Organizations connect to abate microplastics release
January 22nd, 2018
A group of European industry associations has formulated an agreement to address the harmful effects of releasing microplastics into oceans and waterways. The agreement’s aim is to prevent harm to the environment associated with microplastics released from synthetic textile washing—an issue potentially affecting billions of people around the globe. An article in Textile World reports […]
NC State, VF Corp. announce new partnership
January 22nd, 2018
VF Corp. and North Carolina State University have announced a new partnership. VF has a long-standing relationship with the university’s College of Textiles, but this new multi-year agreement is further strengthened by NC State’s Poole College of Management, which brings particular expertise in business analytics and supply chain management. The partnership adds structure to existing collaborations and creates new opportunities […]
Beaulieu introduces EqoBalance polyamide yarns
January 19th, 2018
Beaulieu announced its new EqoBalance PA6 yarns. Production of the polyamide yarns follows the biomass balance approach, which ensures at the start of the supply chain that natural renewable raw materials partially or completely replace fossil fuel sources. The process uses resources such as biogas or bio-naphtha to manufacture the polyamide. The share of bio-based […]
IFAI Webinar: Smart Fabrics Market, Current Developments
January 9th, 2018
January 17, 2018 | 1 p.m. CST $29 Members; $79 Non-Members This IFAI webinar provides a comprehensive overview of recent smart fabric applications used in a number of government, commercial, medical and consumer market segments. The discussion will cover developments in the military, law enforcement, safety and protective markets, the wearable electronics consumer retail market, the […]
The academia and industry partnership
January 8th, 2018
Centers for innovation offer new opportunities for collaborative work. Over the past year there has been noticeable growth globally in the number of innovation centers. The textile industry is grappling with a pace of technological change across all areas, from farming practices and manufacturing equipment to fiber development and retail models. Any one of these […]
Collaboration is where it’s at
January 8th, 2018
We’re going to start this year out with a one-question test: Name five institutions of higher learning/research institutions that have industry partners. You have 20 seconds. Go. Done? Maybe some of you named more than five. Maybe as many as 10. With a longer time limit, you might have been able to fill a page […]
Grant will support fiber and fabric research at MIT
January 8th, 2018
Secretary Jay Ash of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development has announced a $3.9 million state grant to support the Defense Fabric Discovery Center (DFDC) at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory. The award will promote the center's mission of innovating advanced fibers and fabrics for defense applications. "Massachusetts has a long history of supporting […]
“The Shoe That Grows” designed for children
January 8th, 2018
In 2007, Kenton Lee was living in Nairobi, Kenya. One day he noticed a little girl wearing shoes that were way too small for her feet. Lee wondered, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand, so that kids always had a pair of shoes that fit?” And "The Shoe […]
The all-encompassing commitment
January 8th, 2018
Sustainability is a way of doing business, and certification systems can support the effort. “Sustainable practice in simple terms means looking after workers, using quality materials, minimizing waste and making fair margins.” This statement from the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) does indeed put the topic in simple terms, which is […]
Nanowear and Secant form partnership in nanosensor technology
January 8th, 2018
Nanowear has entered into an exclusive, worldwide supply-chain partnership agreement with Secant Group for scaled manufacturing and production of its medical-grade, cloth-based nanosensor technology. A year ago, Nanowear acquired FDA approval of its proprietary cloth-based remote cardiac monitoring technology. The Secant Group will help meet Nanowear’s production goals by providing the necessary design, development and […]