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Sustainability successes in textiles
December 17th, 2018
Both large picture and incremental changes can have a positive impact. Two major challenges facing the advanced textile industry in its pursuit of sustainability are first, meeting consumer expectations and secondly, meeting global industry standards. This second challenge one might expect to be more straightforward, but for the fact that new information about environmental impacts […]
Advances in smart medical textiles
November 26th, 2018
Successful new developments and designs have prompted encouraging growth rates, but challenges remain. A series of novel developments in medical textiles see smart textiles coupled with smart design to deliver benefits to both patients and medical professionals. With the medical textile market predicted to grow at a CAGR of 4.23 percent during the period 2018-2022, […]
Natural fibers, unconventional uses
October 8th, 2018
Bio-based technologies show promise in addressing textile sustainability concerns. The introduction of new regulations and standards can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the industry or material group that it is directed at. Europe adopted a European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy earlier this year and is seriously considering the introduction […]
Tomorrow’s composites
July 23rd, 2018
The ability to incorporate new materials into composites could open up another world of possibilities. In material science, strength alone is often found to have its limitations so that a combination of hard and soft, rigid and flexible is an area of increasing interest for a wide range of applications from building, to sports equipment, […]
Rethinking robotics
June 11th, 2018
Soft robotics and exoskeletons offer human-centric solutions. On March 19, 2018, the New York Times ran a headline that said, “Self-Driving Uber Car Kills Pedestrian in Arizona, Where Robots Roam.” Although the science of robotics has made impressive strides, robots are having something of a crisis of identity. For more than a century science fiction […]
Textiles in hybrids
March 12th, 2018
Manufacturers are finding new ways to enhance product performance with textiles. As the demands made on textiles have increased, the nature of what is defined as “textile” has greatly expanded, often including non-textiles or treating them in a textile manner. Hybrids that bring together different materials and processes can offer the benefit of conventional textiles […]
The academia and industry partnership
January 8th, 2018
Centers for innovation offer new opportunities for collaborative work. Over the past year there has been noticeable growth globally in the number of innovation centers. The textile industry is grappling with a pace of technological change across all areas, from farming practices and manufacturing equipment to fiber development and retail models. Any one of these […]
The larger sustainability picture
December 11th, 2017
Trends reflect a global interest in natural fibers and ethical practices. The smart and advanced textile industries, while broadly in agreement on the need to be more sustainable, are in less accord when deciding how to address the issue. Cultural and local differences can on one level exacerbate reaching a consensus, but they can […]
The importance of size and fit
October 23rd, 2017
Garment makers are using new technologies to optimize comfort. With the growth of the wearable technology market, innovations in high-tech protective garments and a push by the U.S. military for more comfortable uniforms and gear, the issue of size and fit has also grown in importance. This is not a fashion or aesthetic choice, exclusively; […]
STEM, women and the advanced textile industry
October 9th, 2017
by Marie O'Mahony With the U.S. set to overtake China as the most competitive manufacturing nation within five years, according to a new study by Deloitte Global and the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, the advanced and smart textile industry has to ensure that it has the skills needed to meet this increasingly high-tech industry. To […]