TEXTILES.ORG
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) recently announced Gelvenor Textile of South Africa as the 2016 IFF Innovation Award winner, presented at IFAI Expo in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 20. The company won for its project, the VulAmanz Rural Water Filter (VA-RWF). Gelvenor Textiles was awarded a prize of $5,000.
The innovation is a unique woven polyester microfiltration fabric developed by Gelvenor for applications in water purification and wastewater treatment. The microfiltration fabric effectively removes colloidal contaminants and dangerous bacteria from unsafe waters at an acceptably high flowrate. A household water treatment unit was developed, aimed at providing safe drinking water to un-serviced rural households without electricity or the addition of water treatment chemicals. It is expected to have a significant impact on addressing a major developmental challenge internationally.
An Honorable Mention Award went to The Crypton Companies for its project, Crypton® Revl (TM) topcoat chemistry for PVC, which is a tough, durable, anti-graffiti topcoat chemistry for vinyl substrates.
Innovation is the heart of creating a specialty fabrics industry that will inspire technology in the 21st century. The IFF Innovation Award transforms that idea into action. Join IFF as it fosters the next-generation of specialty fabric industry innovators.
The IFF is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to education and research in specialty fabrics. For more information, contact Linden Wicklund, IFF Managing Director, 651 225 6920 or llwicklund@ifai.com.