TEXTILES.ORG
Designer combines traditional and digital embroidery processes
November 1st, 2026
The concept for the HANAITO project was to explore new expressions in embroidery by combining Tajima’s sewing machine technology with computational processes, designer Hiromasa Fukaji says. The title of the two artworks in the project come from the Japanese words for “flower” (hana) and “thread” (ito). Image: Hiromasa Fukaji Japanese designer Hiromasa Fukaji, known for […]
Light-therapy clothing to help babies with jaundice
November 1st, 2026
In the phototherapy bodysuit under development to treat infant jaundice, University of Minnesota (U of M) researcher Lucy Dunne, Ph.D., describes the look as if the baby is wrapped in Christmas lights. The bodysuit uses off-the-shelf LEDs because fiber-optic fibers aren’t flexible and their radiance direction cannot be controlled. Image: U of M College of […]
Concept nonwoven zipper tape includes waste clothing
November 1st, 2026
YKK® R&D worked on a concept zipper using tape from nonwoven fabric sheets made from used clothing and other textiles. Image: YKK Corp. Companies continually look for ways to increase sustainability efforts through research and testing the performance of fabrics containing recycled materials. YKK® Corp.’s R&D department recently created a concept EXCELLA® zipper that includes […]
Ripped ski pants inspires textile manufacturer BirdieBlue
November 1st, 2026
Kate Harvey deconstructing a jacket at BirdieBlue’s hub in Vermont. The company takes in outdoor gear that’s beyond reselling or repair to upcycle into bags. Image: BirdieBlue/BHauz Productions A mishap one day on the slopes led to Kate Harvey founding the Morrisville, Vt., textile re-manufacturing business BirdieBlue. The company takes damaged outdoor gear and upcycles […]
Prototype coat designed for disassembly and recycling
November 1st, 2026
The proof-of-concept Helium Loop Anorak jacket was designed with recyclable materials and with automated disassembly in mind. Image: ALLIED Feather + Down Garment deconstruction is a major hindrance in postconsumer textile recycling, so designing a product with deconstruction and recycling in mind from the start is key. ALLIED Feather + Down, Bureo®, PERTEX, Resortecs and […]
Thermal textile innovation in Japan
November 1st, 2026
Dreamstime.com/© Lola Aisarova As thermal control becomes an increasingly important area of innovation in technical textiles, manufacturers are developing solutions tailored to specific applications. In Japan, companies are applying advances in fibers, polymers and specialty materials to develop products addressing challenges that range from cooling large gathering and storage spaces to helping people stay warm […]
The evolution of fabric structures
November 1st, 2026
The U.S. Embassy, London, England, is an 87,500-square-foot transparent, crystalline cube designed to afford generous daylight and views. The embassy’s outer envelope features approximately 399 single-layer Birdair ETFE facade sails with catenary cable edges supported by 180 tons of structural aluminum framing and 57 carbon steel headmounts. Image: Birdair Lightweight, versatile and cost-effective, fabric gives […]
Textile industry legacy companies
November 1st, 2026
So much goes into running a successful business decade upon decade, let alone for multiple generations — or even more than a century. This month, Specialty Fabrics Review profiles four of Advanced Textiles Association’s (ATA’s) legacy companies, including two of the 14 businesses that established the National Tent & Awning Association in 1912, ATA’s original […]
Standardizing e-textile development from prototype to product
November 1st, 2026
Testing standards for e-textiles continue to evolve as researchers develop new materials and product categories, such as this stretchable battery developed by researchers from North Carolina State University and Rice University. Image: Rajaram Kaveti The Global Electronics Association continues to be a driving force in global electronics standardization. In 2025, the organization, originally named the […]
Textiles and the USMCA 2026 update
November 1st, 2026
Image: Dreamstime.com/© Valerio Rosati The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) took effect July 1, 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which had been in effect since 1994. It governs how textile and apparel goods move duty-free between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The agreement introduced tougher rules about where goods must be made, […]