Industry advocacy efforts keep textile business in the U.S.

May 1, 2024  |  Markets, Product Trends

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and other government agencies use many products made from specialty fabrics. They include military uniforms, straps, netting, tents and vehicle covers. High-quality fabrics are necessary so these products will be safe, perform well and have a long life. U.S. text…
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Looking back, looking ahead: Textile industry trends

April 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

A political, economic, social, technology (PEST) analysis on the smart and advanced textile industry for 2023 would likely show that “P” dominated, as politics has affected all sectors. But that is not to diminish the important developments that have taken place in the industry, in some cases be…
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Succession planning for transitioning your family business

April 1, 2024  |  Business, Markets

I began working with business families in the late 1990s with RSM McGladrey in its family business consulting practice. I was working on my doctoral degree and hoped to gain experience working with leadership development in the “real” world. Then, as my journey continued, I worked with business …
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Geosynthetics companies navigate the infrastructure law

April 1, 2024  |  Features, Markets, Product Trends

The $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was passed more than two years ago to invest in America’s crumbling infrastructure, providing funding to rebuild roads and bridges, replace lead pipes, help provide high-speed internet across the country, and deliver cleane…
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Smart fabrics testing and standards under development

March 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

Smart textiles that use specialized polymers, chemical additives or electronics to react with their environment are changing textile technology in the 21st century. E-textiles or “wearables” have been particularly promising due to their ability to monitor and communicate data to provide sensory …
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Textiles and PFAS: Managing the legal risks

March 1, 2024  |  Industry in Focus, Markets

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of several thousand fluorinated organic compounds. Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, PFAS have been widely used in everything from consumer products such as textiles to industrial applications such as firefighting foams.
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2024 IBC code changes affect temporary structures

March 1, 2024  |  Markets, Product Trends

Every three years the International Code Council® (ICC®) publishes a new set of International Codes®. These include the International Building Code® (IBC®) and the International Fire Code® (IFC®). The latest edition year of the ICC codes is the 2024 set. Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) pa…
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Textiles in protection from bioagents, chemical warfare

February 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

The medical and military industries are both in need of fabrics that offer protection against biological threats in health care environments and, for warfighters, the threat posed by chemical warfare. The challenges faced are complex; protection against multiple agents could be needed, and the agent…
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How to mitigate the online security risks of outsourcing

February 1, 2024  |  Business, Markets

What we now call “hacking” has been around almost as long as humans have existed. Today’s version focuses on technology, but the behavior takes many forms that even go back to the story of the Trojan horse. Hacking is simply the act of exploiting a weakness to gain access to something, whether…
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Women entrepreneurs use bras in women’s health initiatives

February 1, 2024  |  Markets, Product Trends

Women’s health issues have historically been underfunded and ignored, a reality that is hard to believe today considering that women make up half the world’s population. Fortunately, women entrepreneurs are working to tackle some of the most daunting medical conditions women face, and the world …
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