Industry and academia: Partners in innovation

September 1, 2021  |  Feature

Red Solo® cups are synonymous with a good time—“barbeques, tailgates, fairs and festivals” according to the hit song by country star Toby Keith. But they are also a single-use plastic with few recycling options. As a student majoring in material science and engineering at Johns Hopkins Unive…
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IFAI Expo: The industry in person

September 1, 2021  |  Feature

Celebrate textile innovation—in person!—at IFAI Expo, the leading show in the textile industry for sourcing, education and networking. Join thousands of industry stakeholders on the show floor, in valuable education sessions and at long-awaited social gatherings. Reconnect with your industry and…
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Advanced textiles rocketing into the future

August 1, 2021  |  Feature

The space industry was estimated by U.K.-based investment firm Seraphim Capital to be worth a record $385 billion globally in 2020. In addition to national and international space agencies, public-private and fully commercial interests are attracting record levels of funding because of the market’…
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IFAI Expo 2021 Exhibitor Product Preview

August 1, 2021  |  Exhibitor Product Preview, Feature

Celebrate textile innovation at the 100th in-person IFAI Expo, where hundreds of exhibitors will bring you the latest products and information from the entire supply chain, from fibers and fabrics to shade systems, state-of-the-art equipment and the latest in textile technologies.
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Jeff Newkirk: The next step

August 1, 2021  |  Feature, Perspective

Jeff Newkirk, MFC, started sailing at such a young age, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t entranced with sailboats, the glide across open water and the call of the open wind.
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Shade sails find a place in the sun

August 1, 2021  |  Feature

For something that’s been around for thousands of years—as far back as the Roman Colosseum, if not longer—shade sails in North America have a reputation as “the new kid on the block.” While using tensioned sails to provide shade for both commercial and residential structures has been a fu…
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2021 State of the Industry

July 1, 2021  |  Feature, State of the Industry

This research highlights findings from more than 300 members of the industrial fabrics community who shared information about their organizations with us (Fig. 1). The information was gathered through an online survey fielded January–March 2021 that asked organizations about their businesses pre-p…
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The circular future of specialty fabrics

July 1, 2021  |  Feature

When it comes to sustainability, the textile industry has come a long way since it tentatively dipped its toes into the waters of organic cotton and recycled polyester fibers. Today, sustainability goals are achieved in a wide range of textile products through choices made in raw materials, manufact…
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