Features

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.

Chemical suppliers continue to create treatments that can add a variety of functionalities to textiles, but one major theme at Techtextil in 2017 will be the development of alternatives to fluorocarbons as water- and liquid-repellents, reports Editor Nick Butler.

Coating, laminating and finishing processes are vital to the transformation of textiles for technical applications. Once again, the latest innovations in these processes will be to the fore at Techtextil, says Editor Nick Butler.

Textile developments for all kinds of applications will fill the halls of Messe Frankfurt, according to Editor Nick Butler.

Despite following closely on from the Nonwovens for High-performance Applications conference⁽¹⁾ and Index 17⁽²⁾, Techtextil's exhibitors will reveal even more technical end-uses for nonwovens. Editor Nick Butler picks some highlights from their plans. 

The ingenuity of the leading manufacturers of fibres, filaments and yarns continues to create a wealth of opportunities for technical textiles. Editor Nick Butler selects some of the highlights to look for during Techtextil in Frankfurt, Germany, on 9–12 May 2017.

The booming composites market is creating a variety of exciting opportunities for manufacturers of textiles and nonwovens. So said the Chairman of Composites Germany and the German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK), Michael Effing, in his keynote presentation to the Nonwovens for High-performance Applications (NHPA) conference in Prague, Czech Republic, on 8 March 2017. Composites Editor James Bakewell reports.

On 1 April 2016, the then US Secretary of Defense announced the formation of the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America initiative, which has set itself the goal of helping the country’s industry to capture a 30% share of the global market for technical textiles. One year on, John McCurry spoke to key figures to report on progress.

Companies from every part of the supply chain will be represented at a major exhibition for the nonwovens industry—Index 17, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 4–7 April 2017. Adrian Wilson offers some insight into the plans of key exhibitors.

The composites industry appears to be in rude health on the eve of this year’s JEC World, but the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastics in mainstream automotive applications is still not widespread. Textiles technologies will be vital in bringing these materials to the mass market, writes Composites Editor James Bakewell.