Trade and tariffs, Part I: The larger picture

September 14, 2026  |  Features

Editor’s note: The current administration’s trade decisions, including tariffs, have had a significant impact on the textile industry. I asked Kimberly Glas, National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) president and CEO, to offer the organization’s perspective on the current trade situa…
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The complex nature of the smart textiles business

August 24, 2026  |  Features

Textiles and other manufacturing sectors are witnessing a revival in terms of investments and government support. This is important for developed economies, such as in the U.S., the EU and U.K., which need to focus on advanced textiles manufacturing and research to be competitive in the global marke…
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User acceptance in smart fabric products

August 10, 2026  |  Features

The summer is a time for rest and renewal, much needed to bring fresh energy and perspective to challenges facing the textile industry. The work of The Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is particularly inspirational at this time in considering how some persistent user issues aro…
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Quality, standards and balanced regulation

July 27, 2026  |  Features

Today over 90 percent of textiles are imported in the U.S. Globalization has altered the manufacturing dynamics where cost has dominated the trade, shifting labor-intensive industries, such as textiles, leather, jewelry and others, away from the most developed nations. This trend has continued for o…
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From prototype to product

July 13, 2026  |  Features

The Global Electronics Association through its IPC standardization efforts has been a driving force in global electronics standardization for nearly 70 years. The last time we checked in with Advanced Textiles readers, you may have known us as IPC. In summer 2026, our organization went through a reb…
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Rediscovering natural fibers’ technical prowess, Part II

June 22, 2026  |  Features

The bast fibers—hemp, flax, jute and ramie—have a long history of usefulness in apparel and industrial textiles. Easy to grow but difficult to process, they are eco-friendly and biodegradable, requiring less water and fewer pesticides, sequestering CO2 and promoting soil remediation. They are al…
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Rediscovering natural fibers’ technical prowess, Part I

June 8, 2026  |  Features

When it comes to technical textiles, fossil-fuel based fibers have proven themselves with performance, price and popularity, but there are signs that natural fibers are once again finding a seat at the table. Sustainable wool, cotton and bast fibers offer under-appreciated assets that can be exploit…
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Today’s advanced textiles global landscape

May 26, 2026  |  Features

One might be tempted to question why we in America should care about the technical textiles sector beyond U.S. borders. The U.S., along with the EU, take the lead in industrial, nonwovens and functional materials—sectors that grow at least on par with the GDP growth rate in developed economies. In…
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