TEXTILES.ORG
Growth engines in advanced textiles
March 11th, 2024
Scientists at North Carolina State University have developed a soft robot, designed like a caterpillar, capable of moving forward, backward, and squeezing through tight spaces. Its movement is powered by a unique pattern of silver nanowires that use heat to regulate its bending, giving users the ability to direct the robot in any desired direction. Photo: Shuang […]
Looking ahead: the big picture
January 29th, 2024
Trends in the textile industry are apparently not easy to pin down; market researchers who study trends as a business agree on some, but not all. The degree of detail researched impacts the outcome, of course, and even market niche investigations generate hefty reports. Given the extensive reach of textile materials and products in the […]
Bio-materials company offers more sustainable textiles
January 15th, 2024
According to sustainable bio-design technology company Modern Meadow, eco-friendly bio-materials will be in the spotlight for fashion brands in 2024, calling them “the next generation of materials.” The company offers a range of bio-based textiles. Bio-VERA™ is an animal-free material that mimics the visual, textural and aging qualities of leather and suede, but offers a sustainable, […]
Protective textiles: a sunrise sector
March 13th, 2023
U.S. warfighter clothing requires a range of functionalities, often incorporated into one textile. Images full of camouflage patterns and army combat gear are seen frequently in the news, no doubt in part because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Next to weapons systems, the bullet proof gear and garments we are so used to seeing […]
Resiliency in the face of change
January 23rd, 2023
Sewbo makes use of off-the-shelf industrial robots by temporarily stiffening fabrics, allowing robots to build garments from rigid cloth. The water-soluble stiffener is removed at the end of the manufacturing process with a rinse in hot water, leaving a soft, assembled product. Photo: Sewbo. Editor’s note: This month in our features we’re looking at the […]
The year ahead in textiles
January 9th, 2023
Spools are stored nearby for use in a manufacturing facility at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles. Photo: Janet Preus. Will 2023 be the year that heralds a deglobalized, but more highly networked, textile industry? If so, what might that look like? One may look at this topic through four different lenses, starting with the […]
Driving sustainability in advanced textiles
December 12th, 2022
Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel has completed the installation of 13,000m2 of photovoltaic panels on the roof of its Nantong factory. The installation is projected to produce 1.5 million kWh of electricity a year and lower CO2 emissions by about 1,200 tons/year. Photo: Freudenberg. The recently concluded COP-27 meeting in Sharm-El-Sheikh has affirmed the commitment of […]
Building sustainability
November 28th, 2022
Bio-based Dyneema rope. Photo: Material ConneXion There is an abundance of information available about sustainability that, while conveying much, can lack clarity and simplicity. A simple and clear directive regarding sustainability is needed: if you produce something, anything, to be “sustainable” (leaving aside the social aspects for the moment) you need to: Use renewable and/or […]
Covation Biomaterials launch is announced
June 9th, 2022
Covation Biomaterials, a global company offering bio-based solutions, launched today as an independent business, following the acquisition of DuPont Biomaterials by the Huafon Group. The company says it is creating the sustainable building blocks for customers to make innovative and high-performance, bio-based products accessible globally. “As a supplier of bio-based materials solutions, we are an important gateway […]
Sustainability and fibrous substrates
March 28th, 2022
While sustainability efforts in the industry may have suffered over the past two years due to the pandemic, supply chain issues and the current crisis in Ukraine, we should not lose our focus on the importance of addressing climate change. A recent report from the Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change […]