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E-textiles for military markets
January 11, 2014 | Features
Creating textiles that harvest energy lighten the warfighter’s load. U.S. Army studies show that a fully equipped soldier carries between 50 and 120 pounds of equipment, depending on the mission. Efforts to reduce the amount of weight soldiers need to carry in the field are in full swing—and sci…
Analyzing movement—by the clothes we wear
January 11, 2014 | Features
What if a person’s heart rate, respiration and body mechanics could be monitored during various activities without being observed in person or via video feeds? What if that data could be collected and evaluated remotely? Dr. Tom Martin, co-director of the Electronic Textiles Lab at Virginia Tech, …
Wearable sensors for firefighters
January 11, 2014 | Features
The Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform (WASP) Shirt by Globe Manufacturing, Pittsfield, N.H., is a body-worn system that integrates physiological and location monitoring for real-time data collection. It is specifically intended to measure the stress placed on firefighters during the course of their …
FlexTech Alliance initiates users groups
January 11, 2014 | Features
From toys and games, freshness sensors, body media, and medical devices to applications in outer space and high-speed communications, flexible and printed electronics are influencing the ways companies develop advanced products and packages. To speed adoption of these technologies into a broad range…
Vinyl matters
January 9, 2014 | Features
What fabric manufacturers know about PVC fabrics that you should know, too. Many businesses in the industrial fabrics industry (Seaman Corp. among them) have shown consistent growth over decades by developing cost-effective, high-performance products that utilize vinyl—a polymer used safely and su…
Hot and cold
December 10, 2013 | Features
For most of us it’s simple enough to dress properly for the weather and our working conditions, but for workers in extreme conditions—both hot and cold—it gets more complex. In a cold environment, layers of sometimes bulky clothing will keep the worker warm, but if he or she is active and swea…
Novel temperature-regulating bi-component fibers
December 10, 2013 | Features
Thermal comfort is dependent upon both environmental and individual factors and is influenced by the core and skin temperatures of the body. The thermo-neutral zone for naked resting subjects has been defined as between 28-30°C. In this comfort zone the human body is unaware of warmth or coolness. …
Performance driven
December 10, 2013 | Features
Fabrics for sports apparel and gear match demanding expectations and show continued market growth. Whether participating in an ultramarathon or exploring the arctic poles, serious athletes need the same thing in their apparel and gear: comfort and protection. Fabric technologies are delivering above…
Polartec® Alpha® wins 2013 IFF Innovation Award
December 10, 2013 | Features
Polartec LLC received the annual Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) Innovation Award honors for its Polartec® Alpha® synthetic insulation. The product makes possible the first-ever breathable “puffy” garments, designed to provide active warmth. Unlike down or synthetic fillers, which can trap…