Two reprocessors of fiber and textile byproducts recently joined forces to increase the volume of post-consumer textile waste (PCTW) removed from landfills and incinerators. Trans-Americas Textile Recycling, Clifton, N.J., works with retailers, municipalities and charitable groups to recover an estimated 70,000 pounds of PCTW daily. Leigh Fibers Inc., Wellford, S.C., reprocesses PCTW and exports recycled [...]

DuPont™ Tyvek® Graphics has identified a network of wide-format printers skilled in working with Tyvek media—and ensuring that Tyvek is recycled and reused. The Wilmington, Del., chemical giant has approved 17 companies as part of its LifeCycle Based Solutions Authorized Printer Network, to “help select the right style of Tyvek to meet each customer’s unique [...]

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) represents the entire spectrum of textile sectors in advocating domestic trade and policy that supports U.S. companies. During the eighth annual NCTO meeting in May, members elected William L. Jasper, chairman and CEO of Unifi Inc., Greensboro, N.C., as chairman for the trade organization. His first duty was [...]

[Marshall Space Flight Center] Huntsville, Ala., U.S.A. NASA’s nanosatellite NanoSail-D began its slow descent to Earth in April after successfully orbiting the Earth’s upper atmosphere for 95 days since deploying its 100-square-foot sail on Jan. 20. One of its missions has been to test it for possible use in de-orbiting decommissioned satellites and space debris, [...]

Clothes designed to protect workers from chemical hazards must successfully prevent the harmful substance from permeating fabric and coming into contact with skin. A new American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) international standard provides directions in using a computer program, the permeation calculator, to analyze data following a permeation test to determine if the [...]

The European Disposable Association formed in 1971 to represent 70 companies serving the nonwovens and related industries. Forty years later, the association (renamed EDANA in 1973) represents 220 member companies in 30 countries by “protecting and actively promoting the common interests of nonwovens and their related industries.” Among its focus areas are sustainability, consumer research [...]

Shortages of critical raw materials used to manufacture printing ink are elevating ink prices, and the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers Inc. (NAPIM) wants its members to know why. NAPIM is issuing a series of bulletins covering raw material supply chains and the availability of key ingredients and current costs. The raw materials used [...]

Fourteen trade organizations representing textile industries co-signed a letter requesting the U.S. House of Representatives to support $5 million for competitive textile research in 2012. The group appealed to U.S. Representatives Howard Coble (R-N.C.) and Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) to seek funding through the House Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations subcommittee. Competing textile industries in Europe [...]

Designers inspired by new technical materials and lightweight mass-production techniques brought unique products to Material Vision 2011, a trade exhibition for product development, design and architecture. German product designer Werner Aisslinger combined renewable raw materials (hemp and kenaf fiber) and the water-based thermoset binder Acrodur® to create a natural fiber monobloc (one-piece) chair that made [...]

La Triennale of Milan displays Italy’s design and architectural richness, filtered through an industrial sensibility, and artist Francesco Maria Bandini took the floor in April 2011 with a labyrinth installation featuring carpet tiles. Visitors guide themselves through a forest of prism shapes, each topped with colorful carpet tiles from InterfaceFLOR’s World Textiles, Ambiance and Design [...]