MANCHESTER, UK— April 15, 2026 — Technical textiles must adhere to strict performance standards and specifications, and for many of these engineered products, fabric handle characteristics correlate directly to their technical performance.
The feel of a fabric, however, has historically relied on subjective human judgement, challenging consistency, scalability and sustainability across global supply chains, but as the industry faces the loss of seasoned specialists and rising demands for sustainable practices, a shift towards quantifiable, standardised methodologies is needed.
This is something BTMA member Roaches International is directly addressing with its new Sentire system which will be demonstrated at the forthcoming Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt from April 21-24.
“No two people will describe how a fabric feels in the same way, so Roaches recognised the need to develop for a universal common language to describe fabric tactility challenges across complex supply chains,” says Roaches marketing executive Seth Seagraves. “Being able to translate the fabric handle and objectively measure qualities like softness, smoothness, creasability and stiffness into communicable data that can be compared between batches and to other fabrics, is key to ensuring the consistency of how these fabrics handle and perform. Sentire performs the testing and analyses the data that enables this to ensure technical fabrics are consistent from product to product. ”
The Sentire uses four precise test methods to mimic human touch and quantify key tactile properties. The collected data is analysed through established principles of fabric physics, delivering objective, reproducible results and enabling real-time quality monitoring in the production stages, enhancing responsiveness and minimising costly rework. In addition, its capacity to detect variations due to finishing, coatings or laundering provides manufacturers with actionable insights into product performance and durability.
Sentire Evaluation System
Roaches worked with specialists at the University of Leeds to develop the new evaluation system which defines the tactile properties of fabrics– similar, for example, to the way colour charts are digitally defined for colour palettes, or Tog values rate warmth.
Fabric samples are introduced into the Sentire system, where a series of controlled tests are conducted to evaluate their tactile properties through analysis of the acquired data, akin to a fingerprint for the fabric, which can then be compared against other samples and communicated digitally to partners across different locations.
“This technology has the potential to impact the technical textiles supply chain in a similar way to the spectrophotometer for the communication of colour,” says Seagraves. “We believe its possibilities are huge, especially as communication becomes increasingly digitised.”
Resiliency
“From the careful handling of ultra-high value yarns to the forensic inspection of finished fabrics, the BTMA members at Techtextil and Texprocess this year collectively represent a complete chain of innovation spanning processing, monitoring and quality assurance,” says BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “Whether through reducing yarn waste, extending component lifetimes, enabling novel polymer development, automating inspection or refining testing efficiency, each company is contributing to a more resilient and resource-efficient technical textiles sector.”
BTMA members at Techtextil and Texprocess:
- Airbond Hall 12.0, stand E31
- Ascotex Hall 12.0, stand C75
- Dent Instrumentation Hall 12, stand E61A
- FET Hall 12.0, stand A78
- James Heal Hall 12.0, stand B66
- Roaches International Elmatex Pavilion, Hall 12.0, stand D05
- SDC Enterprises Hall 12.0, stand B65
- Shelton Vision Hall 12.0, stand E86
- VeriVide Hall 8, stand B79.
Posted: April 17, 2026
Source: The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA)
