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Changing landscape of textile engineering education
November 19, 2018
Cotton and textile engineering education’s landscape has been changing to better reflect the change and growth in the field. Prof. Gajanan Bhat, chair of the Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, at Athens-based University of Georgia (UGA), describes how fiber science and textile engineering education has evolved – and continues to do so. In 2018 …
What's New?
New weaves, color palette for sling fabrics
November 16, 2018
Serge Ferrari has launched its 2019 collection for two of its sling mesh fabrics, Batyline Duo and Batyline Iso, a recent release says. Batyline Iso is Serge Ferrari’s original sling fabric. Coated high-tenacity polyester yarns are threaded one in warp and one in weft for a square-weave pragmatic construction. Most Iso fabrics are single color, …
Industry News
IFAI Installs Solar Panels Reducing Costs and Pollution
November 14, 2018
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) headquarters, located in Roseville, Minnesota, reduce their electricity usage by installing solar energy panels. Projected savings is $85,000 over the next 20 years, which IFAI plans to reinvest. “One of our core values is to reduce our environmental footprint and the solar array is a big step. We will be …
Featured
E-textiles: where we are
November 12, 2018
With breakthrough technologies and standards under development, it’s been a turning point year for e-textiles. IFAI’s Expo 2018 in Dallas in October offered a good variety of topics in its presentations and a range of products across advanced textiles markets. Medical and health, protective and safety, smart fabrics, solar textiles and military applications were among …
Industry News
Where the textile industry gathers
November 12, 2018
IFAI Expo 2018 delivered new information and opportunities for business connections across textile market areas. Industrial Fabrics Association International Expo (IFAI Expo) offered a variety of exhibitors, events and education and attracted more than 4,350 verified registered participants from IFAI Expo and 500 scanned leads from CAMX to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in …
EcoNote
Textile waste is turned into dye powders
November 12, 2018
Officina+39, an Italian textile chemical company, is preparing to scale up the production of Recycrom colour powders made from used clothing and textile waste. The new technology developed by Officina+39 uses 100 percent recycled materials to create long-lasting colors with a natural washed-out look. The product offers a range of pigment powders using textile fibers …
My Take
What I think about Expo this year – and every year
November 12, 2018
Every Expo is different. But I’ve attended nine of them now, and every year I see something new, meet someone I didn’t know previously, get a better understanding of new technology and products, make crucial connections for future articles in Advanced Textiles Source—and have a good time. I get to know my writers as people, …
What's New?
Technical swimsuit expected to break world records
November 12, 2018
California-based swim and triathlon apparel brand TYR Sport has unveiled its new technical swimsuit, which has been designed with the help of a number of Olympic athletes. The TYR Venzo was presented at an event in Laguna Beach, Calif. in October. Among the swimmers present at the launch were five-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky and …
EcoNote
Biodegradable synthetic insulation introduced
November 12, 2018
PrimaLoft Inc. announces that it has introduced PrimaLoft Bio, a synthetic insulation made from 100 percent recycled, biodegradable fibers. The idea was born in 2014 when a PrimaLoft product manager said during a weekly research and development meeting, “Why can’t we just make a jacket insulation that we can bury in the backyard?” PrimaLoft then …
Industry News
BGF Industries relocates to Virginia
November 6, 2018
Porcher Industries’ subsidiary BGF Industries Inc. has announced its planned investment of $7 million to relocate its headquarters and research and development activities from Greensboro, North Carolina, to the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In early 2019, the company will construct a facility measuring 2,320 square meters at Cyber Park, owned by the …
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Expo News
2018 Advanced Textiles Student Design Competition Winners Announced
October 18, 2018
Advanced Textile Products and the Narrow Fabrics Institute, divisions of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), recently selected the winners of the 2018 Advanced Textiles Student Design Competition. The awards were announced during IFAI Expo 2018, held in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 15-18. First Place First-place honors went to J. Walter Lee, Stephanie Wang and Caroline …
Expo News
Testing basics provide key communication points on textile products
October 17, 2018
When you plan to sell a textile product, there are numerous reasons to test it before taking it to market. Many of those testing results tell you what you can ultimately communicate to others about your product, and what they can expect of your product. Dr. Emiel DenHartog, North Carolina State University, College of Textiles, …
Expo News
IFAI Expo 2018: Show Stopper winners on the floor
October 17, 2018
All the best from Texas: Wednesday morning, Oct. 17, at IFAI Expo led off with lists of winners for the year, including the most popular products on the show floor. The seventh annual Show Stopper competition was designed to showcase the best of the best in the industry, from fabrics, equipment and chemicals to services …
Expo News
2018 IFF Greater Good Award winner: Service Thread
October 17, 2018
Service Thread, based in Laurinburg, N.C., was awarded the 2018 Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) Greater Good Award at IFAI Expo 2018 in Dallas, Texas. The Greater Good Award focuses on an IFAI member company that does good business—and strives to be a good neighbor, good citizen, and good partner. Nomination criteria were based on the …
Expo News
Advanced textiles market research at Expo
October 17, 2018
Jeff Rasmussen, IFAI market research director, presented a brief overview of the advanced textiles market at IFAI’s Expo 2018 in Dallas this week. His research reveals that steady growth should be expected at 8.8 percent for 2018 (the same as 2017). In his Advanced Textiles Market Update, Rasmussen pointed to the overlay between the smart …
Expo News
Fiber production trends outlined
October 17, 2018
An update on fiber production did not reveal any big surprises, but it did provide some important details assessing the nature of the market today. In a “Campfire” session on the show floor, Darrell Collier, Tecnon OrbiChem, showed participants the growth trajectory and market dominance that polyester since it entered the textile market. Collier also …
Expo News
IFF 2018 Innovation Award Winner: W.L. Gore & Associates
October 17, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) has announced W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., Newark, Del., as the winner of the 2018 IFF Innovation Award. The company’s GORE-TEX® PYRAD® fabric won in the category of Fabrics, Fibers and Films. The award was presented at IFAI Expo 2018 at IFAI’s annual meeting, held Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the …
Expo News
2018 International Achievement Award Winners Announced
October 17, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has awarded this year’s International Achievement Awards (IAA) for design excellence in specialty fabrics applications, announced at the awards breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at IFAI Expo 2018. IFAI Expo is the largest specialty fabrics trade show in North America, held this year at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention …
Expo News
Sharpen your competitive edge
October 17, 2018
Asking yourself one simple question can help make your business a magnet for new customers, says marketing professional Madeleine MacRae, owner of MM MacRae Coaching & Consulting. “That question is ‘Who is your ideal client?’” In her Oct. 16 Expo session on distinguishing yourself in the marketplace, MacRae says answering this question is the key …
Expo News
GlideWear finds new applications in reducing friction
October 16, 2018
A variety of advanced textile products were discussed in sessions during IFAI’s Pre-Expo Conference Oct. 15. Caroline Portoghese explained how her company’s product, called GlideWear, offers innovative skin protection by reducing friction and shear to prevent skin tears and blisters. The product has been used by athletes, burn patients wearing compression garments, in wheelchair components …
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VYNGUARD® Anti-Graffiti Chemical & Stain Test
Featured
E-textiles: where we are
November 12, 2018
With breakthrough technologies and standards under development, it’s been a turning point year for e-textiles. IFAI’s Expo 2018 in Dallas in October offered a good variety of topics in its presentations and a range of products across advanced textiles markets. Medical and health, protective and safety, smart fabrics, solar textiles and military applications were among …
Featured
Move over, synthetics
October 22, 2018
There’s a new appreciation for the versatility of natural fibers in high tech fabrics. Since the industrial revolution, textiles have transitioned from natural fibers of cotton, wool, silk and linen, to textiles created from petroleum products and reconstituted wood pulp. Today’s synthetic fibers are stronger, cheaper to manufacture, and have proven easily adaptable to a …
Featured
Natural fibers, unconventional uses
October 8, 2018
Bio-based technologies show promise in addressing textile sustainability concerns. The introduction of new regulations and standards can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the industry or material group that it is directed at. Europe adopted a European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy earlier this year and is seriously considering the introduction …
Featured
Protecting the protectors
September 24, 2018
The DHS addresses crucial needs with its First Responder PPE Program. First responders—from firefighters to law enforcement to emergency medical services technicians—need to be ready daily to handle any situation they encounter, and they need the appropriate gear to quickly respond to emergencies. They courageously confront risk, drawing on their experience to make sound decisions in …
Featured
HEROES and collaborators
September 24, 2018
Behind every effective PPE are materials designed for specific and critical purposes. When we think of personal protective equipment (PPE), we may first visualize the end applications: a firefighters turnout gear or a soldier’s helmet, perhaps. How these products are constructed is important, but the materials that go into them are equally crucial in making …
Featured
Understanding the protective textiles market
September 10, 2018
Participants can benefit from strong growth predictions when armed with solid information. The protective textiles sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4 percent, according to a recent report by Leeds, U.K.-based WTiN Intelligence Service. Earlier estimates by other market survey agencies, such as Grand View Research, estimated the annual growth rate …
Featured
What textiles could become
August 20, 2018
Three industry leaders talk about innovation in the textile industry and how early adopters impact the development of new technologies and products. IoClothes describes itself as “A Community Fusing Tech & TextilesTM” that exists to support those who innovate by providing information and helping them to establish the right connections to move forward. Managing director …
Featured
Tackling wrinkling in advanced textile composites
August 6, 2018
New research shows breakthroughs in solving a persistent challenge in textile composite manufacturing. The birth of the modern composites industry dates back to the introduction of high performance continuous fibers, including aramid and carbon, in the 1960s. Over the years, the increasing availability of such fibers has allowed the rapid development of a range of …
Featured
Tomorrow’s composites
July 23, 2018
The ability to incorporate new materials into composites could open up another world of possibilities. In material science, strength alone is often found to have its limitations so that a combination of hard and soft, rigid and flexible is an area of increasing interest for a wide range of applications from building, to sports equipment, …
Featured
The world of composites
July 9, 2018
Fiber-based composite development sparks special interest. Composites is a high-growth industry and, according to two major market intelligence groups, will reach more than $100 billion by 2022. Paris-based JEC Composites has estimated that this sector grew from $75 billion to $82 billion in one year during 2015-16 and will reach a value of $103 billion …
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VYNGUARD® Anti-Graffiti Chemical & Stain Test
Industry News
Changing landscape of textile engineering education
November 19, 2018
Cotton and textile engineering education’s landscape has been changing to better reflect the change and growth in the field. Prof. Gajanan Bhat, chair of the Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, at Athens-based University of Georgia (UGA), describes how fiber science and textile engineering education has evolved – and continues to do so. In 2018 …
Industry News
IFAI Installs Solar Panels Reducing Costs and Pollution
November 14, 2018
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) headquarters, located in Roseville, Minnesota, reduce their electricity usage by installing solar energy panels. Projected savings is $85,000 over the next 20 years, which IFAI plans to reinvest. “One of our core values is to reduce our environmental footprint and the solar array is a big step. We will be …
Industry News
Where the textile industry gathers
November 12, 2018
IFAI Expo 2018 delivered new information and opportunities for business connections across textile market areas. Industrial Fabrics Association International Expo (IFAI Expo) offered a variety of exhibitors, events and education and attracted more than 4,350 verified registered participants from IFAI Expo and 500 scanned leads from CAMX to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in …
Industry News
BGF Industries relocates to Virginia
November 6, 2018
Porcher Industries’ subsidiary BGF Industries Inc. has announced its planned investment of $7 million to relocate its headquarters and research and development activities from Greensboro, North Carolina, to the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In early 2019, the company will construct a facility measuring 2,320 square meters at Cyber Park, owned by the …
Industry News
Superior comfort for adventure skiers
November 2, 2018
As part of its FW 2018 collection, Black Crows introduces the women’s Ventus Hybrid Alpha Jacket. Made from Polartec® Alpha® breathable insulation that introduced the concept of active insulation, Black Crows brings a touch of style to this hi-tech and ultra-functional apparel. Originally developed for U.S. Special Forces to create a superior insulation system for …
Industry News
Thin, flexible batteries market report released
October 31, 2018
IDTechEx has released a new report, “Flexible, Printed and Thin Film Batteries 2019–2029.” The report includes information gleaned since 2014 about market progress of flexible, thin-film, or printed batteries, as well as those using novel form factors. The market is complex, a recent release from IDTechEx says, involving solutions from many categories: printed batteries, thin-film …
Industry News
Textile machinery business transfer completed
October 29, 2018
With the final transfer of ownership effective October 1, 2018, Oerlikon Barmag Spinnzwirn became the independent company STC Spinnzwirn GmbH (Starlinger Textile machinery Chemnitz). In May 2018, the Austrian Starlinger Group announced the acquisition of the Chemnitz-based business unit Barmag Spinnzwirn from Oerlikon. STC Spinnzwirn has more than 150 years of textile machinery engineering experience. …
Industry News
Huntsman, Chemours expand alliance
October 25, 2018
Huntsman Textile Effects and The Chemours Company FC, LLC have agreed to expand their long-term alliance in the area of durable water repellence (DWR). The expansion of research and development, marketing, technical support and manufacturing is expected to also expand the two companies’ commitment to sustainability. In addition to fluorinated solutions, the companies will now …
Industry News
IFF 2018 Innovation Award winner announced
October 22, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) has announced W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., Newark, Del., as the winner of the 2018 IFF Innovation Award. The company’s GORE-TEX® PYRAD® fabric won in the category of Fabrics, Fibers and Films. GORE-TEX PYRAD is a revolutionary new technology that offers weather protection utilizing a waterproof, windproof and breathable GORE-TEX …
Industry News
Advanced textiles market research presented at IFAI Expo 2018
October 22, 2018
IFAI market research director Jeff Rasmussen told his audience at IFAI’s Expo 2018 in Dallas that the 8.8 percent growth in the advanced textiles market reported in 2017 will also be true of 2018. In his Advanced Textiles Market Update, Rasmussen pointed to the overlay between the smart fabrics and the advanced textile products (ATP) …
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Out There
Robotic skin can animate objects
October 22, 2018
Scientists at Yale University have developed a robotic skin that can be applied to inanimate objects seemingly bringing them to life. The elastic “skin” sheets are embedded with a variety of sensors and actuators capable of animating the legs of a stuffed animal or causing a foam tube to flex. This type of robotic technology …
Out There
Eco-friendly, acoustic panels made of hemp husks
October 18, 2018
Russian design studio Aotta presents a new sound-absorbing and lightweight panel made of hemp husks. A completely organic material, the husks are routinely disposed of as useless waste. That means the material is a cheap resource. Aotta’s hemp husk panels are a naturally porous membrane for absorbing sound reflections, and it can regulate the humidity …
Out There
Researchers investigate seeds’ natural “armor”
October 8, 2018
Biomimicry has revealed ways that nature can be copied to create new products and improve existing ones. Recently, a team of researchers from the University of New Hampshire in the U.S. has shown how the seed coats of certain plants could help in the development of flexible materials that are strong and resilient. An article …
Out There
Printing 3D sand: strength and design freedom in concrete
August 20, 2018
Researchers in Switzerland have fabricated a lightweight 80-square-meter concrete slab ceiling that uses 3D sand printing for its formwork. The ceiling consists of 11 segments of Smart Slab, which is 20 millimeters at its thinnest point and is reported to be less than half the weight of a conventional concrete ceiling, although even at half …
Out There
Giant space blanket serves a communal purpose
August 6, 2018
Moscow-based designer Alex Shtanuk will be contributing a piece of space travel nostalgia to the 2018 Burning Man gathering later this summer in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, while giving festival attendees a place to escape the desert heat. A giant “space blanket” will provide a casual place for festival goers to find a …
Out There
Functioning QR codes are woven into a jacket
July 23, 2018
Artist Julie Helles Ericksen has created a jacket with QR codes woven into it that can access digital information as the wearer shares it. According to Ericksen, “We communicate to others through what we wear, what we post on social media and what we choose to hide. We curate ourselves to present different versions.” Ericksen …
Out There
Wearable controller tracks hand and finger gestures
July 10, 2018
A hand-wearable device called Kai enables the wearer to control any digital device by tracking hand and finger gestures. Human augmentation start-up Vicara has created the device, a smart band that fits over the hand, that’s meant to increase productivity. Kai features gesture-based computer interaction technology that is compatible with any bluetooth-enabled device, including laptops, …
Out There
Facial recognition technology used in adidas display
June 25, 2018
Adidas has commissioned designer Behnaz Farahi to create a display case with the ability to “read” facial expressions and respond to them. According to the designer, the emotive display called “Mesolite” was designed to showcase an adidas concept shoe. The name is a reference to Mesolite crystals, which it closely resembles in its appearance. The project is …
Out There
Textile art pays homage
June 19, 2018
Textile artist Tamara Kostianovsky’s latest creations, a series called Tree Stumps, uses strips of fabric gleaned from her late father’s clothing. The intricately layered detailed forms are an allusion to her father’s body returning to the environment after his passing. Kostianovsky was inspired by Andean people who believe that Mother Earth is embodied in the surrounding …
Out There
Fabric has user-controlled color and pattern function
June 11, 2018
The College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) announces that it has produced a fabric that allows the user to change the color or pattern of the fabric via smartphone. According to the university, CREOL’s ChroMorphous technology can be applied to large, woven fabrics and cut-and-sewn textile products. Each …
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What's New?
New weaves, color palette for sling fabrics
November 16, 2018
Serge Ferrari has launched its 2019 collection for two of its sling mesh fabrics, Batyline Duo and Batyline Iso, a recent release says. Batyline Iso is Serge Ferrari’s original sling fabric. Coated high-tenacity polyester yarns are threaded one in warp and one in weft for a square-weave pragmatic construction. Most Iso fabrics are single color, …
What's New?
Technical swimsuit expected to break world records
November 12, 2018
California-based swim and triathlon apparel brand TYR Sport has unveiled its new technical swimsuit, which has been designed with the help of a number of Olympic athletes. The TYR Venzo was presented at an event in Laguna Beach, Calif. in October. Among the swimmers present at the launch were five-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky and …
What's New?
Fabrics and textiles are giving electronics a softer look
October 29, 2018
An article on Slate says that a number of companies are opting for using textiles in the electronic products they make. While much of the tech world is still made of glass, aluminum, plastic, and composites, textiles are emerging as a stylish way to accessorize and protect the tech used by consumers in their homes. A “smorgasbord …
What's New?
Award-winning projects recognized at IFAI Expo 2018
October 22, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has awarded this year’s International Achievement Awards (IAA) for design excellence in specialty fabrics applications, which were announced at the awards breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at IFAI Expo 2018 in Dallas, Texas. For seven decades, IAA has recognized excellence in design and innovation. The organization’s goal is to …
Expo News
GlideWear finds new applications in reducing friction
October 16, 2018
A variety of advanced textile products were discussed in sessions during IFAI’s Pre-Expo Conference Oct. 15. Caroline Portoghese explained how her company’s product, called GlideWear, offers innovative skin protection by reducing friction and shear to prevent skin tears and blisters. The product has been used by athletes, burn patients wearing compression garments, in wheelchair components …
What's New?
NAFTA replacement has textile chapter
October 10, 2018
The United States, Mexico and Canada have concluded negotiations on a trade agreement to replace NAFTA. The text of the deal, referred to as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, was released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. “The U.S. textile industry is pleased the United States, Mexico and Canada have reached an agreement because …
What's New?
Mechanical exoskeleton developed for manual workers
October 8, 2018
Italian technology and innovation company Comau has created MATE (muscular aiding tech exoskeleton), a wearable ergonomic support device that eases the strain of repetitive movements. Developed in collaboration with ÖSSUR, an Icelandic noninvasive orthopedic company, and IUVO, a spin-off company of the Italian BioRobotics Institute specializing in wearable technologies, the MATE Exoskeleton is able to …
What's New?
Origami kayak for two launched
October 1, 2018
Oru Kayak’s latest folding watercraft is a tandem—the first of its kind, says the company. The largest of Oru’s origami-inspired models, the Haven goes from box to water in about 10 minutes, an article on designboom.com reports. Oru chief designer and company co-founder, Anton Willis, explained that the new foldable kayak was “designed with families …
What's New?
Reversible, all-season tent introduced
September 24, 2018
The makers of a new, unique tent call it “revolutionary,” but what may be most revolutionary about the company is what it does with its tents. Billion Bricks Ltd., a Singapore-based nonprofit design and technology studio, says its weatherHYDE tent is the world’s only reversible, all-season, family tent. While campers and outdoor enthusiasts are likely …
What's New?
Wūru Wool brings blister prevention secrets to the U.S.
September 12, 2018
Outdoor and endurance athletes may appreciate the blister-preventative properties of loose lanolin-rich wool, to be available this fall from New Zealand by Salt Lake City based brand, Wūru Wool. While New Zealanders have used loose wool for decades to reduce soreness, minimize blisters, regulate temperature, and keep feet dry, Wuru says that it’s the first …
