Bio-tech dyes
March 1st, 2023
A technician blends bacterial strains that will create a dye. Upper right: Biological samples are grown in the laboratory and then fermented on a large scale in tanks. Photos: Colorifix Biological samples are grown in the laboratory and then fermented on a large scale in tanks. Fabric dyeing is one of the more polluting industrial […]
USIFI, NFI to merge
March 1st, 2023
The U.S. Industrial Fabrics Institute and the Narrow Fabrics Institute, both divisions of the Advanced Textiles Association, are merging into one larger group. The new divisions will be known as the U.S. Industrial and Narrow Fabrics Institute (USINFI). NFI and USIFI have partnered in advocacy work and the Outlook Conference for more than 20 years, […]
Accelerating Circularity launches textile recycling directory
March 1st, 2023
If they aren’t recycled, discarded textiles are often incinerated or end up in a landfill like this one. Photo: Creative Commons Accelerating Circularity is an action-oriented nonprofit focused on scaling textile-to-textile recycling through a collaborative approach. The mission is to create new supply chains and business models to turn spent textiles into mainstream raw materials […]
Jennifer Knight named as deputy assistant secretary for textiles, consumer goods and materials
April 1st, 2022
The Biden Administration has appointed Jennifer Knight to the office of deputy assistant secretary for textiles, consumer goods and materials at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Knight will oversee the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), the Office of Materials Industries and the Office of Consumer Goods within the International Trade Administration’s Industry and Analysis […]
From Bauhaus to your house
April 1st, 2020
Bauhaus designers Gunta Stölzl and Anni Albers were masters of composition whose geometric designs are on trend in 2020. Photos: TOP: Gunta Stölzl: Design for a Wallhanging,” ca. 1920–1926; Image © Victoria and Albert Museum, London watercolor, pencil, ink, Gouache. © Stölzl Estate. BOTTOM: Designtex. The Bauhaus was an art school founded in Germany in […]
Textile origami for space habitats
April 1st, 2019
So, you move to Mars—now where are you going to live? As a matter of fact, there is innovative work being done on that subject. A design team is working on the MoonMars project—architecture plans for smart human habitats and research stations on other planets. They are experimenting with origami and high-performance textiles to create […]
Curtains for 3-D holograms at the Museum of Applied Art Cologne
November 1st, 2018
The annual IMM Cologne International Interiors Show, held each January, offers a first peek at the trends in interior design for the coming year. More than 1,300 exhibitors from around the world display an exciting and diverse variety of furniture and designs. At the 2018 show, Stylepark AG, the Frankfurt-based online platform for architectural products, […]
Smart Fabrics Summit 2018 set
December 1st, 2017
The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced that it will partner with the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) to co-host the Smart Fabrics Summit 2018 on April 24 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The Summit provides a forum for public and private sector leaders in technology, apparel and […]
Building with textiles
April 1st, 2015
A report from the TextielMuseum exhibition: the current and future potential of textiles in architecture. By Marie O’Mahony The use of textiles in buildings is by no means new, with early examples of dwellings made using branches and animal furs that can be dated back more than 35,000 years. The TextielMuseum in Tilburg, Holland, is […]
Fisher GF 5351 fabric
April 1st, 2015
Fisher Textiles, a supplier of fabrics for digital printing, added its GF 5351 Waterfall fabric to the Enviro-Tex fabric line. GF 5351, also known as ET 5351 Waterfall, now contains 60% REPREVE polyester and 40% polyester. No change has been made to the fabric’s physical properties or price. All Enviro-Tex styles are made with REPREVE […]