May 2010 Issue

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Features

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Markets

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News

  • Renewable native fibers such as saluyot could spur future growth in fabric industries in countries like the Philippines. Photos: Philippine Textile Research Institute.

    Philippines focus on 'famine food' fibers

    Saluyot, a jute-like plant called “famine food” because it is a vegetable of last resort during drought times, has been added to the Philippine Textile Research Institute’s (PTRI’s) menu of renewable native fibers suitable for fabric production.

  • Stanford researchers dip fabric in nanotube ink, dry in an oven for 10 minutes and end up with foldable, washable energy storage. Photo: Liangbing Hu, Stanford University.

    Nanotechnology used to create fabric battery

    Nanotechnology continues to revolutionize the textile—and energy—industries.

  • Chitosan, derived from crab and shrimp shells, permeates fabrics with a durable, germ-fighting film—and the raw material can be derived from materials generally considered wastes. Photo: RMIT.

    Researchers make waves with crustacean-shell auto interiors

    A natural biopolymer that strengthens the shells of crustaceans can be combined with fragrant oils to produce odor-repellent, stain-resistant and antimicrobial automotive interiors, according to researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia.

  • “The idea is to combine technology and fashion in a way that’s functional, but looks good, too,” says Liebman. Photos: Cornell University, Tina C.

    Fashion meets function with conductive threads

    Fashion design took a technological turn at the 26th Annual Cornell Design League Fashion Show in March at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

  • Nonwovens help North Carolina economy

    Since 2003, 226 companies making synthetic fabrics have moved to or expanded in North Carolina, in part because of research technologies that are creating nonwoven fabrics for the filtration and healthcare markets.

  • Bananas provide new textile opportunities

    Between 50 and 70 percent of farmers in Uganda grow bananas, and the fibers of banana trees end up as waste material.

  • Report shows rising demand for geosynthetics

    Infrastructure development and construction in Russia, China and India will drive global demand for 6.9 billion square yards of geosynthetic fabric by 2015, according to a report by Global Industry Analysts Inc., San Jose, Calif.

  • Poor economy and politics hurt Latin American textile industry

    Brazil’s textile and apparel industry continues to thrive, despite the world economic crisis, based on its strong domestic consumption—approximately 80 percent of total sales.

  • President Obama supports export initiatives

    U.S. President Barack Obama wants to double exports of American goods during the next five years, the goal for an ambitious National Export Initiative outlined in March.

  • Resources from Oeko-Tex®

    The International Oeko-Tex® Association has announced the creation of a free webinar series entitled “Oeko-Tex Connects.”

  • Hohenstein Institute adds Dominican Republic office

    The Hohenstein Institute has now established offices in 20 countries with the most recent addition of the new office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

  • bluesign® publicizes standards criteria

    bluesign technologies ag offers three premium applications: bluetool, bluefinder and blueguide, developed to meet the specific needs of each level along the textile manufacturing chain.

  • Germany technology, textiles in India

    The two-day Conference on German Technology for Indian Technical Textiles will be held March 8–9 in New Delhi and March 11–12 in Mumbai.

  • The Textile Institute: a global vision

    The Textile Institute Centenary World Conference will form part of the Centenary Celebrations of The Textile Institute, providing a platform for discussion and networking.

  • The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum became the spinning center of the New York cultural elite in December 2009, as the next generation of art collectors (the Young Collectors Council, or YCC) hosted its annual Artist’s Ball.

    Sculpted fabric screen gives Guggenheim a new feel

    The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum became the spinning center of the New York cultural elite in December 2009, as the next generation of art collectors (the Young Collectors Council, or YCC) hosted its annual Artist’s Ball.

  • Glen Raven recognized for wildlife habitat protection

    The South Carolina Wildlife Federation recognized the Glen Raven plant in Anderson, S.C., for protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat on its 180-acre property.

  • Philips leads EU luminous textiles project

    The goal is to create light sources that are “flexible, supple and also soft, just like textiles,” says Christian Dalsgaard, director of the Danish firm Ohmatex, and the European Union is backing 12 partners in five countries to develop intelligent light textiles.

  • Silk crepe producers adopting bioplastic

    Several silk production facilities in Kyotango, Japan, are working in partnership with Teijin Co., Tokyo, Japan, in developing innovative applications for BIOFRONT™ bioplastic, a plant-based fiber with a silk-like sheen.

  • Strategic alliance promotes architectural fabrics

    Two big names in architectural fabrics have joined forces to produce and market Tenara®, expanded PTFE fibers patented by W. L. Gore & Associates, Newark, Del., and licensed exclusively to Sefar AG, Heiden, Switzerland, for production and sales.

  • South Carolina nonwovens machinery group expands

    The city of Greer, S.C., recently welcomed a new American Truetzschler Inc. plant to the community, along with the spinning and nonwoven machinery company’s $3.5 million investment and 30 new jobs.

  • Free monthly webinars from Rowley

    Keeping up with new technologies and trends isn’t easy for busy fabric managers running their own design, installation or upholstery operations, but Rowley Co., Gastonia, N.C., is making it easier for customers to learn online.

  • Eventscape's Gareth Brennan receives CEO of the Year award

    An entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation inspire Gareth Brennan, president and founder of Eventscape Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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Products

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Business

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Projects

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Resources

  • Finding suppliers through CSFM certificates

    The California State Fire Marshal’s (CSFM) office publishes lists of companies currently certified by them for flame-retardant fabrics and chemicals, and they are tracked by registration numbers.

  • FED-STD-191A, Method 5120

    We’re trying to compare some fabric test methods, but have been told that the methods we’re using are out of date.

  • SIC codes for awning companies

    SIC stands for Standard Industrial Classification, a method that was used, beginning back in the 1930s, to gather data on the United States economy.

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