Advanced Textiles Expo returned to Anaheim, Calif., this year, highlighting the unique West Coast textile industry and plenty of recent innovations.

The owner of a Ranger Tug wanted a full permanent top along with an enclosure on the aft deck, recalls Joshua Davis, owner of Hayden Island Canvas in Portland, Ore. Additionally, the client wanted extension awnings on the sides for more shade, and he wanted them to be angle adjustable.

Innovative technological advances sometimes require intensive research and partnership efforts with years of dedicated government funding. Such a program in the smart textiles area is the SMART ePANTS program, which stands for the Smart Electrically Powered and Networked Textile Systems. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) launched the program last year. Its goals include creating active smart textiles with sensor systems that can record and store audio, video and location data that aren’t bulky devices but act, feel, move and function like regular clothing. Effectively, they need to be invisible to the wearer—and they need to be machine washable. The aim is for the tech to support personnel such as FBI agents, arms-control inspectors and first responders in dangerous environments. Future commercial applications could include detecting and monitoring medical conditions.

When thinking of places known for fun in the sun or cafe culture, Canada may not immediately come to mind. Yet that is where awning manufacturer Rolltec® Rolling Systems Ltd. in Concord, Ont., Canada, does business—in a big way.

Inventing a new product can change an industry—but it isn’t easy. To go from the eureka moment to a finished product available for customers takes longer and costs more than one might think. Here’s how some inventors overcame the hurdles.

In August, Hollywood Park, adjacent to the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., hosted the HARD Summer music festival, a two-day celebration of genres including electronic, techno, house, and drum and bass. The venue included four outdoor stages in the parking lots around the stadium, drawing more than 80,000 attendees each day.

Trade shows are all about connecting with customers new and old, and an engaging display using lightweight, vertical assets in eye-catching colors can make that happen. Bright and colorful booths with distinctive features attract foot traffic, and lighting and projection create an experience. Pop-up displays that maximize available space are on trend, and their light weight makes setup and disassembly, transportation, and storage easier. Customers appreciate it even more when the textiles are recyclable or made of recycled materials.

According to a Business Research Insights market report, the smart fabric segment of the textile industry is poised to grow from $4.19 billion in 2024 to $15.21 billion by 2032, indicating future opportunities to commercialize more smart textiles. However, there are still obstacles that smart products must overcome to achieve commercial success. The Advanced Textiles Association’s Emerging Textiles Conference in late September in Anaheim, Calif., had several sessions addressing the latest smart fabric and e-textile research and development—even art.

Americans over the age of 75 are expected to account for more than 50% of an anticipated population increase of 19 million during the coming decade. This is according to a March 2024 report by Wells Fargo that also warns, “Assuming the share of the population that has difficulty with self-care remains constant … an additional 1.7 million seniors will require care a decade from now.” This comes with not just health care costs but societal and economic ones, particularly for women, who represent 59% of unpaid caregivers.

As textiles move away from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the firefighter turnout-gear market, for one, faces specific concerns. In the past, the market intentionally used PFAS treatments to achieve goals such as oil repellency. Now, health concerns about the “forever” chemicals have led to increased regulations such as New York and California laws effective January 2025 that ban the sale and distribution of textile goods containing PFAS and other state laws that regulate firefighter gear specifically (see sidebar).

Turkey, which changed its name to the Republic of Türkiye in 2022, has a textile industry that dates to the Ottoman Empire and has continued to adapt, thrive and grow into the 21st century. In 2022, the country was ranked as the fourth largest exporter of textiles worldwide, accounting for more than 4% of global textile exports. In addition, its textiles and clothing exports have tripled since 2000, with its biggest market in Europe.

Full disclosure, I’m not really a marketing guy. When I started AP Consulting more than two years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. And as much as I would like to say I know everything now, I don’t. And that’s OK.