When Chickasaw Margaret Roach Wheeler sat down at a loom as an undergraduate in college, she felt an instant connection to her mother and grandmother, who taught her how to weave as a child. Although she began her college studies painting and sculpting, she knew she had to transfer to textiles, a career she has been following ever since. 

Researchers at Imperial College London have embedded new low-cost sensors designed to monitor breathing, heart rate and ammonia into T-shirts and face masks.

In an effort to reduce waste, Berry Global has formed a closed-loop recycling ecosystem to recycle materials in making its Endura spunbond and meltblown nonwovens product line. 

So-called “forever chemicals” that may be harmful to humans and animals have been banned in textile production, cosmetics and personal care products in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Industrial thread specialist, Coats Group, based in Kings Mountain, N.C., has launched a new recycled polyester thread featuring an additive that is designed to reduce microplastic pollution in landfills and oceans.

British performance apparel brand Vollebak has released details of a new Thermal Camouflage Jacket, which incorporates 42 patches of graphene, individually controlled via microcomputer to emit different levels of thermal radiation without any change to their actual temperature. Programming the patches to have the same level of thermal radiation as their surroundings makes them appear “invisible” to infrared cameras. The jacket lays the foundations for an “invisibility cloak” that could conceal its wearer on the infrared spectrum as well as on the visible spectrum.

Burlan Manufacturing exhibited its conductive narrow fabric at IFAI Expo 2022 in Charlotte this fall. The narrow fabric is the newest in its line of conductive fabrics, which provide conductivity woven into the structure of the fabric, so it will not wear off or wash off over time. Because of its size and construction, the company’s narrow fabrics can be easily incorporated into finished products such as seating, apparel, packaging and others. The product is appropriate for end uses that are bulk and weight sensitive, as well as products that need high heat.

Dr. Braden Li, a materials research engineer with the Air Force Research Lab, is working on developing clothing for the Air Force designed for protecting personnel in extreme-cold environments—to minus 60 degrees (F). His presentation outlined the Air Force requirements, and he explained the Heat Enhancing Arctic Textiles (HEAT) approach in meeting its list of Key System Attributes (KSAs).

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have reported the development of a microneedle patch that can be self-administered and painlessly deposit a tattoo onto skin within minutes. The technology is initially proposed for simple human medical or animal uses, but a number of cosmetic uses may be possible in the future. Microneedle technology has been available for a few years. Researchers have proposed various uses for the patches including delivering vaccines and insulin or measuring alcohol and glucose levels in real time. Initial uses for the technology proposed by the researchers include medical applications, such as tiny tattoos communicating blood type or medical conditions. Other more immediate uses could be in veterinarian contexts to note an animal’s vaccination status.

The textile industry continues to look for ways to reduce its CO2 footprint, for example in the fabrication of sports shoes. HUAFENG, a textile technology company based in China, chose to apply INSQIN® PU by Covestro, a waterborne polyurethane technology, as a coating binder in its HAPTIC® printing technology.