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Develop a business culture of creativity
October 1st, 2023
I was recently speaking with one of my coaching clients and the subject of professional curiosity came up. Curiosity is a catalyst for creativity, problem-solving and continuous improvement. By creating a culture of curiosity, we can tap into the collective creativity of the people who work with us and for us. It stimulates critical thinking, encourages […]
Chemical recycling may offer a solution to textile waste
October 1st, 2023
Among the bio-based chemicals in Circa Group’s portfolio is Cyrene™, a novel solvent that is being used by Textile Change, a company that has developed technology for the recycling of textile waste. Shown here is a Textile Change pilot plant that will be using Cyrene as well as other solvents during its trial run. Photo: […]
Sailboat canvas renovation maximizes cockpit space
October 1st, 2023
This award-winning marine canvas project by Keri Ames, owner of Yachtsman’s Canvas of North Wales, Pa., achieved the goal of maintaining a traditional look but with subtle modern updates. It consisted of a dodger with frame, bimini with frame and a connector between the two. The project was part of the restoration of an early […]
Inflatable space habitats undergo testing
October 1st, 2023
The 2019 full-scale habitat prototype. Photo: ILC Dover Inflatable habitats are not only under development for the moon but also low Earth orbit (LEO). Sierra Space Corp. and Blue Origin are two of the organizations involved with the Orbital Reef, the first commercial space station. The goal is having it operational before the end of […]
nanoTRAINO: Outdoor emergency stretcher sled gets lighter
October 1st, 2023
When you’re backpacking or cross-country skiing, every ounce counts. Nano Adventure’s latest version of the nanoTRAINO portable stretcher and sled is lighter, more compact and, at the same time, more durable than the first iteration, due to a change in its fabric. It weighs about a pound and rolls up to the size of a […]
AI reimagines the couch but human designers still essential
October 1st, 2023
In collaboration with Panter&Tourron, the IKEA design lab SPACE10 set out to use artificial intelligence (AI) to reimagine the couch to make it more sustainable and light enough for one person to carry. The prototype was made with two adjustable “wings” on the ends. Wings could be added in multiple positions, as in this concept […]
Airbags make military equipment deployment faster
October 1st, 2023
The Rapid Rigging De-Rigging Airdrop System (RRDAS) has 10 reusable airbag modules. It is undergoing testing and is expected to greatly reduce the quantity of honeycombed cardboard required for airdrops. This will also make equipment mobilization much faster. Photo: Mark Schauer/U.S. Army In remote regions when time is of the essence, a new airdrop system […]
Enzymes power cotton-polyester blend separation
October 1st, 2023
Shown is cotton that the enzymes degraded into a slurry of fibers and blue glucose syrup that are later separated by filtration. Photos: North Carolina State University Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) are trying to reduce the amount of textile waste using enzymes to separate cotton-polyester blends, making it possible to recycle […]
From farm to mattress
October 1st, 2023
Avocado’s Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified organic latex farm in southern Guatemala. Photo: Avocado Green Mattress The mattress brand Avocado, based in Los Angeles, Calif., is on a mission to increase sustainability in the mattress industry. Each Avocado mattress is handcrafted in Los Angeles and features materials sourced directly from farms co-owned by the […]
Flexible pumps offer upgrade to wearable technology
October 1st, 2023
The pumps woven into clothing. Most fluid-based wearable technologies require a large, inconvenient pump that is difficult to incorporate into clothing. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, have developed a solution: flexible, fiber-like pumps that can be woven or sewn into textiles. The pumps use charge injection electrohydrodynamics (EHD) to […]