Expounding on Expo

December 1, 2022  |  Editorial

The IFAI Expo 2022 is in the books. It was, as we note on the cover, an energizing event. Why? Because, according to exhibitors and attendees I spoke with on the show floor, it was the first one in three years to feel “right.” Moods were high and exhibit hall traffic was good.
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Tribal textiles

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

When Chickasaw Margaret Roach Wheeler sat down at a loom as an undergraduate in college, she felt an instant connection to her mother and grandmother, who taught her how to weave as a child. Although she began her college studies painting and sculpting, she knew she had to transfer to textiles, a ca…
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Sensor Thread

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

Researchers at Imperial College London have embedded new low-cost sensors designed to monitor breathing, heart rate and ammonia into T-shirts and face masks.
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From waste into nonwovens

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

In an effort to reduce waste, Berry Global has formed a closed-loop recycling ecosystem to recycle materials in making its Endura spunbond and meltblown nonwovens product line. 
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California bans PFAS

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

So-called “forever chemicals” that may be harmful to humans and animals have been banned in textile production, cosmetics and personal care products in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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Biodegradable polyester thread

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

Industrial thread specialist, Coats Group, based in Kings Mountain, N.C., has launched a new recycled polyester thread featuring an additive that is designed to reduce microplastic pollution in landfills and oceans.
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Thermal camouflage jacket

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

British performance apparel brand Vollebak has released details of a new Thermal Camouflage Jacket, which incorporates 42 patches of graphene, individually controlled via microcomputer to emit different levels of thermal radiation without any change to their actual temperature. Programming the patch…
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Conductive narrow fabric

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

Burlan Manufacturing exhibited its conductive narrow fabric at IFAI Expo 2022 in Charlotte this fall. The narrow fabric is the newest in its line of conductive fabrics, which provide conductivity woven into the structure of the fabric, so it will not wear off or wash off over time. Because of its si…
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Facing the Arctic

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

Dr. Braden Li, a materials research engineer with the Air Force Research Lab, is working on developing clothing for the Air Force designed for protecting personnel in extreme-cold environments—to minus 60 degrees (F). His presentation outlined the Air Force requirements, and he explained the Heat …
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Do-it-yourself microneedle

December 1, 2022  |  Swatches

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have reported the development of a microneedle patch that can be self-administered and painlessly deposit a tattoo onto skin within minutes. The technology is initially proposed for simple human medical or animal uses, but a number of …
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