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How textile innovator Milliken & Co. became one of America’s safest companies
December 1st, 2017
Milliken & Co. is known around the globe for its innovations in the manufacturing of specialty chemicals, floor covering, and performance and protective textiles. It’s also one of America’s safest companies. The Spartanburg, S.C.-based company was recently named as one of 13 companies featured in the 2017 America’s Safest Companies list, which recognizes companies that […]
Outerwear that grows with children
December 1st, 2017
It’s a common dilemma when buying clothes for young children—do you get the size they are now, knowing they’ll grow out of them soon? Or get a size or two bigger, figuring they’ll grow into them and last longer? That was the inspiration for London-based Petit Pli, a line of children’s clothing created by Ryan […]
Powering fabrics to keep soldiers warm
December 1st, 2017
Soldiers stationed in the arctic know that it’s a challenge to stay warm while executing their duties in the frigid weather. Protective clothing is often bulky and makes it difficult to maneuver, and wearers often become overheated and sweaty. A group of scientists at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development & Engineering Center is […]
High-powered yarn
December 1st, 2017
Supreme Corporation has introduced VOLT Smart Yarns, a highly conductive yarn capable of sending power, ground and signals to make functional, wearable smart clothing. Capable of high levels of conductivity on the order of 1.9 Ohms per meter, each VOLT Smart Yarn contains up to four wires the diameter of a human hair. Engineered for use […]
Recycled materials for inflatable travel bags
December 1st, 2017
The Swiss company Freitag has made a name for itself creating multifunctional bags out of old truck tarpaulins, discarded bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts. Recently, the company expanded its offerings to include an inflatable travel bag that stands out from anything else at baggage claim. Zippelin is a rolling bag made of hand-cut […]
Narrow fabrics’ widening reach
December 1st, 2017
Corporate administrators tend to base management decisions on the Pareto Principle (80 percent of business comes from 20 percent of the clientele). Textile engineer Connie Huffa argues that can be a shortsighted way of thinking. “Opportunities lie in the 20 percent—the business we all would have turned down 10 to 20 years ago,” says the […]
Tapestry depicts “Game of Thrones”
December 1st, 2017
It looks like a textile dating back centuries. But upon a closer look, a detailed tapestry tells the tale of “Game of Thrones®,” one of the most popular television shows of all time. The tapestry was designed as part of a Tourism Ireland campaign, created in partnership with HBO, and launched during the show’s seventh […]
Fabric installation at Renwick Gallery plays with perceptions
December 1st, 2017
Since the 17th century (with the debut of the French École des Beaux-Arts), drawing has been the first basic skill taught to architects. This still holds true, despite the advent of computer aided drafting (CAD) and sophisticated rendering software. And today there is a segment of the architecture community rediscovering and embracing the messy hand-drawn […]
Training and education for the high-tech textile industry
December 1st, 2017
According to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Manufacturing Competitive Index (GMCI) report, the United States looks set to overtake China as the world’s most competitive manufacturing nation within five years. The textile industry is a significant part of that repositioning in its moves to bring manufacturing back to North America. It is not enough, however, to bring […]
Finding solutions: teamwork and initiative
December 1st, 2017
Research shows that cross-functional collaboration can improve the ability to solve complex problems, deliver higher quality products and services faster, and boost customer satisfaction. To see these kinds of results means building a team that listens to customers and works across departments to find solutions. At Cooley Group, president and CEO Dan Dwight emphasizes the […]