TEXTILES.ORG
My 11th Expo
October 7th, 2019
IFAI Expo 2019 just closed in Orlando last Friday. It was a busy week! Dozens of educational opportunities in advanced textiles markets were dispersed over three days, in additional to a full afternoon as part of the pre-show events. More than 300 exhibitors – many of them with products I would consider part of the […]
PPE systems benefit from a developmental approach
October 7th, 2019
Marc Mathews recalls his time as a Marine stationed in Iraq, where he wondered about the design and origins of the personal protective equipment (PPE) he wore. “Who made this?” he contemplated. “Who thought this was a good system? Did they test it?” Today, Mathews is a research associate with the Textile Protection and Comfort […]
Insecticides in textiles can be life saving
October 7th, 2019
Kiarash Arangdad, PhD, research and development chemist with Elevate Textiles/Burlington, said in his presentation on the topic, “Application, Efficacy and Performance of Synthetic Pyrethroids vs. Plant-Based Insect Repellents,” that "mosquitoes are the most dangerous animal in the world.” Arangdad spoke at IFAI Expo’s Advanced Textiles Conference October 2 in Orlando, Fla. Arangdad said that 80 […]
IFF Innovation Award winners announced
October 7th, 2019
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) has awarded Propex GeoSolutions, Chattanooga, Tenn., first prize in the 2019 IFF Innovation Award competition. The company’s PETROMAT® Enviro engineered paving fabric won in the category of End Products. Propex GeoSolutions was awarded a prize of $5,000, presented at IFAI Expo in Orlando, Fla. PETROMAT Enviro was developed to solve the milling […]
Serious about soft goods
October 7th, 2019
Presentations at IFAI Expo’s Advanced Textiles Conference explain textiles’ critical role in NASA’s missions. by Janet Preus NASA was among the exhibitors that also served as presenters at IFAI Expo in Orlando last week. In two presentations—an Advanced Textiles Conference education session, and a shorter, more informal “campfire” on the show floor— NASA representatives stressed […]
Award breakfast transforms into a networking event
October 4th, 2019
Keynote speaker Thom Singer hosted IFAI’s annual award ceremony October 3 at Expo 2019, continuing his message to “see people.” As Expo exhibitors and attendees entered the breakfast event, Singer encouraged people to separate from familiar colleagues and sit with new people. This year’s award ceremony was infused with an additional goal—that of networking with […]
Solar encompasses endless possibilities
October 4th, 2019
“The building block is fabric, but there are a million possibilities to utilize solar,” says Pvilion founder and CEO Colin Touhey. Touhey gave an introductory presentation October 3 at Expo 2019 on cases for energy generation in fabric products. One of his first projects using solar cells in fabric was architectural in nature when he […]
Puerto Rico pups steal hearts at IFAI Expo 2019
October 3rd, 2019
Four puppies are hoping to find their lifetime human companions on the show floor of IFAI Expo 2019. Amid the latest fabrics, equipment, technology and services for the specialty fabrics industry, Lorenzo, Lilo, Lolo, and Lulo stole hearts, and, according to some dog lovers—the show—at IFAI Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla. For this Expo, the […]
Follow the right steps to successfully bid on military contracts
October 2nd, 2019
The U.S. government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, and there are enough opportunities available for everyone to participate in military contract bidding, if you follow the right steps, according to Jennifer Fennell, CPM, director of procurement for Polo Custom Products, Topeka, Kan. Fennell and Jeff Papalia, textiles program manager […]
IFAI Expo 2019: Growth through diversification
October 2nd, 2019
Bud Weisbart, vice president of AR Tech, Fontana, Calif., led the advanced textiles conference session “Growing through diversification into technical markets: from trash covers and truck covers to ground support and flight hardware,” presented Tuesday, Oct. 1, at IFAI Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla. The session explored how diversification based on core competencies—capabilities or advantages […]