TEXTILES.ORG
Toward Circularity
January 1st, 2022
We often hear the word circularity used in conjunction with sustainability. It is the idea that, at the end of its lifecycle, a product can be broken down into its basic components and be reused rather than destroyed. That’s a big issue right now for the textile industry, which is increasingly under fire to reduce […]
Fabric has near field communication properties
January 1st, 2022
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have integrated advanced metamaterials into flexible textiles to create a system capable of battery-free communication between articles of clothing and nearby devices. The invention will enable wearers to digitally interact with nearby electronic devices and make secure payments with a single touch or swipe of a sleeve. Photos: […]
User-friendly ‘Photoshop for textiles’
January 1st, 2022
Byborre Create, linked to a library of suppliers and manufacturers, lets users see colors, graphics, textile properties and more long before the manufacturing phase. Photos: Byborre. Dutch textile maker Byborre has created a digital tool that allows anyone to design complex 3D-knittes fabrics. Dubbed Byborre Create™, the tool is being called “Photoshop for textiles” because […]
Digital denim can reduce energy and water consumption
January 1st, 2022
Researchers at North Carolina State University have created “digital denim,” an inkjet-based printing process that mimics denim colors and wear patterns. Because the base fabric is printed rather than dyed, the process can lead to greater varieties of colors and patterns, while reducing water and energy use. Fabrics can have a “new denim” look. Photos: […]
Smart fabric can generate electricity
January 1st, 2022
Made of electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nylon, silver nanowires (AgNWs) and polystyrene (PS), the new all-fibrous composite nanogenerator (AF-TENG) can be easily incorporated into clothing, allowing it to power small electronics through everyday movements. Photo: Courtesy Nano Energy. The newest member of the wearable tech movement may one day be a fabric that can […]
Mushroom-based leather
January 1st, 2022
A new mushroom-based leather is developed by harvesting engineered mycelium cells to mimic the look and feel of traditional animal-based leather. Photo: MycoWorks. MycoWorks, a California-based biotech company, has created an eco-friendly, vegan leather derived from mushrooms. The leather turns mycelium, the microscopic, root-like threads of a mushroom that latch onto and colonize different substrates, […]
Sun-powered textiles
January 1st, 2022
In this prototype jacket from the Sun-Powered Textile Project a “porous” textile is laminated to commercially available solar cells, The energy-autonomous product can generate its own energy by using light as a renewable energy source. In addition to sunlight, it can also generate energy from artificial light. Photos: Anne Kinnunen. Researchers at Aalto University in […]
Stitchless, 3D, layered face mask launched
January 1st, 2022
Created by Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka, the AIRism 3D mask will be launched by Japanese brand UNIQLO early in 2022. The mask’s three-dimensional curved silhouette is designed to offer effective protection while resting comfortably on the face. The mask’s three layers include an inner layer of breathable mesh made with “AIRism,” a built-in nonwoven filter and an outer […]
A new class of human-powered bioelectronics
January 1st, 2022
A team of bioengineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering has invented a novel, soft and flexible self-powered bioelectronic device. The technology converts human body motions, from bending an elbow to subtle movements, such as a pulse on one’s wrist, into electricity that could be used to power wearable and implantable diagnostic sensors. The researchers […]
Origami design creates a portable canoe
January 1st, 2022
The designers that launched MyCanoe nearly five years ago have been through several iterations of their packable canoe. The company’s most recent product is a lightweight, durable, foldable canoe, inspired by origami, that packs in a portable case, assembles in less than five minutes and fits in the back of most vehicles. The body of […]