile industry is one of the most water-consuming, most wastewater-producing and one of the most polluting. …

Industry News

U.S. producers to plant 17% less cotton in 2023

March 8, 2023

U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 11.4 million cotton acres this spring, down 17.0 percent from 2022, according to the National Cotton Council’s 42nd Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey. Upland cotton intentions are 11.2 million acres, down 17.3 percent from 2022, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 184,000 acres represent a 0.5 percent increase. …

Industry News

Retold Recycling awarded $300,000

March 3, 2023

Retold Recycling – a convenient and sustainable textile recycling start-up – has received a $300,000 deal in exchange for a 25% stake in their company from famed Shark, Mark Cuban. Retold Recycling empowers consumers by making it easy and convenient to responsibly dispose of clothing and other fabrics, diverting that waste from landfill. Customers can purchase ready-to-ship Retold bags …

Industry News

Manufacturing PMI at 47.7%

March 2, 2023

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in February for the fourth consecutive month following a 28-month period of growth, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. The report was issued today by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, C.P.M., chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. “The February Manufacturing PMI registered 47.7%, 0.3 percentage …

Industry News

Conductive textile market to hit $ 8.2 billion by 2033

February 3, 2023

The global conductive textile market is estimated to be valued at $2.6 billion in 2023 and it is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.0% to reach $8.2 billion by the end of 2033. Conductive textiles are fabrics that are made using metal strands that are woven with fabric fibers or coating the fabric fiber with conductive metals such as carbon, gold, …

Industry News

Accelerating Circularity launches textile recycling directory

January 27, 2023

Accelerating Circularity is an action-oriented nonprofit focused on scaling textile-to-textile recycling through a collaborative approach. The mission is to create new supply chains and business models to turn spent textiles into mainstream raw materials in order to divert tons of textile waste from landfills and incineration. As part of that mission, Accelerating Circularity is releasing …

Out There

Biomimetic soft “seed robot” can navigate through soil

May 8, 2023

Researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genova have created what they say is the first 4D-printed, biomimetic, biodegradable, soft robot that changes shape in response to humidity and can navigate through soil. The researchers say the device has great potential as a new means of monitoring the environment. Photo: Istituto Italiano di Tecnología. 4D …

Out There

Zebra stripes inspire smart, wearable electricity source

April 24, 2023

The zebra’s distinctive appearance has been the source of much scientific debate, from its role in predator confusion, to how it can deter horsefly bites. More recently, it was found that the animals can raise the fur of their black segments to transfer heat away from the skin for temperature regulation. Scientists are taking the zebra debate in this …

Out There

Re-defining soft robotics with self-healing, conductive gel

April 10, 2023

A new material could help produce self-healing and conductive robotic devices that are also soft. Developed by a team of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University, the substance consists of a gelatinous polyvinyl alcohol-sodium borate base, embedded in which are silver microflakes and gallium-based liquid metal droplets. It’s also infused with ethylene glycol, to keep it …

Out There

Columbia U. researcher turns soil into textiles

March 27, 2023

Researchers at Columbia University have succeeded in creating a fabric that’s made from at least 60 percent dirt. Penmai Chongtoua, working with Columbia’s Natural Materials Lab director Prof. Lola Ben-Alon, began to explore the possibility of wearing “earth.” After graduating from the MA in Climate and Society program at the Columbia Climate School in 2022, Chongtoua came to work …

Out There

NEWFACET turns to AI for garment design concept

January 9, 2023

Bridging the evolving leaps and bounds in technology with garment design, NEWFACET offers an innovative initiative imagining a conceptual clothing campaign. The designer makes use of an artificial intelligence (AI) program to explore ways of optimizing workflow and creative processes in visualizing unique concepts and cuts. The result is a series of highly realistic shots that depict AI-created …

Out There

Designers launch bullet-resistant loungewear

November 28, 2022

Designer duo Tian Wang and Teague Miller have launched “Kickback,” a line of bullet-resistant loungewear and accessories prompted by the more than 100 firearm fatalities a day in the U.S. Handcrafted from heavy duty Kevlar©, the ‘Kickback’ bathrobes are lined with bulletproof body plates, offering protection and peace of mind. The collection also includes slippers and a …

Out There

Designer grows biodesigns from grass root

November 14, 2022

Zena Holloway has launched a collection of biodesigns grown entirely from grass root. The London-based designer and multi-disciplinary artist is exploring the possibilities for root-grown textiles for fashions that are sustainable and compostable. In essence, Holloway is turning grass root into wearable art in a collection named “Rootfull.” The root itself forms botanical skeleton that …

Out There

Thermal camouflage jacket uses graphene patches

October 10, 2022

British performance apparel brand Vollebak has released details of a new Thermal Camouflage Jacket, which could lay the foundation for an “invisibility cloak” that could conceal its wearer on the infrared spectrum, as well as the on the visible spectrum. The jacket is made with 42 patches of graphene, individually controlled via microcomputer to emit …

Out There

Digitally knitted structure shelters an outdoor space

September 26, 2022

Jenny Sabin Studios, Ithaca, N.Y., is known for using knitting technologies to create structural and architectural applications. Sabin’s “exoKnit” at Neue House in New York City is a recent example of the designers pushing knitting beyond its traditional boundaries. The exoKnit project is a community-centered, public pavilion pergola designed to embody the kind of urban …

Out There

Squid-inspired insulating material can be mass produced

May 9, 2022

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have invented a new insulation material designed to shield hands from heat, but, because it can be economically mass produced, the adaptive fabric could potentially have a range of uses. Drawing inspiration from cephalopod (squid) skin, the engineers in the Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have shown that the …

What's New?

Textile researchers prepare stem cells to become organ tissue

May 22, 2023

What's New?

Smart fabric responds to both temperature and electricity

May 22, 2023

What's New?

New method to create engineered silk announced

May 8, 2023

Scientists have long been intrigued by the remarkable properties of spider silk, which is stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. Now, Fuzhong Zhang, professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at Washington University, St. Louis, has made a significant breakthrough in the fabrication of synthetic spider silk, potentially offering a new era of …

What's New?

Magnetic biomedical devices can pop into shape as needed

April 24, 2023

One of the challenges of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery lies in getting surgical instruments into the patient’s body via a narrow catheter. Scientists have set about addressing that problem with magnetic instruments that pop into and out of shape as needed. The experimental MaSoChain (magnetic soft-robotic chain) system was developed at Switzerland’s ETH Zurich research …

What's New?

New polymers could enable better wearable devices

April 24, 2023

Certain electronics that integrate with the human body—a smartwatch that samples your sweat, for instance—work by converting the ion-based signals of biological tissue into the electron-based signals used in transistors. But the materials in these devices are often designed to maximize ion uptake while sacrificing electronic performance. To remedy this, MIT researchers developed a strategy …

What's New?

Sensor to monitor muscle atrophy is fabricated

April 24, 2023

Researchers at Ohio State University have fabricated a wearable sensor designed to detect and monitor muscle atrophy. A condition involving the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, muscle atrophy can happen for a variety of reasons, but is typically a side effect of degenerative disease, aging or muscle disuse. While physicians currently rely on …

What's New?

Microscale knots double tensile strength of new material

April 10, 2023

Knots are known for boosting the strength of materials, from the tiniest twists of DNA to (potentially) the very fabric of the universe. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena (Caltech) reports that engineers there have now developed a new material consisting of microscale knots and shown that it’s far tougher than a version of the material made …

What's New?

New color-changing fabric technology announced

April 10, 2023

Fiber optic and fiber-device scientists in the laboratories of the University of Central Florida (UCF) have developed a new technology for an innovative textile that changes color and appearance on demand. The scientists believe ChroMorphous technology is a first in e-textiles and fabrics, as older versions of color-changing fabrics need sunlight or body heat to …

What's New?

New textile structures incorporate radiopaque fibers

March 13, 2023

Cortland Biomedical, a medical textiles product development company in Cortland, N.Y., has announced that it now has capabilities for processing radiopaque fibers. By incorporating radiopaque fibers into diagnostic and interventional medical devices, it allows the devices to become clearly visible under fluoroscopy while maintaining the mechanical properties desired for the specific application. Improved visibility under …

What's New?

Printable sensors can detect pathogens and toxins

March 13, 2023

Scientists at Tufts School of Engineering, Medford, Mass., have developed a way to detect bacteria, toxins and dangerous chemicals in the environment using a biopolymer sensor that can be printed like ink on a wide range of materials, including gloves, masks or other garments. Using an enzyme similar to that found in fireflies, the sensor …