IFAI’s 2015 Advanced Textiles Conference begins Oct. 6

August 7, 2015  |  Features

Testing information gets special attention at this year’s IFAI Expo. IFAI’s 2015 Advanced Textiles Conference begins Oct. 6 at 8:30 a.m. and includes a full day of programming, keynote luncheon and networking reception. NASA’s Evelyne Orndoff speaks at the opening session about “NASA’s Wis…
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Vital signs to watch in medical textiles

August 7, 2015  |  Features

The majority of research and development in smart materials research and development come from transport. Health and wellbeing have great need of responsive technologies, so why does it command one of the smallest sectors of the market? The length of time and finances involved in bringing a product …
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What to wear to Mars

July 24, 2015  |  Features

For human space missions beyond low-Earth orbit the logistical burden is at least twice as great compared to missions in low-Earth orbit. Take, for instance, a trip to Mars, which is being planned by NASA to occur sometime in the 2030s. For this type of long duration mission there will be limited or…
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Smaller, “smarter” and versatile

July 24, 2015  |  Features

Multidimensional narrow fabrics offer new ways to develop structures in medical and biomedical applications. A narrow fabric is loosely defined as being any non-elastic woven textile having a width of 12 inches or less and a woven selvage on each side. Narrow fabrics found use early on as hatbands, …
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Narrow fabrics’ widening markets

July 10, 2015  |  Features

Say “narrow fabric” and the average consumer may think of ribbon and zippers. The markets for narrow fabric manufacturers go far beyond those products, and with ongoing technological advances are broadening even further. Carolina Narrow Fabric proves the point. Founded in 1929, the company based…
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Nonwoven PLA may thrive in the healthcare market

July 10, 2015  |  Features

PLA, or polylactic acid, is a relatively recent innovation, but it is already the most commonly used bioplastic today. It’s a polyester, but with a key difference: instead of being made from petrochemicals, it’s plant-sourced. The process, developed by Minnetonka, Minn.-based Cargill Inc., invol…
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Space technologies, sportswear benefits

June 19, 2015  |  Features

  The Space industry has captured the human imagination and impacted design—and our culture—since the beginning of the last century. Not all depictions have been realistic. In Fritz Lang’s 1929 silent film The Girl in the Moon, astronauts are depicted wearing knitted cardigans for their j…
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Keeping it cool in space

June 5, 2015  |  Features

Specialized textiles play an important role in thermal control for an evolving aerospace marketplace. Where there are flights, space missions and satellites, there are advanced textiles. For composites used in aircraft engines, multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets for launch support and satellites,…
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High performance fabrics focus on comfort

May 22, 2015  |  Features

TechTextil at Messe Frankfurt in May hosted 1,662 exhibitors showing materials and products across the large spectrum of markets in the textile world. Messe Frankfurt Monitor APP was introduced to help visitors navigate. The exhibits were diverse, ranging from fibers and yarns to robot-assisted prod…
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Detox reality check

May 8, 2015  |  Features

A new report looks at the status of Greenpeace’s campaign launched in 2011. Signatories to the Greenpeace Detox Campaign launched in 2011 have committed to eliminating 11 hazardous chemicals from the apparel supply chain by 2020. A step in the right sustainable direction, but how realistic are th…
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