TEXTILES.ORG
Polymer science and textile problem solving
July 14th, 2025
Lightweight and super strong, Tullomer™ offers advantages over carbon fiber, steel, aluminum, and other polymers in a range of applications. The material is also recyclable and uses less toxic materials. Photo: Z-Polymers In the rapidly evolving world of functional and industrial textiles, polymer science continues to transform what’s possible. From aerospace to personal protection, from […]
MIT engineers print strong and stretchy “metamaterials”
July 14th, 2025
Metamaterials are synthetic materials with microscopic structures that give the overall material exceptional properties. Photo: the researchers/MIT In metamaterials design, the name of the game has long been “stronger is better.” Metamaterials are synthetic materials with microscopic structures that give the overall material exceptional properties. A huge focus has been in designing metamaterials that are […]
PFAS-free treatment offers top performance
July 14th, 2025
As the textile industry works to eliminate PFAS from fabrics and finishes, a key challenge remains: how to maintain performance without relying on harmful fluorochemicals. PFAS-free alternatives like C0 chemistry have gained traction, but they often fall short, particularly when it comes to water repellency, durability and long-term product integrity. Haartz Corp. is the exclusive North American licensee of […]
Can you define “polymer?”
July 14th, 2025
You all know what polymers are, more or less, and some of you know way more, but what if you were asked to help someone, who doesn’t know, understand it? I’ve edited this from britannica.com: “Any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical […]
Bioluminescent dress glows with living algae
July 14th, 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. The bioluminescent algae are placed in seawater and then encapsulated […]
Knitted microtissue can accelerate healing
June 23rd, 2025
Left shows a close-up of an interlock knit without cells, and right shows the knit seeded with growing mesenchymal stem cells from a mouse. The green and red spots indicate live and dead cells, respectively. Photos: Lani Lee/Department of MechE. Treating severe or chronically injured soft tissues, such as skin and muscle, is a challenge […]
It’s still silver. For now.
June 23rd, 2025
That would be the short version of where we’re at with antimicrobials, but it needs, of course, a more detailed response to what is actually a complex question: what’s happening with antimicrobial treatments and textiles? Today’s market includes more than what we think of as an “antimicrobial," based on what the customer needs the treatment […]
DNA-inspired fiber enhances sensors for wearables
June 23rd, 2025
Researchers at Shinshu University, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, have developed a new design for a fiber sensor inspired by the shape of DNA, which the researchers have found to be more durable and flexible. Traditional fiber sensors have electrodes at both ends, which often fail under repeated movement when placed on body joints. The proposed double-helical […]
Smart bandage could speed up warfighter recovery
June 23rd, 2025
Leonard Tender, Ph.D., a researcher in the Biological Technologies Office (BTO) at DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), is working on groundbreaking advancements in wound care technology. Building on the success of the Bioelectronics for Tissue Regeneration (BETR) program, which focused on developing a "smart bandage" to monitor and accelerate wound healing, BTO is now embarking […]
The complexities of antimicrobial textiles
June 23rd, 2025
Photo: Microban. Editor’s note: Although we did not preserve the Q&A format for this article, it is the product of a conversation with Ryan Scott senior product development chemist with Microban International, which started with my questions, and eventually covered a range of issues in the antimicrobial textiles market. “Antimicrobials in textiles” is a topic […]