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Vibrating yoga pants lend a guiding hand
February 18th, 2016
For struggling yogis who can’t always make it to the gym, Wearable Experiments offers vibrating pants to correct errant form. Created by Billie Whitehouse, CEO of the Sydney, Australia-based developer of technical apparel, and co-founder Ben Moir, Nadi smart leggings feature tiny electronics woven into the nylon fabric positioned on the wearer’s hips, knees and […]
Auburn Manufacturing suit targets Chinese dumping
February 16th, 2016
Auburn Manufacturing Inc. (AMI) has filed a petition with the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission requesting imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on certain amorphous silica fabric from the People's Republic of China. AMI, Mechanic Falls, Maine-based maker of extreme-temperature fabrics, is the largest U.S. manufacturer of silica fabric and is […]
TEMPUR-Breeze offers relief for ‘hot sleepers’
February 15th, 2016
Lexington, Ky.-based sleep specialist Tempur Sealy International Inc. has introduced the new TEMPUR-Breeze™ line that offers adaptive support, pressure relief and motion dispersal, while also leveraging proprietary technologies that enable consumers to sleep cooler. Innovations featured in the TEMPUR-Breeze line include the combination of state-of-the-art PureCool™ technology, breathable design and a cooling cover. PureCool and […]
Balega offers blister-resistant socks
February 12th, 2016
South African running specialists Balega introduces its new Blister Resist sock that works to eliminate the risk of sheer friction blisters. A combination of mohair and Drynamix polyester keeps feet cool and dry—Drynamix pushes sweat away from the skin while mohair has the ability to hold moisture and while keeping feet warm in winter and […]
UNC Athletics releases highlights of recycling efforts with Repreve
February 11th, 2016
A university-wide 12 percent increase in collected recycling materials has been reported by UNC Athletics, the athletics department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Greensboro, N.C.-based yarn maker Unifi Inc., makers of Repreve® fiber, joined the university in 2014 to raise awareness among students, faculty, fans and alumni about recycling and how […]
Partnership to advance organic fiber
February 5th, 2016
Textile Exchange and the Organic Trade Association (OTA) have entered a joint effort to strengthen the North American organic textile industry’s public policy influence and public relations efforts. The two groups will work together on legislative advocacy, public outreach and consumer education initiatives. The agreement was signed in conjunction with the recent formation of the […]
Bio-skin could transform responsive materials
February 5th, 2016
Initiated in the MIT Media Lab, and supported in part by sportswear company New Balance, bioLogic is an effort to program living organisms and invent responsive and transformable interfaces of the future. At the crux of this effort is the discovery of a new behavior of an ancient bacteria: the expansion and contraction of the […]
Learning something new every day
February 5th, 2016
I learned something new writing this month’s features. (Well, I always learn something new preparing copy for this publication.) But this revelation helped me see innovation in a new light. Our topic this month is coatings and finishes, and the feature will run in two parts. I talked to coaters as well as the suppliers who […]
Graphene-enhanced sportswear launched
February 5th, 2016
Italian sportswear brand Colmar has launched a sportswear collection containing Graphene Plus, made by Directa Plus, a producer of graphene-based products based in Italy. This is the first application of Graphene Plus nanotechnology in sportswear. Graphene, an innovative nanotech material derived from graphite, significantly improves performance for the benefit of athletes, professionals and sports enthusiasts. […]
Hohenstein Institute is studying “fabric feel”
February 5th, 2016
There is a science behind how different textiles feel on the body, and a European research project called Touché is working at getting a better understanding of “fabric feel” and textile touch. A joint German-Belgian project, Touché is studying the interaction between human skin and textiles, and how textiles are perceived. The German research team […]