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Report: Wearable technology show high market appeal
December 31st, 2015
“Early adopters” and fitness enthusiasts are fueling continued growth in the wearable technology market, according to a report from Dallas-based market researchers at Troubadour Research and Consulting. The report, “Profile of the Next Wave of Wearable Tech Shoppers,” finds 24 percent of consumers surveyed indicated they intend to buy a wearable device in the next […]
Coolcore wins patent, innovation award
December 30th, 2015
Portsmouth, N.H.-based specialty fabrics developer Coolcore has been awarded a U.S. patent for its invention that includes wetting an item, wringing out excess liquid, and snapping or waving the fabric to activate the moisture control through the fabric. The invention is for a fabric that becomes cool when activated by liquid and remains cool for […]
Bluestar Silicones to launch new skin adhesives
December 29th, 2015
Bluestar Silicones, based in East Brunswick, N.J., will launch its newly expanded line of Silbione® soft silicone adhesives for skin applications, including wound and scar care, transdermal patches and wearable devices, at the Medical Design & Manufacturing West Conference in February. Bluestar Silicones’ Silbione® HC2 2022, a new, soft, silicone skin adhesive designed specifically for […]
Arkema expands markets for Kynar foam extrusion technology
December 28th, 2015
Arkema is expanding the use of its Kynar® foam extrusion technology into new markets in which a chemically resistant, fire-resistant and high-temperature polymer foam is required. These markets include oil and gas, transportation, semiconductors, wire and cable and a wide range of industrial markets. With the thermal-insulation properties inherent in these materials, this technology would […]
Rooftop pool built with ACH Foam Technologies’ geofoam
December 23rd, 2015
Designing a pool on top of a pre-existing building isn’t a walk in the park; it can be more like jumping off the deep end. Dan Ball, principal of Genco Pools, Greenville, S.C., was commissioned to install a rooftop pool and hot tub on top of a parking ramp at The Hub, an upscale apartment […]
3D printed shoe is made from ocean plastic waste
December 18th, 2015
At the Parley Talk at COP21, Adidas and Parley for the Oceans demonstrated how the industry can rethink design and help stop the growing problem of ocean plastic waste. The result is an innovative footwear concept: a shoe 3D printed from waste plastic found in the ocean. “World leaders forging an agreement is wonderful, but […]
ARC’TERYX will offer a new, high-tech avalanche airbag
December 18th, 2015
Statistics show that skiers and snowboarders caught in an avalanche have a better chance of survival with an airbag backpack. The relatively new outdoor gear has become the new cornerstone of the back-country snow safety kit. ARC'TERYX has developed its Voltair avalanche airbag, which it calls “the new standard in avalanche safety tools.” The airbag […]
Better ballistics, Part II
December 18th, 2015
Development of improved protective fabrics starts with effective materials research. Part I of this article (“Better ballistics, Part I”) looked at the ballistics market for advanced textiles, the materials typically used in ballistic textile products, and some of the textiles and textile composites now being developed for lighter weight and more comfortable ballistics protection. A […]
Utah State shares spider silk research contract award
December 18th, 2015
Utah State University has announced that it has been awarded a U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract with Salt Lake City based Technology Holding LLC to continue research and development of spider silk manufacturing. The total contract award is $1 million and is managed through the Army Research Office. Under the terms […]
Paper structures? Origami makes it possible
December 18th, 2015
The team uses paper prototypes to demonstrate how a thin, flexible sheet can be folded into functional structures, but their techniques could be applied to other thin materials. There are times when the line between textiles and paper blur, at least in function, but it’s difficult to know how to classify this discovery. Three researchers […]