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Features

John McCurry reports that demand for fabrics providing cooling effects has led to the foundation of a great many companies in the USA eager to fulfil the market’s needs. Together with some longer-term players, they have an abundance of new technologies to choose from and commercialize in order to provide such functionality.

From a bicycle lock made from textiles to an intelligent knee brace, the breadth of innovation on display at Techtextil was staggering. Editor Nick Butler focuses on eight of the innovations, each of which won special recognition at the event held on 9–12 May 2017 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Switching to fluorocarbon-free treatments is proving to be a big challenge for garment manufacturers and is likely to be even more problematic for the manufacturers of technical textiles. Adrian Wilson reports on the latest developments from Techtextil.

Multi-layered constructions are increasingly necessary for the enhanced performance of nonwoven-based products for the often inter-related automotive and filtration markets. Adrian Wilson reports from two key conferences held in Geneva, Switzerland, during Index 17.

John W. McCurry reports on the latest developments from three producers of nonwovens who are all taking their first steps towards establishing international manufacturing bases by investing in the USA.

Picanol’s Global Market Manager Technical Textiles Filips Lombaert explains the loom builder’s philosophy towards this sector, already an important part of its sales and one its latest campaign aims to develop, in an exclusive interview with Editor Nick Butler held during Techtextil.

Speaking to the company during the recent Techtextil (held on 9–12 May 2017 in Frankfurt, Germany), Geoff Fisher learned that Olbo & Mehler has opened a sales office and warehouse in the USA to shorten its supply times and extend its customer base in the region, as well as taking its first steps towards manufacturing locally.

With its theme of ‘Connecting the Future’, it was only to be expected that smart fabrics – together with many complementary Industry 4.0 developments in automation, connectivity and digitized processing – would be prominently featured at this year’s Techtextil and Texprocess shows held together in Frankfurt, Germany, on 9–12 June 2017, and this certainly turned out to be the case. Adrian Wilson reports. 

The growth in the development of specialist machinery and equipment targeted specifically at the manufacture of technical textiles is never better illustrated than in the importance that all of the major builders devote to Techtextil. Editor Nick Butler presents his selection of the highlights to be found during the exhibition’s next edition, taking place in Frankfurt, Germany, on 9–12 May 2017.

Research and development and the diverse organizations that support it are vital to the health of the technical textile sector and will be well represented at Techtextil, writes Editor Nick Butler.

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