Thermal control in wearable technology
August 1st, 2024
The textile-heated garment industry is revolutionizing how we stay warm. Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), the organization I work for, is at the forefront of developments in the types of heat sources used, particularly how they are controlled for optimal comfort and efficiency. Disposable hand warmers, popular for their immediate heat via the exothermic […]
Create internship programs to train and hire younger workers
June 1st, 2024
AFFOA has launched several efforts to attract young people to the textiles industry. One of these is the two-week Advanced Functional Fabrics Workshop where students conceptualize and create prototype solutions to address specific problems posed by companies involved in the program. Image: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) While some organizations are still grappling with […]
ATA’s Emerging Technologies Conference focuses on the future
January 1st, 2024
Representatives from the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) showed a newly developed material for smart products in its booth on the show floor at Advanced Textiles Expo in Orlando. AFFOA describes the material as a “flexible, roll-to-roll, inkjet manufacturable, RF metamaterial for wearables.” Image: Janet Preus The Emerging Technologies Conference, part of Advanced Textiles […]
AFFOA Partners with National Family, Consumer Sciences Education leaders
June 30th, 2023
The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Manufacturing Innovation Institute is partnering with the leadership of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) programs across the United States to ensure that the FCS textile curriculum is recognized as a valuable entry point to STEM-based careers in advanced functional fabrics. AFFOA's Education and Workforce Development (EWD) Team envisions a world […]
Michelle Farrington new CTO of AFFOA
August 24th, 2022
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Inc. (AFFOA), a non-profit public-private partnership focused on invigorating the American textile industry, has announced the promotion of Michelle Farrington to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this new role as CTO, Farrington will be leading AFFOA’s integrated technology development team, with responsibilities spanning business development, program management, and engineering. She […]
Virtual Expo 2020 advanced textiles education begins
November 3rd, 2020
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) opened the advanced textiles education sessions of Virtual Expo 2020 with a presentation by Dr. Sasha Stolyarov, CEO, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA). His presentation, “The Development of Advanced Functional Fibers and Fabrics” outlined the progress made in AFFOA’s mission to “rekindle the domestic textiles industry” with its coordinated […]
TexDel Partners with AFFOA
September 26th, 2018
Textile-Based Delivery Inc. (TexDel), a biomaterials platform technology company, has received a $1 million award from Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a private-public partnership established through the Department of Defense. The award supports the manufacturing scale up of TexDel’s patented technology for controlled delivery of active ingredients via textiles. TexDel, based at Catawba Valley […]
AFFOA partners with MIT
May 31st, 2018
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) is partnering with MIT-Venture Mentoring Service to launch the Advanced Fabric Entrepreneurship Program. AFFOA’s mission is to catalyze a domestic manufacturing-based revolution, converting traditional fibers, yarns and textiles into sophisticated, integrated and networked devices and systems, facilitating the transformation of the textile industry to make it value-added and high-tech. […]
What’s happening to the military textile market
October 1st, 2016
Decreased budgets are a reality, but markets exist for new and innovative products. While it's fair to say that portions of the military textile market are shrinking—the U.S. now has far fewer troops overseas—it is also true that some segments are changing, which is an open door for innovation. Despite a decline in the U.S. Department […]