Energy for the future

March 1, 2015  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

Flexible and durable power-generating textiles are poised to make a difference in meeting tomorrow’s energy requirements. Looking forward, before imagination meets prototype, the next generation of energy-producing products seems unattainable. Looking backward, after such innovations are readily a…
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Expansion in layers

March 1, 2015  |  Advanced Textiles

Flexible composites are finding practical application in a growing number of industries. The world of composites covers a range of materials and applications. Flexible composites have long been manufactured to perform specific functions in generally demanding environments. Their tremendous strength-…
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Light play

February 1, 2015  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

Getting creative with textiles When most people walk into a retail store, they see an array of color-popping advertising displays. If shoppers take a closer look, they might notice these backlit displays are not made of film or some sort of vellum, but of a tightly woven, printed fabric. Eric Tische…
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Marching into the future

November 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles

Smart textiles drive developments in many of the applications most desired by the military. The military continues to be one of the markets most interested in adopting smart textile technologies. In fact, military applications represented 21 percent of the smart fabric market in 2013. This year, the…
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A U.S. Army wish list

November 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

The U.S. Army tells the textile industry exactly what it wants in the next generation of clothing, gear and structures. By Sigrid Tornquist Fiber reinforced, insect repellent, modular, ergonomic, chemical resistant, paper thin but super tough, omniphobic. These are some of the properties the U.S. Ar…
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Under the sea

October 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles

New textile sheets boost yields in seaweed farming. Seaweed, it is believed, is an important but under-exploited resource for food and feed ingredients, biochemicals and the production of biofuels. However, it has been difficult to harvest efficiently on a large scale. The European Union-funded AT~S…
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Outer limits

October 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

High-performance fabrics and finishes stretch the capabilities of athletes and recreational sports enthusiasts. Once upon a time, recreational sports were pretty tame: croquet, badminton, golf, rowing. But as humans eyed what new technology afforded them in the way of action, they began pushing the …
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Connection points

July 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

The right hardware makes every job a snap. With the right outlook— it’s a riveting subject. In this global economy, when business people can order supplies from around the globe at the click of a mouse, it’s easy to assume that we can get whatever we want, whenever we want. But in fact, long-t…
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On-hand and handy

July 1, 2014  |  Advanced Textiles, Features

The “art” of having the right amount of hardware and supplies available–and organized. It’s an ebb and flow, like the change in the seasons. It’s the annual ritual of fabricators in seasonal markets preparing for the year ahead. Many will have let their inventory of hardware, tubin…
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