All Articles

What event industry pros look for in draping fabrics—and why

June 1, 2026 | Features

Statement-making draping is reshaping client expectations for events. As event planners use this technique more intentionally to define celebratory spaces, the bar for both design and execution is rising, particularly in tented events.

2026 State of the textile industry report

June 1, 2026 | Features, State of the Industry

Last year, we were wondering how tariffs would affect the U.S. economy and the domestic portion of the global textile industry, as the rates seemed to change daily at the time the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) annual industry survey was being conducted in the spring. Inflation thus wound up be…

AI graphics enable embroidered-look mock-up for customers

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

Florida-based custom patch manufacturer World Emblem is using artificial intelligence (AI) graphics rendering to show customers what their design will look like when embroidered, eliminating lag time for physical samples and production waste.

Smart vest could prevent hypothermia

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have developed a smart vest that monitors the wearer’s body temperature and detects risks of hypothermia.

Smart wearable for post-stroke speech impairments

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a soft, washable choker that could help patients with post-stroke speech impairments regain the ability to communicate, providing an alternative to invasive devices such as brain implants.

VoxeLite can ‘feel the digital world’

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

Engineers at Northwestern University in Illinois have created VoxeLite, a bandage-like device that stretches around the fingertip and lets users “feel the digital world,” as described in a Northwestern article about the device. Featuring a series of nodes, the wrap creates a digital touch that r…

Fiber composite can repair itself 1,000+ times

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) have developed a self-healing composite that is tougher than materials currently used in aircraft wings, turbine blades and other applications and can repair itself more than 1,000 times.

Artist Tomislav Topic features colorful mesh textiles

June 1, 2026 | Swatches

When Berlin, Germany-based artist Tomislav Topi´c needed a fast, on-budget solution for a large art installation at a festival in 2014, inspiration came during a trip to the hardware store.

USDA launches Great American Cotton Plan

May 29, 2026 | Industry News, News

On May 28, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Great American Cotton Plan, a comprehensive United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative to strengthen the cotton farm economy, restore domestic textile manufacturing, expand cotton trade opportunities and increas…

Trivantage hosts second annual Makers Meet event

May 28, 2026 | Swatches

Trivantage hosted the company’s second annual Makers Meet event on May 8, in collaboration with the Window Coverings Association of America.