October 8, 2018
Bio-based technologies show promise in addressing textile sustainability concerns. The introduction of new regulations and standards can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the industry or material group that it is directed at. Europe adopted a European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy earlier this year and is seriously considering the introduction …
September 24, 2018
The DHS addresses crucial needs with its First Responder PPE Program. First responders—from firefighters to law enforcement to emergency medical services technicians—need to be ready daily to handle any situation they encounter, and they need the appropriate gear to quickly respond to emergencies. They courageously confront risk, drawing on their experience to make sound decisions in …
Behind every effective PPE are materials designed for specific and critical purposes. When we think of personal protective equipment (PPE), we may first visualize the end applications: a firefighters turnout gear or a soldier’s helmet, perhaps. How these products are constructed is important, but the materials that go into them are equally crucial in making …
September 10, 2018
Participants can benefit from strong growth predictions when armed with solid information. The protective textiles sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4 percent, according to a recent report by Leeds, U.K.-based WTiN Intelligence Service. Earlier estimates by other market survey agencies, such as Grand View Research, estimated the annual growth rate …
August 20, 2018
Three industry leaders talk about innovation in the textile industry and how early adopters impact the development of new technologies and products. IoClothes describes itself as “A Community Fusing Tech & TextilesTM” that exists to support those who innovate by providing information and helping them to establish the right connections to move forward. Managing director …
August 6, 2018
New research shows breakthroughs in solving a persistent challenge in textile composite manufacturing. The birth of the modern composites industry dates back to the introduction of high performance continuous fibers, including aramid and carbon, in the 1960s. Over the years, the increasing availability of such fibers has allowed the rapid development of a range of …
July 23, 2018
The ability to incorporate new materials into composites could open up another world of possibilities. In material science, strength alone is often found to have its limitations so that a combination of hard and soft, rigid and flexible is an area of increasing interest for a wide range of applications from building, to sports equipment, …
July 9, 2018
Fiber-based composite development sparks special interest. Composites is a high-growth industry and, according to two major market intelligence groups, will reach more than $100 billion by 2022. Paris-based JEC Composites has estimated that this sector grew from $75 billion to $82 billion in one year during 2015-16 and will reach a value of $103 billion …
June 25, 2018
Harvard researchers collaborate in developing soft, wearable robotics for hands. Soft, wearable robotics is an emerging field which looks at methods of enabling functional, powered support to assist human movements using lightweight, low-profile and flexible materials such as textiles. A diverse team of researchers in the Harvard Biodesign Lab at the Wyss Institute for Biologically …
June 11, 2018
Soft robotics and exoskeletons offer human-centric solutions. On March 19, 2018, the New York Times ran a headline that said, “Self-Driving Uber Car Kills Pedestrian in Arizona, Where Robots Roam.” Although the science of robotics has made impressive strides, robots are having something of a crisis of identity. For more than a century science fiction …