U.S. Army wish list
November 7th, 2014
The U.S. Army tells the textile industry exactly what it wants in the next generation of protective clothing, gear and structures. Fiber reinforced, insect repellant, modular, ergonomic, chemical resistant, paper thin but super tough, omniphobic. These are some of the properties the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) is seeking to […]
Designing for failure prevention
November 6th, 2014
As C.S. Lewis would have it, “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” Haskell Beckham of the scientific and engineering consulting firm Exponent Inc. likely would agree. Speaking on “Failure Analysis of Industrial Fabrics and Design for Failure Prevention” as part of the 2014 IFAI Advanced Textiles Expo, Beckham identified failure as “the […]
Garmatex, BASE360 Inc. launch protective sports apparel
November 5th, 2014
Vancouver, B.C.-based fabric developer Garmatex Technologies and BASE360 Inc., manufacturer of safety products for high risk sports, will offer new protective hockey wear to the Canadian market. The apparel is designed to save lives through the use of new fabric technologies. BASE360 Inc. was founded to provide a better form of body protection on the […]
SBI secures license for Unequal’s military-grade protection
November 5th, 2014
SBI Inc.—a supplier of armor, apparel and accessories to the military, government and police—has signed a worldwide exclusive agreement with Unequal Technologies Co. to launch the EXO Skeleton line of tactical protective apparel and equipment. A military-grade version of Unequal's patented composite of coated Kevlar and Accelleron, EXO Skeleton is a thin, lightweight, flexible barrier […]
Crypton® textiles added to Victor Group’s Facts-certified products
November 5th, 2014
Victor Group announces that it has completed a comprehensive third-party certification project based on the new Facts sustainability certification program for its commercial fabrics using patented Crypton® technology. To achieve Facts certification, products must meet the multi-attribute requirements of the NSF/ANSI 336 standard. Facts, a new mark, is owned by the Association for Contract Textiles […]
Suitable for space
November 4th, 2014
New spacesuit design could replace bulky pressurized suits. According to an article written for www.commodityonline.com by Seshadri Ramkumar, professor at Texas Tech University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers are a step closer to develop active “second-skin” space suits. MIT professor of aeronautics Dava Newman and her collaborators have developed active, spring-like coils made from […]
ITMA innovation award nominees set
November 4th, 2014
Five companies are finalists for the International Textile Machinery Association (ITMA) Innovator of the Year award, and another five were named finalists for Launch of the Year. More than 50 companies are nominated in 10 “best innovation” categories, and three will be cited as “company of the year,” determined by size. Awards will be presented […]
Bayer MaterialScience and bluesign form partnership
November 4th, 2014
Bayer MaterialScience and bluesign technologies have agreed to enter into a strategic alliance to help ensure safe production processes and working conditions along the entire textile value chain. The bluesign® system defines criteria for chemicals use, including the responsible use of resources, effective hazardous materials management and the elimination of all dangerous substances. Bayer MaterialScience […]
IAC free webinar on odor-control technology, markets and regulations
November 4th, 2014
The International Antimicrobial Council (IAC), will offer a webinar entitled “Odor Control for Today’s Consumer: Understanding the Technology and the Market” Oct. 22, the first in a series of educational webinars the IAC is producing to improve understanding of the benefits of antimicrobials, as well as the provisions for responsible use. “It is important for […]
zero2Infinity will launch nanosatellites from the stratosphere
October 27th, 2014
Spanish company zero2Infinity, which conducts unmanned scientific and technical flights, plans to launch nanosatellites from the stratosphere in its next project scheduled for November. Known for its near-Space ballooning experience, the company has been working to expand its capabilities to include a nanosatellite launch vehicle, named "bloostar," to offer launch-on-demand for small satellites. zero2Infinity has […]