Are you sure this is going to work?

I have covered many ATA Expos, and I remember many conversations, special events, amazing products, and innovations that have frankly blown me away. Some of these innovations either were, or have since become, commercially successful; others may have found another pathway to the future, perhaps incorporated into a new iteration as the technology developed. Perhaps some are still waiting in the lab. Regardless, I would never call anything new and creative “a fail.”

Why? Because you just never know. The answer to the question posed in the title should be, “I’m as sure as I can be at this point in the research.” The new innovations I’ve witnessed at Expo are not just an idea; they have been carefully researched, tested and generally prototyped. That isn’t to say that they’re all ready to be snapped up by a major brand. The innovation may not be a “big hit” on its own, but it could be a crucial part of a larger process. \

It could be a matter of financial backing, but first, someone has to come along and see the possibilities, which may ultimately be different from the use the inventor first imagined. Commercial viability is often, for these innovations, years down the road. (If there are voices in the background saying, more or less, “This is never gonna work,” I would respond by saying, “That depends on what you think it should do!”)

My point is that when you put that many creative minds together at one event, discussions abound, ideas percolate, disagreements arise, and opportunities open up. Comments in the question-and-answer sessions following presentations often center on problems that need to be solved, but I’ve heard plenty of solutions suggested as well. Sometimes the interest generated is evidence by the long line of folks waiting to talk to the presenter.

In this blog, I generally mention the stories in our “Featured” section, which you will also find scrolling at the top of our home page. But rather than tell you which products, which innovations, which sessions were highlights this year, I’m going to invite you to head to our home page and read all the new content you’ll find there, and then come back in a couple of weeks for our second launch. This site will be publishing stories describing this annual event all month, and we’ll continue to follow the development of innovations as they emerge—all year and beyond.  

Janet Preus is senior editor of Textile Technology Source. She can be reached at janet.preus@textiles.org.