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R&D takes resources, and a lot of promising applied research doesn’t make it to industrial scale for many reasons, including a lack of resources to go from the lab to mass production. Accelerator programs and public-private partnerships can help fill the gap and de-risk the investment in innovation and modernization of manufacturing technologies.
This summer the Department of Defense (DOD) invested $480 million over the next 10 years in support of solving pain points for U.S. textile manufacturers and institutions, growing the U.S. textile industry, and bringing advanced textile R&D to today’s soldiers faster — and, by extension, to dual-use and commercial products. The funding established the Textile Futures Institute, also known as FutureTEX, which will be an independent nonprofit, joining other nationwide Manufacturing Innovation Institutes funded by the DOD.
“FutureTEX will be the bridge between the commercial markets and military markets,” said John Hauser, the CEO and executive director of FutureTEX, in a webinar about the program in October.
The initiative is to be industry-led and needs representation from a variety of sectors and regions, with industry leaders’ participation including being consortium members to serving on the Governance Board, in the Technical Advisory Committee, the Commercialization Advisory Committee, the EWD [Education and Workforce Development] Council, or the Strategic Industry Advisory Board.
“We’ve got to all come together to support our industry, to grow the industry, to strengthen it, and to help it become more flexible, adaptable, resilient and competitive,” said David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University.
Core partners in establishing FutureTEX include Drexel University, Gaston College, Georgia Tech, the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center, the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Additional regional centers are a goal.
“We are all stakeholders in this opportunity,” said John Hauser, the CEO and executive director of FutureTEX. “It is time for us to collaborate. It’s time for us to transform and innovate.”
In March will be the first-round call for proposals, such as white papers on problems that need to be solved within the industry.
In May will be project selection and kickoff of the inaugural membership opportunities. Structure and dues are still being determined but are expected to be a “low barrier to entry to participate,” Hinks said.
Companies interested in finding out more about FutureTEX can watch for the Talking Textiles podcast recording that was made at Advanced Textiles Expo 2026. People can also sign up for updates at futuretex.org. A full website is expected in December, and communication will start in earnest in February ahead of the call for the first proposals.
“The future of textiles starts here. So join us. Let’s strengthen U.S. manufacturing. Let’s accelerate this technology, and let’s build this workforce. So let’s build the future together at FutureTEX,” Hauser concluded during the webinar.