New body armor offers female soldiers a better fit

August 9, 2021  |  In the Industry

An NPR report described the personal experience of Maj. Melissa Elledge, deployed to combat zones twice when she had to wear body armor designed for male soldiers. This armor’s failing for female soldiers is not just uncomfortable, it’s potentially dangerous; bad fit created gaps at the arm open…
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Soft automotive top stands up to extreme cold

July 26, 2021  |  In the Industry

To demonstrate the resilience of the Lexus LC Convertible under extreme weather conditions, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) recently froze the vehicle at – 18 C (-40 F). While in deep freeze at the Millbrook Cold Weather Chamber, the convertible was outfitted with a high-performance Sonnenland…
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ESA seeks ways to make spacesuit underclothes more hygienic

July 12, 2021  |  In the Industry

The European Space Agency (ESA) is working on a more hygienic kind of underclothing worn by astronauts in their spacesuits. The ESA reports that the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) will work with the Vienna Textile Lab on the BACTeRMA project to test textiles with improved anti-bacterial properties for …
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AR Tech products support Delta IV Heavy rocket launch

July 12, 2021  |  In the Industry

When a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base recently, it was carrying the NROL-82 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). AR Tech, a division of A&R Tarpaulins Inc., Fontana, Calif., provided essential products in support of thi…
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IFAI Expo to celebrate 100 years

June 28, 2021  |  In the Industry

For a century, IFAI Expo has been the industrial fabrics industry’s flagship show. More than 4,000 industry participants gather to learn, conduct business, share ideas and make the connections necessary to support their businesses.  The Advanced Textiles (AT) Conference is an integral part of…
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Lectra completes acquisition of Gerber Technology

June 11, 2021  |  In the Industry

Lectra recently finalized the acquisition of all outstanding shares of Gerber Technology. This strategic combination, of which all stages have now been successfully completed, has led to the creation of a global Industry 4.0 player for the fashion, automotive and furniture markets, the company repor…
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Solmax finalizes TenCate Geosynthetics acquisition

June 3, 2021  |  In the Industry

by Todd R. Berger Montreal-based geosynthetics manufacturer Solmax has finalized the acquisition of TenCate Geosynthetics, headquartered in Pendergrass, Ga. Jean-Louis Vangeluwe, president of Solmax, spoke with IFAI’s Geosynthetics magazine about the acquisition and what he envision…
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AFFOA to launch project call on June 1

May 24, 2021  |  In the Industry

The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) announces the launch of Project Call 2.0 (PC 2.0) via webinar on June 1, 2021. AFFOA plans to fund approximately $3 million in new development to expand technology capabilities and jumpstart key areas of strategic technology growth towards the …
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Face masks “critical until herd immunity”

May 6, 2021  |  In the Industry

by Seshadri Ramkumar Vaccinations and other countermeasures such as face masks and physical distancing are critical to conquer the pandemic, as indicated by the second pandemic wave ravaging India.  A single day recently saw 352,991 new cases, making it a global record since the beginning …
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Protective clothing conference set for May 2021

April 26, 2021  |  In the Industry

German textile testing, certification and research company Hohenstein will host the 9th European Conference on Protective Clothing (ECPC) May 10-12, 2021, in Stuttgart, Germany. The conference may also be live-streamed.  The ECPC conference is a platform to exchange and discuss resear…
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