TEXTILES.ORG
Self-healing, conductive gel could redefine soft robotics
July 1st, 2023
An external strip of the gel connects the battery to the motor on this soft robotic snail. Photo: Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering A new material could help produce self-healing, conductive robotic devices that are also soft. Developed by a team of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University, the substance consists of a gelatinous polyvinyl alcohol-sodium […]
Scott Neville: Prioritize trust to join legacy companies
July 1st, 2023
Fifteen years ago, Scott Neville was a newcomer to the shade industry. In partnership with his father, Ron, he has since acquired three renowned awning companies with more than 300 years of combined industry leadership. And he’s just getting started. An avid challenge-seeker, Neville joined the industry in 2008 in Springfield, Mo. He and his […]
“Alternative” fabrics: Biofabrics made from plant sources
July 1st, 2023
The search for bio-based alternative fabrics, an important tenet of sustainability, is top of mind for fiber and fabric manufacturers these days. The companies featured here illustrate some of the different approaches that are being taken to reduce carbon, improve sustainability and deliver on the promise of more earth-friendly products without compromising the level of […]
PFAS regulations prompt innovation
July 1st, 2023
Shown here is a water-resistant fabric, one of many offered in the new Milliken Outdoor Fabrics line of non-PFAS DWR performance fabrics designed to stand up to every weather element. Photo: Milliken & Co. As the momentum to eliminate per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) picks up speed, growing numbers of product manufacturers and suppliers […]
Is it the end of polyester (as we know it)?
July 1st, 2023
Bottle wars may not end well for fiber producers. Photo: © Evgeniy Salov, Dreamstime.com Where would we be without polyester? Fibers created from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are ubiquitous in our apparel, home furnishings, automotive, filtration and personal care industries. In 2021, they represented 57.57% of the global fiber market, according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool […]
Reducing microplastics: Research and what we can do now
July 1st, 2023
Plastic breaks down in the oceans into microplastics, which are threatening the food web. Photo: Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash When synthetic textiles and clothing are washed—at both the industrial and the personal level—they shed small plastic particles known as microfibers that make their way into our ecosystem. Microfibers make up more than a third […]
Interest in reupholstering rises following the pandemic
July 1st, 2023
When properly reupholstered, furniture will last decades. This reproduction lolling chair was updated by Tack & Tuft in a red and gold damask upholstery. Photo: Tack & Tuft Growing demand, using environmentally friendly materials and finding ways to address the labor shortage are some of the market trends and challenges upholsterers are seeing in their […]
Flexin’ muscle on a 1960s Bel Air restoration
July 1st, 2023
The Chevy Bel Air, a luxury car back in the day, turned heads no matter what street it cruised down in the ’50s and ’60s—and it continues to do so today. The third-generation owner of a 1960 New Zealand model Bel Air decided about six years ago to undertake a ground-up restoration and modernization of […]