Industry News

Ultraflex appoints Kylie Schleicher as vice president of business development and product management

April 27, 2026

Ultraflex Systems announced the promotion of Kylie Schleicher to vice president of business development and product management. In this role, she will lead strategic business development and product management initiatives. Previously serving as director of product development and product management, Schleicher played a key role in advancing Ultraflex’s product strategy, driving material innovation, and identifying …

Industry News

INDA announces Legislative Champion and Industry Advocate of the Year Award winners

April 24, 2026

The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) announced the winners of its inaugural Legislative Champion and Industry Advocate of the Year Awards, recognizing policymakers and industry members for their support of the nonwovens industry’s advocacy agenda. Legislative Champion Award winners were Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), recognized for their support …

Industry News

Sunbrella debuts new Trade Program for interior designers

April 23, 2026

Sunbrella® has announced the launch of its new Trade Program, developed to support interior designers at every stage of the design process. The program allows interior designers to directly source from Sunbrella’s portfolio of fabrics and products, with exclusive pricing, tailored support, and enhanced ordering capabilities included. Program benefits “We are proud to introduce our Trade …

Industry News

Texbase launches CPSC eFiling solution for brands

April 22, 2026

Texbase Inc., a cloud-based platform connecting brands and retailers with supply chain partners and independent testing labs, has launched Texbase for eFiling, a capability designed to help brands prepare and submit certified product data directly to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Product Registry. As regulatory requirements expand and product compliance becomes more data-driven, brands …

Industry News

KARL MAYER opens new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

April 21, 2026

KARL MAYER opened its new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) April 21 in Obertshausen, Germany. Located in the company’s headquarters, the center brings together the latest developments in warp knitting, technical textiles and warp preparation. The company will be hosting an opening week for the center April 21–24, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for April 23. …

Industry News

Apparel brands support unspun’s automated manufacturing hu

April 20, 2026

Automated manufacturing technology company unspun announced that brands, including Walmart and REI, have signed letters of support for the company’s plan to build domestic manufacturing capacity in the U.S. In partnership with Bethel Industries, Peckham and PDS Ltd./GSC Link, the company plans to establish automated production hubs equipped with unspun’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled 3D weaving …

Industry News

U.S. Customs and Border Protection opens IEEPA tariff refund portal

April 20, 2026

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has developed the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal, which importers and brokers can use to submit refund requests for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), as authorized by a March 4 Court of International Trade ruling that deemed the duties illegal. The …

Industry News

Milliken & Company releases 2025 Sustainability Report 

April 17, 2026

Milliken & Company released its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing progress across people, planet and business conduct, marking the company’s eighth consecutive year of sustainability reporting. In 2025, Milliken delivered continued improvements in associate safety performance, including a 39% year‑over‑year reduction in safety severity rate and a 39% decrease in days lost due to work‑related injuries, …

ATA News

Call for candidates for ATA Board of Directors positions

April 15, 2026

Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) is now accepting applications for open ATA Board of Directors positions. The ATA Board of Directors relies on highly engaged, volunteer leadership that is willing to represent our members, work with ATA leadership staff and provide guidance in the direction of the association and its activities. The ATA Leadership Development Committee …

In the Industry

Parachutes and the Artemis II landing

April 13, 2026

Artemis II completed its 10-day journey around the moon, splashing down near San Diego in a near-perfect return to Earth right on time, April 11. A high-tech parachute system made a critical contribution to effectively slowing down the spacecraft from speeds exceeding 25,000 mph to a safe landing speed of 20 mph or less.  The …

Expo News

Plan your stay: Official housing for Advanced Textiles Expo 2025 now open

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 …

Expo News

Advanced Textiles Expo 2024 brings more than 4,200 attendees, showcasing innovation and collaboration

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 …

Expo News

ATA negotiates lower rates for exhibitors at Advanced Textiles Expo

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 …

ATA News

Messe Stuttgart’s Sun Shading Expo North America moves co-location debut with IFAI Expo to 2022

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 …

Expo News

Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021

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 …

Expo News

Standard for active illumination developed in Europe

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 …

Expo News

Textile industry leaders call for policy changes to support U.S. production of PPE

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 …

Expo News

The larger issues in respiratory protection

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, …

Expo News

Surgical gowns require extra manufacturing considerations

November 11, 2020

All surgical gowns are not created equal, and a Nov. 11 presentation at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020 helped sort out the differences. The finer points of surgical gowns were discussed by Dr. Martin King, a professor at the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, and Jing Liang, president of Medical PPE Consulting LLC. …

Expo News

Rodgers: Textiles are the “T” in STEM

November 11, 2020

How do you create a channel from research to application? How do you create a pathway toward understanding complex human problems across supply chains and market sectors? STEM—a curriculum based on teaching science, technology, engineering and math—has branched out from basic chemistry and biology and physics classes, into collaborative efforts, including textiles, according to Stephanie …

Features

Biomedical textiles’ success stories

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 …

Features

The system-level imperative

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 …

Features

Are protective textiles the future?

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 …

Features

Photovoltaics for the future

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 …

Features

Powering a more climate friendly future

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 …

Features

Navigating change

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 …

Features

Textiles and Tariffs

January 26, 2026

The U.S. – China trade deal has led to positive reactions by global financial markets, but uncertainty persists—and uncertainty is not good for business in terms of expansion and investments. Given the current scenario, China comes out to be a loser in the emerging textiles trade landscape, while providing opportunities for other textile manufacturing powerhouses …

Features

Maintaining critical funding for advanced textiles

January 8, 2026

On January 5, 2026, the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released conference bills for important appropriations that fund federal research and allied agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As of this writing, these bills are expected to pass through both houses …

Features

Wearables lead protective market advances

December 15, 2025

Protective clothing is becoming smarter, with e-textiles bringing new capability in health and environmental monitoring that’s paired with location tracking to offer protection for workers in hazardous locations. At E-Textiles 2025 in Lille, France, a number of European advances were presented around smart protective clothing with new developments including uniforms, footwear and protective gloves for military …

Features

Niche markets for protective clothing

December 8, 2025

You may have wondered about “niche markets,” and why they are important. A niche market essentially specializes in a smaller area of a broader market. That niche allows you to create a more focused business so you can establish a loyal customer base because you are concentrating on your customers’ specific needs. This helps to …

Industry News

Ultraflex appoints Kylie Schleicher as vice president of business development and product management

April 27, 2026

Ultraflex Systems announced the promotion of Kylie Schleicher to vice president of business development and product management. In this role, she will lead strategic business development and product management initiatives. Previously serving as director of product development and product management, Schleicher played a key role in advancing Ultraflex’s product strategy, driving material innovation, and identifying …

Industry News

INDA announces Legislative Champion and Industry Advocate of the Year Award winners

April 24, 2026

The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) announced the winners of its inaugural Legislative Champion and Industry Advocate of the Year Awards, recognizing policymakers and industry members for their support of the nonwovens industry’s advocacy agenda. Legislative Champion Award winners were Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), recognized for their support …

Industry News

Sunbrella debuts new Trade Program for interior designers

April 23, 2026

Sunbrella® has announced the launch of its new Trade Program, developed to support interior designers at every stage of the design process. The program allows interior designers to directly source from Sunbrella’s portfolio of fabrics and products, with exclusive pricing, tailored support, and enhanced ordering capabilities included. Program benefits “We are proud to introduce our Trade …

Industry News

Texbase launches CPSC eFiling solution for brands

April 22, 2026

Texbase Inc., a cloud-based platform connecting brands and retailers with supply chain partners and independent testing labs, has launched Texbase for eFiling, a capability designed to help brands prepare and submit certified product data directly to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Product Registry. As regulatory requirements expand and product compliance becomes more data-driven, brands …

Industry News

KARL MAYER opens new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

April 21, 2026

KARL MAYER opened its new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) April 21 in Obertshausen, Germany. Located in the company’s headquarters, the center brings together the latest developments in warp knitting, technical textiles and warp preparation. The company will be hosting an opening week for the center April 21–24, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for April 23. …

Industry News

Apparel brands support unspun’s automated manufacturing hu

April 20, 2026

Automated manufacturing technology company unspun announced that brands, including Walmart and REI, have signed letters of support for the company’s plan to build domestic manufacturing capacity in the U.S. In partnership with Bethel Industries, Peckham and PDS Ltd./GSC Link, the company plans to establish automated production hubs equipped with unspun’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled 3D weaving …

Industry News

U.S. Customs and Border Protection opens IEEPA tariff refund portal

April 20, 2026

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has developed the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal, which importers and brokers can use to submit refund requests for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), as authorized by a March 4 Court of International Trade ruling that deemed the duties illegal. The …

Industry News

Milliken & Company releases 2025 Sustainability Report 

April 17, 2026

Milliken & Company released its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing progress across people, planet and business conduct, marking the company’s eighth consecutive year of sustainability reporting. In 2025, Milliken delivered continued improvements in associate safety performance, including a 39% year‑over‑year reduction in safety severity rate and a 39% decrease in days lost due to work‑related injuries, …

Industry News

Nufabrx expands federal access, receives $5 million investment

April 13, 2026

Nufabrx, Charlotte, N.C., announced that the company is expanding access to its non-opioid pain relief products across federal health care systems and has secured new funding to support continued growth and innovation. The company announced its inclusion on TrillaMed’s Pharmacy (FSS) and DAPA contracts, increasing availability of its time-released pain relief solutions across federal providers, including …

Industry News

Nick Beighton joins Kornit Digital as strategic adviser

April 9, 2026

Kornit Digital Ltd., a provider of sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production technologies, has appointed Nick Beighton as a strategic adviser to the company and its board of directors. The appointment reflects Kornit’s focus on strengthening its connection to global brands, retailers and digital commerce platforms as the industry shifts toward on-demand production. The …

Out There

Kinetic clothing captures energy in human motion

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 …

Out There

Solar motorcycle is self-charging

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 …

Out There

Flying umbrella has autonomous capabilities

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 …

Out There

Xiaomi launches voice-controlled, mite-fighting blanket

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 …

Out There

Coperni’s C+ regenerative clothes have probiotics

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 …

Out There

Suture-free tissue reconstruction is now possible

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 …

Out There

Bioluminescent dress glows with living algae

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 …

Out There

Material made from fungi reacts to its surroundings

June 4, 2025

Researchers at EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) have created a living biodegradable material made from fungi that can allow trash bags to decompose organic waste. It is one of the many potential applications of the studied fungi.  In the field of electronics, the living biodegradable material made from fungi can be used to produce sensors, as well …

Out There

Puffer jacket doubles as monitoring sleepwear

April 24, 2025

The ZZZN Sleep Apparel System is a voluminous puffer jacket that doubles as a cozy sleep sack, so users can doze off anywhere and anytime in comfort. But beyond its apparent comfortability, it also offers biometric data monitoring and headphones that play  music with frequency bands to help people fall asleep.  The ZZZN puffer jacket for sleep modernizes “Yagi,” a traditional Japanese winter nightwear. …

Out There

Gaia Communication System feels the health of nature

February 24, 2025

Pavels Hedström has introduced the Gaia Communication System, a vest and a pair of gloves with sensors so that users feel the health of plants, insects, soil and air. Unveiled under his design practice Inxects, the Swedish architect has installed multiple haptic sensors around the vest and gloves, each of which correspond to a natural object.  The …

What's New?

Battery-free solar blanket repels mosquitoes

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 …

What's New?

Researchers create novel heating element with CNTFs

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 …

What's New?

Fiber battery development is underway

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 …

What's New?

Infrastructure-free renewable lighting

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). …

What's New?

Smart necklace could help stroke patients speak

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 …

What's New?

Scientists put a powerful computer inside a single thread

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 …

What's New?

Smart exoskeleton for dogs helps them walk again 

February 9, 2026

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, China, the device is worn on the pet’s hind legs to support their movement.  Many dogs lose movement in their hind legs after accidents, surgery or disease. Existing solutions often use …

What's New?

Swiss startup announces smart socks for sensing and pain

January 8, 2026

ETH Zurich spin-off MYNERVA has created a smart sock that can help people with diabetes feel the ground again while walking. Named Leia, the device has electrodes sewn into it, which restores the user’s sensation to the foot sole as well as reduces their chronic pain. When the electrodes stimulate specific nerve strands, the body releases chemical messengers, and these block pain signals …

What's New?

Finger bandage-like device can “feel the digital world” 

December 15, 2025

Engineers at Northwestern University have created VoxeLite, a bandage-like device that stretches around the fingertip to let users “feel the digital world.” Comprised of a series of nodes, the wrap helps create digital touch that replicates the way a human fingertip senses real-life touch. This means the device makes signals that match the natural signals our skin detects, which …

What's New?

Study shows advantages of new wound healing technology

December 15, 2025

From silver nanofibers to smart, sensory-packed dressings, the next generation of wound-healing technology is blurring the line between biology and engineering. As scientific understanding and technology have improved, so, too, have the approaches developed to aid wound healing and infection control. Researchers from National Taiwan University (NTU) led a review of recent research into advanced …