June 9, 2026
A new law passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz makes a minor modification to Minnesota’s PFAS reporting requirements by excluding products made before July 1, 2023. Now, manufacturers or their representatives must report products that: Previously, these products had to be reported regardless of manufacture date. This amendment is found …
June 8, 2026
Thailand’s ‘Slow Hand Design 2026’exhibition returned to Milan Design Week 2026, with an exhibition titled “Heritage Reimagined.” Thai designers are pushing the boundaries of upcycling by blending ancestral craftsmanship with cutting-edge biotechnology through innovative materials such as mycelium-grown tiles and bio-melanin fibers. Mush Composites creates surfaces cultivated from mycelium, naturally turning agricultural waste into materials in non-replicable …
June 8, 2026
One of the biggest environmental challenges with modern running shoes is that they are made from many different materials, which helps to produce high-performance shoes, but it also makes them very difficult to recycle. Now, researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer group are exploring a new approach: making a running shoe from a single material. This is …
June 8, 2026
Editor’s note: There’s a lot to talk about in natural fiber technologies, so this feature represents just Part I of a two-part article by writer Debra Cobb on the topic this month. Part I focuses on wool and cotton; Part II discusses bast fibers—hemp, flax, jute and ramie. – jp When it comes to technical …
June 8, 2026
There was a time—and it wasn’t that long ago, historically speaking—when what we call “natural” fibers were the only fibers. Wool, cotton, flax, silk, for the most part. These were (and still are) amazing fibers for covering a range of textile demands. Then, less than 100 years ago, “Nylon” was introduced. You have to admit …
June 8, 2026
Brussels, Belgium will be the site for this year’s Textiles Recycling Expo June 24-25. The event gathers industry participants from across the textile recycling value chain. Focusing on circularity, resource efficiency and sustainability, it will feature 160 exhibitors and more than 70 expert speakers from leading brands, recyclers, policymakers, industry associations and innovators. Opening remarks will …
June 5, 2026
Saint-Gobain, a French construction company with a focus on sustainability, has completed the sale of HKO in Germany and Deltec in France, the company’s technical textiles business that manufactures components for high-temperature insulation for automotive and industrial applications. HKO and Deltec were sold to a fund managed by DUBAG Group. HKO has industrial plants located …
June 4, 2026
Kornit Digital Ltd. announced the acquisition of PrintFactory, a global Netherlands-based technology leader of cloud-native workflow, color management and production automation software. PrintFactory’s platform helps producers streamline operations — from file preparation through final output — reducing media and ink waste, while enabling production environments that run faster, leaner and more consistently. By integrating PrintFactory’s automation capabilities into its …
June 1, 2026
New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board finalized a rule (20.13.2 NMAC) regulating intentionally added PFAS in consumer products, effective July 1. The rule establishes a process for manufacturers to submit currently unavoidable use (CUU) proposals for exemption from state requirements, in addition to reporting, labeling and testing requirements, and fees and penalties. It strengthens the 2025 …
June 1, 2026
Beginning July 1, several products manufactured, sold, offered or distributed for sale in Connecticut must include a warning label if they contain intentionally added PFAS. Products that must be labeled include apparel, carpets or rugs, fabric treatments, textile furnishings, upholstered furniture, dental floss, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetic products, juvenile products, menstruation products and ski wax. …
May 14, 2026
Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) is now accepting applications for judges for the 2026 International Achievement Awards (IAAs). The IAAs are an annual competition that celebrates the best projects in the specialty fabrics industry, showcasing ATA members’ technical skills and accomplishments. Judges will have the chance to recognize excellence in textiles and influence the future of …
May 13, 2026
Registration is open for Advanced Textiles Expo® 2026. The show returns Nov. 3–5, 2026, in Orlando, Fla., at the Orange County Convention Center (West Building). Advanced Textiles Association® (ATA) expects 4,000+ attendees and 300+ exhibitors. Exhibit booths are still open as well. Expo programming Attendees can look forward to show floor education with hands-on learning, …
March 11, 2025
We are pleased to announce that Site & Stay has been selected as the official housing partner for Advanced Textiles Expo® 2025, taking place Nov. 5–7 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. Hotel booking is now open, offering attendees and exhibitors exclusive access to discounted rates at our official host hotels—all conveniently located …
October 17, 2024
Advanced Textiles Expo® 2024, the largest event of Advanced Textiles Association® (ATA), concluded with resounding success Sept. 24–26 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Once again held in conjunction with Sun Shading Expo North America—organized by Messe Stuttgart, founders of R + T and the world’s largest trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading …
August 14, 2024
The Advanced Textiles Association® (ATA) has renegotiated its General Services Contractor contract for the 2025–2027 Advanced Textiles Expo® shows. By selecting Freeman through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, we have secured rates that significantly lower the cost burden on our exhibitors. RFP process Key achievements This successful negotiation translates directly to cost savings for …
July 6, 2021
Messe Stuttgart announced that its new U.S.-based show Sun Shading Expo North America will not be held in 2021 as a separate trade show but will instead contribute its expertise in internal and external sun shading systems at IFAI Expo 2021 in the form of expert talks, open discussions and more. IFAI Expo 2021 will still take place …
May 10, 2021
Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021. IFAI Expo celebrates the 100th anniversary of the show this November, and you won’t want to miss it! After a long hiatus of in-person events, this year’s show is the perfect place to reconnect with your industry. Register now to get the Early Bird rate! Early Bird rates end …
November 16, 2020
In a session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, “Smart Textiles Standardization, Active Illumination,” Dr. Jan Beringer, senior scientific expert Hohenstein Group, explained the new standard for active illumination that will soon be implemented in European Union countries. Organizations worked together to develop the standards. It is notable, he said that both textile and electronics industries …
November 13, 2020
The U.S. textile industry has stepped up to meet the demand for face masks, medical gowns, wipes and other products necessary to combat the coronavirus pandemic, but it needs policy changes from Washington so that the U.S. is not caught off-guard again in a future crisis, according to association leaders speaking at Industrial Fabrics Association …
November 12, 2020
Dr. Bryran Ormond, assistant professor, Wilson College of Textiles, NC State explained respiratory protection in an “Ask an Expert” session with Jing Liang, Medical PPE Consulting LLC. Dr. Ormand has typically worked in the area of chemical and biological protective equipment, but with the onslaught of the pandemic, began to focus on respiratory protection generally, …
June 8, 2026
Editor’s note: There’s a lot to talk about in natural fiber technologies, so this feature represents just Part I of a two-part article by writer Debra Cobb on the topic this month. Part I focuses on wool and cotton; Part II discusses bast fibers—hemp, flax, jute and ramie. – jp When it comes to technical …
May 26, 2026
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 developing and emerging economies, such …
May 12, 2026
In the early years of development, smart textiles (or e-textiles) were commonly referred to as “smart materials and systems.” In the 1990s early adopters (such as civil engineers) saw attendant technologies as necessary in order to deliver the performance needed, such as structural health monitoring or earthquake warning systems. On one level, technology integration is …
April 27, 2026
The medical, defense and protective textiles (MDP) are market segments within advanced textiles which show promise even when stressful situations, such as war and natural calamities, dominate our attention. It is ironic that during challenging times prices of commodity products are in high demand, and, interestingly, the growing demand for life-saving products seems to be …
April 13, 2026
There are a number of reasons why the success of biomedical textiles in recent years is worth noting. First, it’s a demanding market niche fraught with standards and regulations that take time—and time is money. The investment needed to even start in this market is considerable. It’s also highly specialized, which means that the cushion …
March 23, 2026
Rapid advances in high‑performance fibers and the growing need for multi‑hazard protection are reshaping the protective textiles market, yet the real test of these innovations lies in the field. A compelling case in point is new research on how ballistic protection interacts with firefighter turnout ensembles—the highly engineered PPE firefighters rely on every day. Looking …
March 9, 2026
It appears that the time has come for protective textiles—a market that can also expect a strong future in the functional textiles industry. As the protective textiles sector is an important segment of the technical textiles industry overall, there is ample evidence supporting this assertion available. Spending on textiles is based on discretionary income which …
February 23, 2026
Military, commercial and industrial customers choose solar for varied applications. Editor’s note: The word “uncertainty” has been used more often in the last year than I can ever remember. There’s uncertainty regarding international trade, funding for new research, the current administration’s support—or lack thereof—for alternative energy, and many other areas that impact business decisions. This …
February 9, 2026
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 addressing these issues, and it now has opportunities to be more climate friendly, while diversifying and increasing …
January 26, 2026
EDITOR’S NOTE: With a new administration in Washington as of one year ago, change and its inherent uncertainties have been ongoing. I asked these experts in the industry to respond to questions about navigating the changes: I posed questions about trade policies and tariffs: What is the best path forward for a business—large or small—that …
June 9, 2026
A new law passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz makes a minor modification to Minnesota’s PFAS reporting requirements by excluding products made before July 1, 2023. Now, manufacturers or their representatives must report products that: Previously, these products had to be reported regardless of manufacture date. This amendment is found …
June 5, 2026
Saint-Gobain, a French construction company with a focus on sustainability, has completed the sale of HKO in Germany and Deltec in France, the company’s technical textiles business that manufactures components for high-temperature insulation for automotive and industrial applications. HKO and Deltec were sold to a fund managed by DUBAG Group. HKO has industrial plants located …
June 4, 2026
Kornit Digital Ltd. announced the acquisition of PrintFactory, a global Netherlands-based technology leader of cloud-native workflow, color management and production automation software. PrintFactory’s platform helps producers streamline operations — from file preparation through final output — reducing media and ink waste, while enabling production environments that run faster, leaner and more consistently. By integrating PrintFactory’s automation capabilities into its …
June 1, 2026
New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board finalized a rule (20.13.2 NMAC) regulating intentionally added PFAS in consumer products, effective July 1. The rule establishes a process for manufacturers to submit currently unavoidable use (CUU) proposals for exemption from state requirements, in addition to reporting, labeling and testing requirements, and fees and penalties. It strengthens the 2025 …
June 1, 2026
Beginning July 1, several products manufactured, sold, offered or distributed for sale in Connecticut must include a warning label if they contain intentionally added PFAS. Products that must be labeled include apparel, carpets or rugs, fabric treatments, textile furnishings, upholstered furniture, dental floss, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetic products, juvenile products, menstruation products and ski wax. …
May 29, 2026
On May 28, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Great American Cotton Plan, a comprehensive United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative to strengthen the cotton farm economy, restore domestic textile manufacturing, expand cotton trade opportunities and increase demand for products made with American-grown cotton. Cotton remains one of the most economically significant …
May 28, 2026
Standard Textile Co. Inc., a health care and hospitality textiles provider, has announced the promotions of Adam Frankel to vice president, North America health care sales, and Matt Vacca to vice president, North America hospitality sales. Frankel has been with Standard Textile for more than 16 years, serving in a variety of roles across health care sales. Throughout his …
May 27, 2026
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two proposed rules on May 18 that would revise the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for several four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Proposed rules The first proposed rule would rescind the regulatory determinations and Maximum Containment Level Goals for four PFAS, …
May 21, 2026
Trelleborg Engineered Coated Fabrics celebrated the opening of a new extrusion coating manufacturing facility in Forest City, N.C., on May 6, 2026. The event brought together community leaders, customers, partners and Trelleborg leadership to mark a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in innovation, capacity and sustainable operations. The new facility reinforces Trelleborg’s commitment …
May 20, 2026
Milliken & Company announced that the company has partnered with Gerresheimer, a system and solution provider and a global partner for the pharma, biotech and cosmetic industries, to support the use of LeneX™ UltraGuard®, Milliken’s advanced additive technology designed to enhance polymer performance, protection and processing efficiency for demanding pharmaceutical applications. \The partnership builds on the …
June 8, 2026
Thailand’s ‘Slow Hand Design 2026’exhibition returned to Milan Design Week 2026, with an exhibition titled “Heritage Reimagined.” Thai designers are pushing the boundaries of upcycling by blending ancestral craftsmanship with cutting-edge biotechnology through innovative materials such as mycelium-grown tiles and bio-melanin fibers. Mush Composites creates surfaces cultivated from mycelium, naturally turning agricultural waste into materials in non-replicable …
May 12, 2026
POCO is a soft, robotic companion developed by designer Mehrnaz Amouei that examines alternative relationships between humans and artificial intelligence. The project focuses on interaction models based on presence, responsiveness, and clearly defined limitations, rather than systems that interpret or direct emotional states. As AI increasingly operates within personal and emotional contexts, questions emerge around dependency, interpretation …
April 27, 2026
During Milan Design Week 2026, Tokyo-based creative agency Konel Inc. released a translucent, wearable bag that converts the user’s heartbeats into slow pulses to help them be aware of their current state and calm them down. Named “Pulse Pack,” the self-calming product measures the heartbeat in real time and responds to the accessory with a …
March 9, 2026
The Birds of Static project by designer Wren Walker investigates how garment structure can influence the capture of energy from human movement. The concept draws on the principle of static electricity, in which charge imbalances can generate electrical energy when conducted through a circuit. Walker’s work takes inspiration from Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs), a technology that …
February 23, 2026
Sardinia-based MASK Architects has introduced SOLARIS, a self-charging solar motorcycle developed as part of the studio’s “Invent and Integrate” design approach led by founders Öznur Pınar Cer and Danilo Petta. The project explores autonomous mobility through a vehicle capable of generating its own power without reliance on fuel, electrical grids or commercial charging networks. SOLARIS …
January 26, 2026
John Tse of I Build Stuff has created an autonomous flying umbrella that follows and shields the user from rain and sunlight. An updated version of the remote-controlled one, the hands-free device hovers above the user and trails them wherever they go, keeping them dry or cool without needing to hold anything. The autonomous flying umbrella is actually a drone disguised …
January 8, 2026
Ever since Xiaomi was founded 15 years ago in Beijing, it has expanded from producing smartphones to AR glasses, robotic dogs, and even electric cars. Now, the company has introduced another innovation: a smart blanket with voice control that also fights mites. The Mijia Smart Electric blanket is designed to be used as an additional layer on top of a …
October 13, 2025
Skincare within regenerative clothing defines Coperni’s C+, a series of everyday wear infused with probiotics and prebiotics. Capable of restoring the skin’s microbiome, each garment contains living microorganisms that interact with the skin during wear, support the skin’s natural balance, and help it repair itself over time. The C+ line is made using a biobased …
September 8, 2025
For tissue repair, surgeons are currently limited to mechanical solutions like sutures and staples, which can cause their own damage, or meshes and glues that may not adequately bond with tissues and can be rejected by the body. Medical startup Tissium now offers surgeons a new solution based on a biopolymer technology first developed at …
July 14, 2025
A project titled “Sympoiesis” from designer Iris van Herpen and biodesigner Christopher Bellamy of Bio Crafted, lit up the runway at Paris Haute Couture Week, in early July of this year. The collaboration allowed them to utilize the capabilities of living microorganisms, including bioluminescent microalgae. Of the 17 looks presented in the show, the opening …
May 26, 2026
Conventional protective workwear often reaches its limits during strenuous physical activity, particularly in managing the transport of sweat and controlling excess body heat. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) conducted research on flow-optimized, air-conducting textile structures that enable targeted climate control directly on the body. These structures can be integrated straight into …
May 26, 2026
Inspired by her experience with her own infant, Lucy Dunne decided to find a better way to treat jaundice in a newborn, An MPR News story reports. Dunne is the founder and co-director of the University of Minnesota’s College of Design Wearable Technology Lab. So, one project she is currently focused on is a specialized …
May 12, 2026
Imagine looking out the window of an airborne airplane and seeing the wing rippling and twisting. This is what German engineers have created: prototype morphing wings that change their shape mid-flight. The innovation from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR), aptly named morphAIR, aims to make aircraft more efficient and …
April 27, 2026
TISSIUM, a medical technology company pioneering biomorphic programmable polymers for tissue reconstruction, recently announced the first commercial use of its product COAPTIUM® CONNECT. The procedure was performed by Dr. Michael Franco, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon specializing in peripheral nerve surgery at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J. This marks a significant step forward in the …
April 13, 2026
A conundrum for smart textile developers is how to combine conductive materials and power sources with soft, flexible textiles. In the new light-emitting fabrics developed by Florida think tank Global Research and Discovery Group (GRDG) and Ashford Textiles®, there are no power cords, batteries or chemicals powering their illumination. The technology that makes the blankets …
March 23, 2026
A cross-disciplinary team at Rice University has developed a new type of electric heating element—one that looks less like a traditional metal coil and more like a high-performance thread. In a study published in Small, the researchers demonstrated that wires and fabrics made from carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) can deliver substantially more heating power per unit …
March 9, 2026
Fiber batteries are an emerging technology which could one day be used to create smart clothing with a wide array of functions, from charging electronic devices to acting as wearable controllers. However, a new study finds scientists have two major obstacles to overcome before the technology is ready for practical use. First and foremost is …
March 9, 2026
Global Research and Discovery Group (GRDG) is “a private research think tank focused on biodefense, emerging biological threats, and humanitarian technologies that translate science into real-world solutions for low-infrastructure settings,” as reported in Fibre2Fashion. An initiative called “Project AURA” grew from this mission, creating a solar-powered textile that provides safe, maintenance-free illumination without electricity (patent pending). …
February 23, 2026
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed Revoice, a wearable smart necklace that helps patients who have suffered from stroke speak naturally again. The device was created to help patients communicate in a more natural way, without surgery or brain implants. The wearable device is soft and flexible; the textile, is lightweight, comfortable and …
February 9, 2026
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 decade in the making. Scientists have been working for some time to embed this technology into textiles for unobtrusive connectivity. One of …
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