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Fitex India acquired by Messe Frankfurt
December 18th, 2017
Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India has expanded its portfolio to include Fitex India, an annual fitness and health event on the subcontinent. Messe Frankfurt and Smart Events, which has put on the event up to now, will join forces to create a dynamic platform for fitness, health, nutrition and wellness solutions for the Indian market. […]
NASA develops alternative to pneumatic tire
December 15th, 2017
NASA has developed a super-elastic tire that may prove a viable alternative to the pneumatic tire. Created with future Mars missions in mind, the tires could also be used on Earth. The new tire is an evolution of the Apollo lunar ones and the spring tire invented by NASA’s Glenn Research Center and Goodyear. The […]
Transparency, systemic incentives to offset textile waste
December 14th, 2017
A recent report by Reverse Resources says that an average of 25 percent of resources used to manufacture fabrics and garments is wasted. The company has some ideas on how to reduce that figure. An article in Raw Materials says that the researchers don’t pin the inefficiency on factories or label it a lack of […]
Carbios develops enzyme to promote recycling of PET
December 11th, 2017
Carbios SA has announced the development of its enzymatic biorecycling process of polyesters applied to crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (PET). An article in Recycling Product News reports that the new enzyme may make possible recycling of all plastic waste containing PET, including bottles (transparent, opaque or multi-layer), packaging (including cosmetics) and films. The patented depolymerization process […]
Soft robot “muscles” draw inspiration from origami
December 11th, 2017
Researchers from the Wyss Institute, Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed origami-inspired robot muscles that can lift up to 1,000 times their own weight. According to TechCrunch, the researchers say that the new, soft, robotic artificial muscles can be constructed in as little as 10 minutes […]
Biodegradable fleece wins Eco Performance Award
December 11th, 2017
Biopile, a fleece fabric manufactured as a collaboration between outdoor manufacturer VAUDE and the Italian fabric producer Pontetorto, received the Eco Performance Award at the Performance Days trade fair for functional fabrics and sport accessories. Knitting Industry reports that Pontetorto launched its biodegradable products in an attempt to address the environmental issue of dangerous micro […]
Eco news increases
December 11th, 2017
This month we’re talking specifically about issues of sustainability. In fact, we talk about this all the time, posting stories most often under our “Eco Note” tab. When I was putting together our newsletter, I was struck by the fact that I could easily post all “Eco Note” stories this time—relevant, timely and varied, but […]
Devan launches multifunctional antimicrobial products
December 11th, 2017
Devan Chemicals, a Belgian provider of finishing technologies, recently launched a new multifunctional antimicrobial brand line. The product line adds features to BI-OME, the company’s recently rebranded quat-silane antimicrobial solution, and are designed to enable textile manufacturers to apply multiple functionalities in a single treatment. The BI-OME product range combines the company’s antimicrobial technology, which […]
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 […]
Stretchable, translucent laminated knits developed by Teijin
December 8th, 2017
Teijin Frontier, the Teijin Group’s fiber-product converting company, has developed a fine-gauge knitted fabric laminated with a breathable film designed for multi-use textiles. The company says that new dyeing and lamination technologies were used to develop the fabric, which is made with non-crimped yarn. The company says the material is thin, lightweight and compact; stretchable, […]