Taking action
March 30, 2020
The textile industry moves quickly to provide critical supplies to fight COVID-19. This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (yellow)—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. Photo: National Institute of Allergy
Read MoreDevelopments in the advanced fibers market
March 9, 2020
High performance and sustainability are the drivers in materials research. by Seshadri Ramkumar The textile industry is a major contributor to the manufacturing sector. While labor costs and market competition have forced the textile industry to move from predominantly Western countries to Eastern ones, the high-performance textiles sector that focuses
Read MoreTrade, tariffs and textiles
February 24, 2020
The impact of the Trump administration’s trade actions on the textile industry. by Lawrence A. Ward and Dave Townsend Textile trade has long been complicated, requiring careful attention to the source and production methods throughout the supply chain to determine whether imports were allowed under quotas, or what tariff rate
Read MoreBrexit and the larger European trade picture
February 10, 2020
New, long-term trading partnerships are just beginning to take shape. by Marie O’Mahony The only trade certainty at present would seem to be uncertainty. As old alliances are fractured, new allegiances are starting to form. While they may not offer the same financial benefits—at least initially—these may ultimately offer economic
Read MoreThe future with plant-regenerated synthetics
January 27, 2020
Sustainability issues leap to the forefront in creating new synthetic fibers. by Ericka Ford, Ph.D. Robert Hooke’s 1664 belief—that plants eaten by the silkworm could spin into a silk alternative—was an oversimplification of the biological processes that ultimately allowed the food satiated silkworm to spin silk. Nevertheless, the timely invention
Read MoreInsights into the year ahead
January 13, 2020
Industry experts point to market need, collaboration and sustainability to drive textile markets this year. by Marie O’Mahony The start of a new year is a time to consider what might lie ahead and what might be the trends, technologies and global events that could offer opportunity for the industry
Read MoreMaking protective apparel safer
December 16, 2019
New standard reduces exposure gaps to multiple hazards by Glenna B. Musante Improving safety apparel for workers operating in hazardous situations is a constant effort by the textile industry, but a task not always easily accomplished. Hazardous materials professionals can be exposed to any number of chemical, biological and flammable
Read MoreA clear pathway to new product development
December 9, 2019
By Janet Preus “Failure’s not a bad thing; it’s a necessary requirement of product development,” said Dr. Martin W. King. “But if you fail, fail early,” he added. King is a professor in Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) at the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University. He
Read MoreWeaving the biomedical structure
December 9, 2019
by Amir Islam As medical technology increases, so too does the availability of options for different biomedical applications. With so many different characteristics available in woven biomedical textiles, choosing the right, reliable textile is essential for mitigating risk and ensuring successful procedures and applications. Woven biotextile properties Weaving biomedical textile
Read MoreThe circular economy
November 25, 2019
What’s driving sustainable practices in today’s textile industry. by Marie O’Mahony The story of sustainability in the textile industry has grown and evolved, particularly in the last decade, with circularity now driving sustainability across the materials sector. According to the Ellen McArthur Foundation, “A circular economy is based on the
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