In a presentation titled “Testing 101,” Dr. Emiel DenHartog, associate professor at North Carolina University, and Dr. Maureen McGillivray, professor of apparel merchandising and design at Central Michigan University, covered the basics of textile testing, explaining its benefits while offering tips for selecting a method. McGillivray has experienced an increased demand for testing during her [...]

There is a great deal of free help available if the answer is yes. “The manufacturing landscape in America is changing,” said Mary Lynn Landgraf, Senior International Trade Specialist with the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA). “Otexa offers programs and strategies to help businesses in this industry stay competitive. We compile data, design strategies, [...]

Advanced textiles are available to consumers with an impressive and ever-increasing array of performance attributes. Examples include wicking, compression, heat-reflecting and energy-harvesting properties. While standard tests exist to confirm and demonstrate the nature and magnitude of some properties, they may not capture the performance features that distinguish a product from its competition. Additionally, the standard [...]

If ATA decided to give out a Most PowerPoint Slides Award, there’s no doubt the association would bestow it upon Mary Lynn Landgraf, senior international trade specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Textiles and Apparel. Her IFAI Expo Advanced Textiles presentation titled “New Approaches to Selling to the Military” comprised a whopping [...]

In their research, winning students Isabella Amstrup, Sarah Hass and Sarah McMahon discovered an environmentally friendly way to combat nosocomial infections using a naturally-derived antimicrobial treatment on textiles. Photo courtesy of Amstrup, Hass and McMahon, Philadelphia University The Fabric Graphics Association (FGA), a division of ATA, announced the recipients of the 2015 Fabric [...]

How to achieve positive visibility and establish yourself as a leader. The use of social media to publicize your business (and yourself) is an invaluable tool in achieving visibility to your audience, but it’s vital to be a “thoughtful” leader and establish yourself as a professional who provides content that is both good and consistent, [...]

Erik Weihenmayer is a co-founder of No Barriers USA, an organization dedicated to helping people overcome life barriers to contribute their best to the world through transformative experiences, tools and inspiration. Keynote speaker Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind climber ever to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, inspired a full house of attendees [...]

The solar-powered Ondeis™ WireFree RTS Rain and Sun Sensor features a two-way mounting bracket, allowing for multiple mounting options and flexible, simple installation on a wall, pole or gutter, using provided hardware. Somfy Systems Inc., a Dayton, N.J.-based manufacturer of radio-controlled motors for interior and exterior window coverings, has introduced a solar-powered combination [...]

Keyston Bros. introduces a new campaign at IFAI Expo In booth 1784, the backdrop is a beach, the carpet is printed like sand, and the fabric festooned overhead promotes Keyston Bros. new campaign: “Cool shade, real people.” According to president and CEO Dee Duncan, the company is promoting a new concept using ‘environmental’ designs that [...]

Dunn Arquitectura Ligera S.A. de C.V. won the Award of Excellence in the “Shade Sails” category of the 2015 International Achievement Awards for its shade installation at a private school in Mexico. All winners are featured on the ATA website. Photo: Dunn Arquitectura Ligera S.A. de C.V. Winners of the 2015 International Achievement [...]