TEXTILES.ORG
AFFOA appoints four new board members
February 13th, 2026
Image: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) has announced the appointment of four new members to its board of directors. “We are excited about the growth and wide-ranging expertise of our board,” says Sasha Stolyarov, Ph.D., CEO of AFFOA. “I look forward to working with each new board member to […]
Keyston Bros announces leadership transition
February 12th, 2026
Image: Keyston Bros Keyston Bros, an upholstery supplier for automotive, marine and awning applications, announced a leadership transition as owners Dan "Dee" and Ann Duncan step away from day-to-day operations. Dee and Ann will assume board leadership roles, with Dee serving as chairman of the board and Ann serving as board secretary. As a result, […]
2026 IAAs, Fabrication Excellence Awards accepting entries
February 10th, 2026
The 2026 International Achievement Awards (IAAs) are now accepting entries. Exclusive to Advanced Textile Association (ATA) members, this competition—now in its 79th year—celebrates the best projects in the specialty fabrics industry. With a reduced entry fee of just $25, it’s easy to enter. Showcase your technical skills and gain industry-wide recognition by entering your best […]
Big questions: bigger rewards
February 9th, 2026
If I have learned one thing while working in the textiles industry, it is that innovative solutions are in the making all the time. If this industry can figure out how to make a single fiber conductive, so that a shirt can monitor vital signs 24-7, it can figure out how to make itself a […]
Powering a more climate friendly future
February 9th, 2026
Aruppukkottai, India-based Jayalakshmi Textiles has its own power generation using wind and solar sources. Photo: Jayalakshmi Textiles. Textiles have typically been an industry with high energy consumption. In some circumstances it can be highly labor intensive and show lower productivity, depending on the level of modernization. The industry over the past many years has been […]
Scientists put a powerful computer inside a single thread
February 9th, 2026
Just 3.3 feet of this fiber has the same processing power as a desktop computer. Photo: The researchers, Fudan University. Fudan University researchers in Shanghai have built complex electronic circuits within the tiniest of spaces: a flexible fiber thinner than a human hair. They call it a "fiber chip," and it's been more than a […]
Smart exoskeleton for dogs helps them walk again
February 9th, 2026
Repawse is an attachable, powered smart exoskeleton for dogs that helps them walk more naturally after an injury. Photo: courtesy of Leijing Zhou, via A’ Design Award and Competition. An attachable powered exoskeleton for dogs named “Repawse” allows them to walk again after an injury or illness. A design project led by Zhou Leijing and her team in Hangzhou, […]
Composite can repair itself 1,000+ times
February 9th, 2026
Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have created a self-healing composite that is tougher than materials currently used in aircraft wings, turbine blades and other applications – and can repair itself more than 1,000 times. 3D printed thermoplastic healing agent (blue overlay) on glass-fiber reinforcement (left); infrared thermograph during in situ self-healing of a […]
Stretchy sweat-activated yarn batteries developed for smart fabrics
February 9th, 2026
A strain-insensitive stretchable sweat-activated yarn battery was developed by researchers in China. Their work was published in Wearable Electronics. Image: D. Li, et al. Incorporating sweat-activated batteries into smart fabrics for athletic use may have jumped another hurdle. Researchers at the School of Materials & Energy, Southwest University in China developed a fiber wrapping technique […]
New Jersey passes PFAS bill for firefighting PPE
February 9th, 2026
The New Jersey state government passed Bill A5195/5223 on Jan. 20, 2026. Under the act, producers of certain firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) in New Jersey will be required to disclose the use and purpose of PFAS beginning in January 2027. Firefighting PPE includes, but is not limited to, jackets, pants, footwear, gloves, helmets and […]