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Booming business of self-care technologies

October 1, 2021  |  Features

The idea of caring for our health and wellness is no longer confined to New Agers or the self-obsessed. According to “Feeling Good: The Future of the $1.5 Trillion Wellness Market,” a report by global consulting firm McKinsey & Co., “A rise in both consumer interest and purchasing power pr…
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Relocating your business

October 1, 2021  |  Features

Growing the business is an objective for nearly every owner, but with this comes a sometimes unanticipated consequence—outgrowing the facility’s space, making a move the only logical recourse. Consider American Tent LLC. Currently housed in Green Bay, Wis., the commercial and party tent manufact…
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In the market for new markets

October 1, 2021  |  Features

The advantages of diversification are well-known. Serving multiple markets can help a business grow, and when one market experiences a downturn, other markets can help prop up a company. According to the 2021 State of the Industry report published by Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFA…
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Choose your fruit, choose your shoes

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

French footwear startup MoEa has launched a sustainable, recyclable vegan sneaker made from fruits and plants. Each pair of sneakers is made from one fruit and plant; purchasers may choose among apple, pineapple, cactus, corn and grape, and pick from two color options per fruit and plant. To stabili…
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Safe, sustainable anti-odor socks

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

Microbes on the skin can break down acids in sweat, resulting in the distinctive stinky sock smell, and natural fibers commonly used in socks, such as cotton and wool, are an ideal breeding ground for microbes. Even polyester can provide an environment for odor-causing bacteria to grow. To combat th…
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Bioresorbable patch could heal broken bones

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a biodegradable, electro-stimulating implant that can speed wound healing, including bone fractures. Xudong Wang, professor of materials science and engineering, and collaborators including Weibo Cai, professor of radiology and medic…
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Mosquito-resistant clothing prevents bites in trials

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

North Carolina State University (NC State) researchers have created insecticide-free, mosquito-resistant clothing using textile materials they confirmed to be bite-proof in experiments with live mosquitoes. They developed the materials using a computational model of their own design that describes t…
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KnittedKeyboard II breaks new musical ground

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

Musical keyboards with digital interfaces (MIDI) come in many sizes, but all rest on a rigid, heavy structure. Irmandy Wicaksono from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab found a user-friendly alternative in textiles and developed an interactive textile-based musical interface, la…
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Seamless shoe features Dyneema fiber

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

A new seamless trail running shoe by norda™ is constructed with biobased Dyneema® fiber, offering lightweight performance and sustainability. As the Canadian company’s flagship product, the norda001 shoe features a seamless upper with increased foot stability and comfort for the wearer. Dyneema…
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Polartec eliminates PFAS across its performance fabrics line

October 1, 2021  |  Swatches

Biotechnology company LanzaTech, Skokie, Ill., is partnering with athletic apparel company lululemon to create what the companies say will be the world’s first yarn and fabric using recycled carbon emissions that would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere as pollution. 
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