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Cone Denim launches Future BLACK+ Denim
October 31st, 2017
A collaboration among Cone Denim, Lenzing and Unifi has created Future BLACK+ denim featuring Lenzing Modal branded fibers and REPREVE® Black recycled fibers. Future BLACK+, a certified fade-resistant black denim, will join Cone Denim's family of TruTone fabrics. According to Unifi, Future BLACK+ denim utilizes dope dyeing, an energy-saving and environmentally friendly dyeing technique that […]
OEKO-TEX surveys 11,000 consumers for textile sustainability study
October 30th, 2017
The OEKO-TEX® Association, in commemoration of its 25th anniversary, announces that it has commissioned a global research study to assess consumer attitudes about textile sustainability. Titled The Key to Confidence: Consumers and Textile Sustainability—Attitudes, Changing Behaviors, and Outlooks, the study of more than 11,000 clothing and home textile consumers around the world examined topics ranging from concerns about […]
Polartec unveils new workwear
October 27th, 2017
Polartec recently unveiled its new fabric collections specifically engineered for contractors, electricians, and oil and gas professionals. The company reports it has worked for years with the U.S. military and workwear markets to develop the new product lines. Each collection was designed to address daily on-site work performance needs without inhibiting everyday comfort or style. […]
Roy Schweinfurth, former IFAI president, dies
October 26th, 2017
Roy Schweinfurth, former IFAI board member and president, died October 8th. He served on the IFAI Board of Directors from 1977 to 1989, and as IFAI president (a position now called chairman) from 1985 to 1987. He was involved with the IFAI Awning Division, now called the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association. His obituary appeared in […]
EXPO 2017 HUB winners announced
October 26th, 2017
More than a hundred IFAI members took part in the daily prize drawings in the HUB at EXPO 2017. One business card was pulled out of the jar each day of the show and the winner received a $50 VISA gift card. On the last day, the lucky winner received a full registration to EXPO […]
Octopus inspired Camouflage Material
October 26th, 2017
Recent research shows that biomimetic approaches can help with the development of sophisticated, high-performance textiles. A team of researchers from Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cornell University and Woods Hole, Mass.-based Marine Biological Laboratory have borrowed inspiration from cephalopods, such as octopus, in devising camouflage materials. A nonwoven textile material was used in conjunction with elastomeric silicone membranes […]
Challenges and opportunities
October 23rd, 2017
Smart fabrics products may require novel textile substrates. A key takeaway from the Smart Fabrics Program and E-Textiles Workshop at IFAI Expo this September was the symbiotic relationship between smart technologies and the development of suitable textile substrates to facilitate the desired function. While the fashion apparel business has become increasingly commodity-driven, smart fabrics require […]
Carbon fiber roof appears to float
October 23rd, 2017
A lens-shaped carbon fiber roof weighing 80.7 tons seems to float above the lobby of the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, Calif. The project was a partnership between international architecture and design firm Foster and Partners, headquartered in London, and Apple Inc. The lobby is reported to be the largest glass-supported structure […]
DuPont and Unifi to create eco-friendly apparel insulation
October 23rd, 2017
DuPont and Unifi Inc. have announced a collaboration to create high-performance, renewably sourced, cold-weather garment insulation combining DuPont Sorona polymer and Unifi REPREVE®. DuPont Sorona is made from 37 percent renewable plant-based ingredients and is reported to use 30 percent less energy with 63 percent fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, compared to Nylon 6. Unifi’s proprietary […]
Military matters
October 23rd, 2017
Understanding the opportunities in dealing with the U.S. Department of Defense. Military sessions at IFAI’s Advanced Textiles Conference sought to help attendees make sense of DoD budgets and priorities. One presenter, however, altered his title to read “Making some sense of the DoD budget,” underscoring how complicated it can be. Ron Houle, president of Pivot […]