TEXTILES.ORG
Robotic skin can animate objects
October 22nd, 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 […]
Tariff fears stall Lenzing’s US expansion plan
October 19th, 2018
Cellulosic fiber producer Lenzing has announced it will “temporarily mothball” the lyocell expansion project it had planned to implement in Mobile, Ala. “The rising likelihood of increasing trade tariffs, paired with the potential surge in construction costs due to the buoyant U.S. labor market, have increased the risk profile of this project,” the company press […]
2018 Advanced Textiles Student Design Competition Winners Announced
October 18th, 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 […]
Eco-friendly, acoustic panels made of hemp husks
October 18th, 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 […]
Testing basics provide key communication points on textile products
October 17th, 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, […]
IFAI Expo 2018: Show Stopper winners on the floor
October 17th, 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 […]
2018 IFF Greater Good Award winner: Service Thread
October 17th, 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 […]
Advanced textiles market research at Expo
October 17th, 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 […]
Fiber production trends outlined
October 17th, 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 […]
IFF 2018 Innovation Award Winner: W.L. Gore & Associates
October 17th, 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 […]