Fabrics heat and cool the wearer based on the environment

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Researchers at Shinshu University in Japan have developed a new method of integrating phase change materials (PCMs) within fabrics that could heat and cool the wearer depending on the environment. Occupations in many industries require workers to shift between vastly different temperatures as part o…
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Medical implants show up on X-rays with radiopaque fibers

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Cortland Biomedical, a medical textiles product development company in Cortland, N.Y., has announced that it now has capabilities for processing radiopaque fibers. When these fibers are incorporated into diagnostic and interventional medical devices, they allow the devices to become clearly visible …
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Dyeing for change: Companies create pollution solutions

May 1, 2023  |  Features

The amount of water used and polluted in textile production is staggering. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, around 20% of all wastewater worldwide comes from fabric dyeing and treatment. Dyehouses in India and China are notorious for not only exhausting local water supplies but…
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Inflatable textile art shown by Dior in Paris

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

In partnership with Dior, Portuguese sculptor Joana Vasconcelos created the site-specific textile structure Valkyrie Miss Dior to present 20 fabrics from the fashion company’s autumn/winter 2023–2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week. The models walked through the giant fabric artwork as they…
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Smart heated vest responds to wearer’s temperature

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

The artificial intelligence (AI) in your everyday work clothing won’t manage your inventory, but it will definitely help you out. In partnership with clim8®, Carhartt® Inc. has released the X-1 Smart Heated Vest, which detects when to start or stop heating based on the wearer’s activity (and r…
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Fire-resistant cotton through breeding, not chemicals

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have bred four cotton lines that can be used to make self-extinguishing fabrics. This could reduce the need for flame-retardant chemicals to be embedded in consumer products such as mattresses, clothing …
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Apparel management master’s degree established in Bangladesh

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

In an effort to elevate more women to management roles in Bangladesh’s apparel industry, the Asian University for Women (AUW) and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) have teamed up to launch the HSBC-AUW School of Apparel and Retail Management. Students in the one-year master of sc…
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Custom-fit orthoses made quickly with the help of AI

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Resource efficiency, time and cost savings are essential topics in the textile industry. Conventional supply and production chains often reach their limits, as products need to be individually tailored and available in a short time.
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Ocean plastic gill nets turning into shoes

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

When shoe brand adidas made its first running shoe from upcycled plastic waste in 2015, it was just the beginning of its partnership with the environmental organization Parley for the Oceans. The collaboration has worked to intercept plastic waste on beaches and coastal communities before it reaches…
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Creating flexible underwater robots

May 1, 2023  |  Swatches

Underwater structures that can change their shapes dynamically, similar to fish, can push through water much more efficiently than those with conventional rigid hulls. Constructing deformable devices that can change the curve of their body shapes while maintaining a smooth profile is a long and diff…
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