Features

Nonwoven- and textile-based wallcoverings can provide more than just static visual appeal, according to Adrian Wilson. The latest products can insulate for sound and heat, display moving images, and even offer protection from earthquakes.

The content of the 52nd Man-made Fibre Congress held in Dornbirn,  Austria, in September 2013, underlined the commitment of fibre manufacturers to developments for a range of technical end-uses and markets, says  Adrian Wilson.

Ian Holme travelled to Ghent, Belgium to learn about the latest developments in materials, applications and coating processes, as well as the impact of current and mooted legislation at the 7th European Coating Congress (5–6 September 2013).

The growing markets for soft signage and one-off special installations reveal the full potential of digital printed textiles, but their impact on the mass markets for textiles has been limited to date, according to  Adrian Wilson.

The annual exhibition of the Federation of European Screenprinters Associations (FESPA), held most recently in London, UK, on 25–29 June 2013, showcased the latest innovations for this market, reports Niki Tait.

As the US military significantly reduces the amount of fabric it is buying, mostly from domestic suppliers, John McCurry investigates how some companies are responding to a loss of orders that have helped sustain their industry over many years.

The sheer scale of the global market for hygienic nonwovens requires an awareness of all conditions at local levels, says Adrian Wilson.

There has been a notable rise in the number of companies supplying new nonwoven products as the basis for lightweight composite components for the automotive and construction industries, according to Adrian Wilson.

Nonwovens are no longer just commodity products and increasingly contribute to a range of high-performance end-uses, reports Adrian Wilson in an exploration of the latest applications and trends in the use of such fabrics around the world.

George Kellie, who is the Chair of the international conference on Nonwovens for High-performance Applications, is studying the use of nonwovens in packaging and reports that this market continues to grow, despite the ongoing problems in the wider economies of the world.