Medical textiles save lives

October 10, 2014  |  My Take

Medical professionals are limited in what they can do to save someone who is very sick with an Ebola virus; there is no magic cure or a vaccine to prevent it. But there is a way to prevent the spread of the frequently deadly viruses and potentially save thousands of lives. It involves fabric. This &…
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Horizontal and vertical programming

September 8, 2014  |  My Take

There’s a lot going on in this year’s Advanced Textiles Conference, running Oct. 13–14. A good cross-section of markets is well represented in the conferences symposiums, as well as in-depth sessions on specific materials and technologies. The conference, which opens one day prior to IFAI Spec…
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Invisibility technologies: Just beginning to see the possibilities

August 11, 2014  |  My Take

The topic of invisibility technology is a little irresistible. Who isn’t fascinated with the prospect of making things—or people—disappear? In fact, there have been real strides in “cloaking,” as it is called, although it does not involve a Harry Potter-esque fabric cloak. But that’s not…
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Cleanroom, one word

July 9, 2014  |  My Take

The dictionary says clean room is two words, but those who deal with “cleanrooms” more often use one word. I’m going with the people closest to the topic, so one word it is. (English teachers like me, no matter how long it’s been since they were last in the classroom, tend to obsess about th…
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A way in

June 9, 2014  |  My Take

When I tell people what I do, there is often a moment of silence while the answer gets processed. They get the editor part; it’s “advanced textiles” that trips them up. But when I tell them about all the amazing materials, technology and expertise in the advanced textiles industry, they’re g…
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Everyday, but not ordinary

May 9, 2014  |  My Take

Protective textile products are hard workers in industrial environments. Around the world, countless people start their work day following a critical routine by donning protective apparel: a hard hat, fire-retardant coverall, safety glasses, cut-resistant sleeves or gloves, high-visibility vests or …
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With risks this high, how much protection is enough?

April 7, 2014  |  My Take

I haven’t done a survey, but I think this is accurate: emergency personnel are most frequently dealing with crises they can understand. In fact, they may have been in similar situations many times in the past. They have been trained to deal with fires, car accidents and assaults, for example, …
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Medical textile miracles

March 8, 2014  |  My Take

The more we learn about the human body, the more amazed we are. A highly complex machine, it’s so efficient that it’s baffling. But as brilliant and resilient as our bodies are, they wear out, get sick or are injured. It is for times like these that medical research has come up with all sorts &h…
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Fashion and function

February 7, 2014  |  My Take

When Mercedes-Benz runs a commercial featuring a special suit that lights up to reflect the emotions of the driver, in real time, during his driving experience, we may think “silly” or “spectacular.” But the fact is, the technology that powers the suit is not substantially different from the…
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Powered, not wired

January 11, 2014  |  My Take

The expectations for e-textiles and wearable technology are broad and significant. The research is yielding more promising—and practical—innovations at a fairly regular clip. We are not talking wires here. (My hunting socks with wires across the toes that run to a C-cell battery pack come to min…
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