As a result of increasing concern over the environmental persistence and bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the consequences of exposure to them, there has been a proliferation of both implemented and proposed regulations across the world. The variation from country to country in the scope of these regulations and their increasing stringency, however, has led to a complex situation in terms of compliance for the many industries that use PFAS, including textile finishing. Here, we present a concise overview of the current regulatory landscape.

Nonwovens are produced via two very different routes, depending on whether they are made from staple fibres or extruded polymer resins. The production route taken dictates the properties of the resulting fabrics and the applications for which they are suited, explains Adrian Wilson.

Aluula Composites, the Canadian developer of a co-polymer bonding process that enables it to fuse fabrics and films together to create laminates without using adhesives, was initially founded to manufacture strong, lightweight fabrics for the production of kites used in watersports. As John McCurry finds-out, however, the company is now finding a variety of new and interesting markets for its products.

Many machinery builders presented their most important developments at ITMA (which was held in Milan, Italy, on 8–14 June 2023), but Techtextil, and its sister show, Texprocess, still provide them with a vital opportunity to showcase their technologies to the technical-textiles market. Editor James Bakewell picks-out some highlights.

The development of high-performance fibres, yarns, filaments and threads continues to create numerous opportunities for manufacturers of technical textiles. James Bakewell uncovers some highlights to look-out for during Techtextil.