BETHEL, Conn. — October 18, 2021 — Altexa S.r.l. and GHS Holdings announces the launch of HDry® ‘b5’ a bio-based, waterproof laminate, for the Summer- Fall Market season 2021. HDry® will be attended the in-person the Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, Ore., November 17-18.
Top tier brands are on board and feedback is exceptional for HDry, the most advanced technology for waterproofing outdoor products through direct 3D lamination of a waterproof-breathable membrane. It’s another step forward in ecological technology for “direct lamination,” in waterproof outdoor performance products.
HDry is committed to its role in protecting the environment. Its innovative manufacturing processes and materials used throughout the lamination process are well above industry standards and aim to reduce the environmental footprint of the outdoor and apparel manufacturing industries. The new HDry ‘b5’ bio-based membrane offers the opportunity to reduce dependence from fossil fuels on a high-end active performance gear with a high bio-content rate (53%), resulting in the highest range of responsible technical performance.
“This new bio-based version of our membrane at HDry replaces the majority of the petroleum in our process with a non-edible bio-based corn derivative, we are working to maintain our premium performance characteristics where waterproof-breathable performance is concerned, while at the same time reducing the negative environmental impact our product has on the ecosystem,” said Gary Schloss with GHS Holdings, distributor to HDry NA. ”We are working hard to set our brand apart from market competition with an alternative that offers best in class protection from the elements while continuing to build on our sustainability story.”
The existing HDry compound is made by a polyurethane ester-based waterproof-breathable membrane combined with thin polyester knit. Material saving and lightness are its greatest advantages. HDry is PTFE-free, and no per fluorinated compounds (PFCs, PFOs, PFOAs, etc.) are used in its production. HDry does not contain any restricted substance of REACH–ECHA list and is OEKO-TEX certified.
The “HDry” brand name derives from the abbreviation of the chemical name for water (H2O), coupled with the word “Dry,” and it signifies the connection between this technology and water.
BANGKOK, Thailand — October 19, 2021 — The Hygiene Fibers Group of Indorama Ventures (IVL) comes together at the Index Show in Geneva, October 19-22, to present an all-inclusive range of recycled and biodegradable solutions for Hygiene Fiber and Nonwoven applications.
The combination of polymers, technologies, processes and global reach supported by the Hygiene Fibers Group — one of three business segments that make up Indorama Ventures — positions it uniquely within the Hygiene industry to meet increasingly challenging market demand for innovative sustainable solutions within the hygiene sector. Across the six brands and companies that make up Hygiene Fibers Group — Auriga, Avgol, FiberVisions, Indorama Asia, Trevira and Wellman International — sustainability and supporting customers to achieve circular objectives is integral to all efforts and fundamental to the ethos of the Hygiene business segment.
At the Index Show, the Hygiene Fibers Group will launch CiCLO®, a textile technology which allows polyester and other synthetic materials to biodegrade like natural materials do in wastewater treatment plant sludge, sea water and landfill conditions, reducing synthetic microfiber pollution generated during washing, and minimizing plastic accumulation in landfills caused by discarded textiles.
Involved in PET Recycling, IVL is fully committed to the delivery of a circular economy and also recognizes that alternative sustainable technologies, such as CiCLO® textile technology, provide valuable alternative solutions when recycling may not be possible. In line with the company’s commitment to support customers with high performance products, while also reducing the impact on the environment, several of the Hygiene Fibers brands, including Wellman International, Trevira GMBH and Auriga, have been working closely over the last 12 months with the IAM team and the CiCLO® technology. Developments have focused on PET and rPET staple fiber and filament sustainable solutions for applications where recycling is particularly challenging, such as Hygiene, Home Textiles and Automotive applications.
Strengthening the profile of biodegradable offerings within the Hygiene Fibers Group’s sustainability portfolio, Trevira will introduce a new range of bicomponent fibres based on PLA and PBS (polybutylene succinate) at the Index show. Both biopolymers offer an exceptional technological opportunity in terms of environmental care and sustainability, while delivering optimum performance. Equally to PLA, PBS is recyclable and up to 100-percent biodegradable under industrial conditions.
Efforts towards supporting customers to achieve circular objectives are a priority within the Hygiene Fibers Group. This is reflected in the recycled fibers expertise deployed across the segment. Four Hygiene Fibers Group brands, IVL Asia, Auriga, Trevira and Wellman International offer an extensive range of 100-percent recycled, accredited PET fibers, across a multitude of fiber and nonwovens applications. Through investments and evolving technological advancements, Wellman International, as pioneers in recycling technologies for over 50 years, has broadened the range of PET that can be processed into other PET applications towards achieving a circular economy. The segment’s rPET product portfolio is represented under the Deja™ brand platform, differentiated in the market by a performance-led suite of sustainable solutions that helps customers to achieve their sustainability targets, while also responding to end-consumers’ demand for transparency and environmental responsibility. All brands look forward to productive discussions at Index on how IVL Hygiene rPET fibers can help support customer objectives and targets.
The development and evolution of sustainable technologies is central to activity across IVL’s Hygiene Fibers Group, with particular focus on sustainable polyolefin solutions. FiberVisions and ES-FIBERVISIONS, leading Polyolefin mono and bico fiber brands and sister company Avgol, have partnered with UK-based Polymateria to commercially harness the innovative ‘biotransformation’ technology pioneered by Polymateria. The patented technology alters the properties of polyolefins to make them biodegradable in a natural process. Other polyolefin sustainable innovations within the Hygiene Fibers Group being featured at Index include biosurfactant and biocolourant developments being undertaken by the Avgol team with FiberVisons progressing sustainable design solutions, including lightweight, high performance, reduced carbon solutions. All developments are featured at Index and the team welcome the opportunity to explore how these developments can support customers sustainability goals.
Shachar Rachim CEO, Hygiene Fibers Group said: “Integrated within the IVL Hygiene Group is extensive knowledge, experience and a true commitment to Sustainability, which will be evident in the innovations and products being featured on our booth at the Index Show. This is reflective of the priority which we as a business attach to this fundamental issue. Within the IVL Hygiene Group, we take this responsibility very seriously and Sustainability is strategically embedded in all of our efforts’.
Posted October 18, 2021
Source: Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL)
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai recently visited Milliken & Company and American & Efird (A&E) on a tour organized by the Washington-based National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO). Ambassador Tai first toured Milliken’s Magnolia plant in Blacksburg, S.C., then participated in a round table discussing the role women play in the textile industry, the critical need for domestic supply chain policies in Washington, and the contributions of the textile industry to the overall U.S. economy. At A&E’s plant in Mount Holly, N.C., Ambassador Tai followed up a tour by participating in a round table with textile executives from the fiber, yarn, fabric and finished products sectors of the industry. Discussion topics included the competitiveness of the U.S. industry, priority issues in Washington, and ways to support the domestic industry with Berry Amendment and Buy American policies.
“Milliken is honored to host Ambassador Tai at our Magnolia plant to discuss not only the invaluable contributions we make every day to our community and our nation, but also the
importance of sound trade policies that bolster domestic production and the co-production chains we have built, in particular with our Western Hemisphere trading partners,” said Chad McAllister, executive vice president of Milliken & Company and president, Textile Business.
“It was an honor hosting Ambassador Tai at our manufacturing facility in Mount Holly, employing 380 valued associates and just 2 miles from where the company started 130 years ago,” said Sim Skinner, CEO of Elevate Textiles, A&E’s parent company. “We had an engaging discussion with the Ambassador on our company’s and industry’s innovation and competitiveness, and on the policy priorities that we believe will help ensure our competitiveness and long-term investment in the domestic textile industry.”
“As United States Trade Representative, I am committed to helping all of your companies build on the success by finding market opportunities and helping reach new customers,” said Ambassador Tai. “I want to ensure that our trade policy matches the innovation and changes happening in the textiles industry. With your help, we can continue addressing critical issues. In doing so, we will help the textiles industry maintain its competitive edge and ensure it remains a global standard-bearer in the years to come.”
Glen Raven Inc., Glen Raven, N.C., has announced plans to expand its custom fabrics division in Anderson County, S.C. The $70 million investment will add a distribution facility to the company’s existing operation along with new equipment and processes to improve overall efficiency and capacity. In addition, the expansion includes enhancements to the location’s Sunbrella manufacturing assets with new finishing capacity, material flow technology, and inspection and sampling upgrades. All upgrades are expected to be operational by early 2023. All told, the investment will create 135 new jobs.
The cost of site preparation and building construction will be defrayed by a $400,000 Set-Aside grant to Anderson County from the Coordinating Council for Economic Development.
“We’ve been a proud part of the Anderson County community since 1986, and over the decades, dedicated and skilled South Carolinians have been critical to our growth,” said Leib Oehmig, Glen Raven CEO. “We are thrilled to expand on our great partnership and look forward to creating more growth for our company and the community, together.”
“New jobs and investments are important to a strong and healthy economy,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. “We appreciate Glen Raven Inc.’s commitment to Anderson County and the state of South Carolina, and we look forward to their continued growth.”
Automotive flooring, acoustical and fiber-based solutions company Auria, Columbia, S.C., announced it will invest more than $12.4 million to grow its operation. The expansion, which will take place incrementally over the next two years, will create 103 jobs.
“We are proud to be able to grow our business and build on our future at the Spartanburg plant,” said Auria Vice President of Operations Mike Van Booven. “We know we can continue to count on Spartanburg’s talented, dedicated workforce to help us deliver best-in-class automotive products to our customers.”
“This announcement is a terrific win for the Upstate … we congratulate Auria on their expansion in Spartanburg County,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “This announcement is further proof that South Carolina is an ideal location for businesses to grow and thrive.”
Markets in general are about people — and more importantly the emotions and fear they choose to act on.
Whether it is stocks, gasoline, the latest Xbox or toilet paper, consumers currently are moving markets by sharply increasing demand and, in some cases, well beyond the capacity of supply chains to replenish the surge.
The supply chain for textiles has suffered as well, not just imports of apparel but also goods and inputs throughout the supply chain.
A new surge appears to be happening today regarding Christmas shopping. More and more people — consumers and press — seem to be chatting-up fears of shortages
in a range of goods from appliances to apparel.
According to the monthly Global Port Tracker report recently released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, “Imports at the nation’s largest retail container ports should remain at near-record levels this month but could see a slight dip from last year’s unusually high numbers as congestion slows the movement of backed-up cargo.”
There may be shortages, but retailers want to maximize sales and have taken
steps to do so in this challenging market.
In a recent Barron’s article by Jack Hough titled, “Why Global Shortages Won’t Ruin the Holidays,” he reported: “’Many of our savvy retailers and importers advanced their orders,’ says Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. ‘We started seeing Christmas goods arrive on our shores back in June of this year. Normally, that arrival would take place at the end of August, beginning of September.’”
Hough goes on to explain: “Trans-Pacific shipments are up some 30% this year,
which has worsened a shortage of 40-foot shipping containers. The cost to send one
of them from Shanghai to Los Angeles has jumped to nearly $20,000 from $2,000 in a year and a half.”
Regarding port bottlenecks, Hough noted: “Under normal circumstances, the ideal number of ships to drop anchor outside of California’s San Pedro Bay Ports Complex, which consists of the busy ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, is zero. Among the 88 vessels recently waiting to dock, 64 are carrying containers, with about half of these headed for each port. Port productivity is up, Seroka says, but truckers and warehouses haven’t added as much capacity as shippers, so unloaded containers are sitting at the port for six days rather than two, and at warehouse doors for seven or eight days versus three or four.
“The ship jam will not be cleared by Christmas, Seroka says.
“’There will be goods on the store shelves, in the fulfillment centers, for us to order,’ [Seroka] says. ‘My only advice is maybe for the American consumer, like I’m doing, to shop a little early.’”
And in textiles, unfortunately shipping is not the only bottleneck. COVID-19 has taken supply and manufacturing off-line. COVID-19 has also shifted consumer demand from
services to manufactured goods — again pressuring the supply chain.
But in textiles, as in most industries, labor is on everyone’s mind. As generous unemployment benefits expire, many wonder if the incentive to participate in the labor force will rise. The participation rate has been steady at 61.7 percent versus the pre-pandemic rate of 63.3 percent. Jobless claims are down after rising in September.
According to Robert Reichard’s “Textile Activity At A Glance,” in this issue, textile mill, textile product mill and apparel employment has improved year-over-year, but will U.S. textiles see labor improvements? Only time will tell.
The need for source-to-consumer product traceability has been featured multiple times in these pages, dating back more than a decade. Public focus on traceability began as a result of contaminated food. As the frequency and variety of contaminated or faulty products increased over time — ranging from toys laden with lead paint to cell phones that spontaneously burst into flames — consumers began to demand a more rigorous accounting of what their products were made of and from where each component originated. Further, consumers wanted to ensure product claims and labeling were correct. In textile products, for example, class action lawsuits have been filed over the past few years against major retailers for misrepresenting the sheets and bedroom accessories items they were selling. One lawsuit alleged the thread count of sheets was substantially below what was stated on the packaging. Another claimed that sheets sold as 100-percent Egyptian cotton contained only 16 percent of the fiber.
One company, Applied DNA Sciences, has developed a platform — CertainT® — that helps companies assure their customers of the veracity of all product claims. CertainT uses molecular taggant technology to create fully traceable textile supply chains. It was reported earlier this year, for example, that CertainT was the choice for American & Efird when it wanted to introduce a new recycled sewing thread and guarantee its authenticity to customers.
In late September, Applied DNA Sciences reported it received purchase orders from an unnamed textile customer totaling $1.6 million to supply molecular taggant to tag textile fibers.
CertainT’s molecular taggant serves as a unique identifier that can be tested for its presence as the tagged material travels throughout virtually any global supply chain.
Spun Yarn And Global Fibers Market Projected To Grow
The global market for spun yarn, which was estimated at 52 million tons in 2020, is expected to grow to 59.3 million tons by 2026, according to a new report by research firm Global Industry Analysts, Inc. The overall CAGR is projected at 2 percent over the analysis period. CAGR for cotton is projected to be 1.9 percent and reach a total 34.8 million tons. The polyester segment is estimated to have a 2.5 percent CAGR for the period.
The research firm also projects the global market for all textile fibers, estimated at 109.5 million tons in the year 2020, is projected to reach 125.1 million tons by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2.2 percent over the analysis period. The company also projects the textile fibers market in the United States to be 30.2 million tons for 2021.
New Microfiber Eliminates Recontamination Risk
Skokie,. Ill.-based UMF Corp. has developed a new hospital-grade microfiber that can be converted into a wide range of long-lasting, reusable products, including towels, cubicle curtains, socks, gloves, walk-off mats, reusable N95-rated face masks and color-coded microfiber cleaning products. Manufacturers are using these high-performance Micrillon® microfiber yarns to develop a new standard for materials targeting infection prevention in hospitals, hotels, cruise lines, long term care and many other industries.
“The introduction of Micrillon microfiber puts an end, once and for all, to any question about recontamination related to reusable products,” said UMF Corp. CEO George Clarke. “Some manufacturers and distributors of disposable products — including cubicle curtains, microfiber mops, and wipers — have generated controversy around the risk of reusable products, such as microfiber wipers, recontaminating a patient room, even after being laundered.” This ignores “the fact that after laundering, wipers used in hospitals are immersed in an EPA-registered disinfectant before use — effectively killing bacteria and inactivating viruses.”
Micrillon is a rechargeable polymer additive that can be incorporated into man-made fibers, films, and plastics and then charged with chlorine molecules. The Micrillon chemistry recharges for the life of the product and will not leach into the environment. When microbes come into contact with a Micrillon surface, they are eliminated, and viruses are inactivated.
Music City Center will host the 100th IFAI Expo this November.
Under the theme “Reconnect With Your Industry,” IFAI Expo returns to an in-person show for its 100th anniversary.
TW Special Report
The Roseville, Minn.-based Industrial Fabrics Association International’s (IFAI’s) IFAI Expo and Advanced Textiles Conference return to Nashville, Tenn., November 1-4, 2021, at the Music City Center convention center.
The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary for the expo and it’s a milestone the association is eager to share with the industry. IFAI expects thousands of stakeholders across the industry for four days of sourcing, education, and long-awaited social interaction. The goal of the Expo is to “Source new products and materials on the show floor, make new connections at various networking events and reconnect with your industry after a year of isolation,” according to the organizers.
“We are very excited to be back in-person,” said Steve Schiffman, IFAI president and CEO. “The 100th anniversary of IFAI Expo 2021 will be held in Nashville, November 2-4, 2021, once again, bringing together the industry for the premier specialty textiles event in the U.S. We’ve put together a busy week packed with numerous opportunities to form meaningful connections, learn from the industry’s top experts, and have fun in a town that is world renowned for entertainment.”
Expectations
The show floor is expected to feature more than 220 exhibitors and the expo will offer multiple classroom and campfire education sessions segmented by market. The organizers have focused on creating a safe environment to “make new connections that last long after the event.”
Advanced Textiles Conference
The Advanced Textiles Conference at IFAI Expo 2021 features three days of advanced textiles (AT) education sessions focusing on multiple important topics across the AT landscape. According to the organizers the conference kicks off Monday, November 1, with morning sessions happening also November 2 and 3.
The goal of the AT Conference is to help industry members stay informed on the latest products, technology and applications developing in the AT industry. An All Access Registration pass is required to attend. Registered attendees can choose from 18 unique, 50-minute-long classroom sessions and an opening plenary presentation. According to IFAI, the education tracks include Innovations in e-Textiles, Sustainability, Medical Textile Breakthroughs, Industry 4.0, and PPE and the Supply Chain in the Wake of COVID-19.
In addition to the AT conference sessions, the All Access Registration includes the AT welcome lunch and closing reception on November 1, as well as the three days of show floor access; more than 28 hours of industry classroom education; show floor education, opening reception, keynote speakers and awards breakfast that is included with the Expo Plus registration. A basic show floor only registration option also is available. Attendees also may choose to add à-la-carte activities for an additional fee including the Industry Night event, Fabric Structures Summit (see below), Fun Run and Networking and Awards Breakfast.
As always, IFAI has enlisted an engaging keynote speaker. All attendees will be able to hear Steve Rizzo address the audience on Tuesday morning before the show floor opens. Rizzo is a Hall of Fame speaker and former national headline comedian.
New Expo Offerings
IFAI has added two new features at IFAI Expo — a Fabric Structures Summit and the Show Floor Innovation Stage. The summit occupies half of the last day of the show with a “State of the Industry” panel focused on fabric structures in architecture, and an hour of round table discussions dealing with critical industry issues. The summit will close with a networking reception.
On the final day of the expo, the Show Floor Innovation Stage will feature “a curated selection of IFAI partners presenting their latest and greatest onstage.” Company showcases, innovative products and services, case studies, and more, will be highlighted.
Safety Protocols
IFAI reports that according to a Freeman Attendee Exhibitor survey from August 2021, more than 80-percent of IFAI Expo attendees are vaccinated. Organizers also have numerous safety mitigation protocols in place, and IFAI Expo is to be held at a Global Biorisk Advisory Council
(GBAC)-certified facility. “We are confident that attendees and exhibitors can attend IFAI Expo and feel safe,” Schiffman said. For more information about our safety mitigation plan, please visit IFAIExpo.com.
“People are ready to ‘get back to business’ and we are happy to provide that in-person venue to do that,” Schiffman noted. “We look forward to hosting you at IFAI Expo 2021 in Nashville!”
For more information about IFAI Expo 2021 and details on the safety mitigation plan, please visit ifaiexpo.com
By Jim Kaufmann, Contributing Editor; and Rachael S. Davis, Executive Editor
Aside from attendees trying to figure out whether they should shake hands, fist bump, elbow bump or “other” when greeting colleagues, and despite the mask mandate putting off a few attendees, the 2021 Techtextil North America show held recently in Raleigh, N.C., met or exceeded expectations for visitors and exhibitors alike. Many of the exhibitors Textile World spoke to had initial trepidations on how this year’s show would play out, however most offered very positive reviews.
“We really didn’t know what to expect, but the show has been good for us, busier than expected” offered Datatex’s Shannon McCarthy. “We’ve had good volume and a good quality of visitors to our booth.”
“We had 30 customers visit the booth on Monday, and I had said coming into this that if we had 30 customers over the course of the three-day show, it would be worth exhibiting,” said Brenda Stamboulian, Jason Mills LLC. “So, we are very happy.”
“There really weren’t any expectations for this show because of everything happening around us, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the turnout,” added Franz Geppert, Monosuisse North America. “Each day has provided a consistent flow of existing and potential customers, which gave us enough time to hold good conversations and make some good contacts.”
“It’s been a surprisingly good show and turnout,” said Lou Ott, Gentex. “It was good to be face-to-face with people for a change without having a Zoom screen between us. And also having the time to catch up with friends and acquaintances — where they are, how they’re doing and all those personal things that you don’t have the opportunity to do on a zoom call — was great.”
Many attendees noted this was their first entry into the real world again after being cooped up at home or travel restricted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though some said they were a bit hesitant to attend, they enjoyed being in a show environment for the first time in 18-plus months. “It’s been great to be out and about again” stated Ernest Sumner of A.B. Carter. “We’ve been able to see and meet a lot of people that we hadn’t been able to catch up with or wouldn’t have known about had we not been here in Raleigh. We didn’t know who we needed to see until we saw them!”
“Shows are a pain in the neck, but so worth it,” said Steve Aranoff, Zund America Inc. “As someone who has participated on both sides as an exhibitor and an attendee, it’s hard to say which option is best. But we are such social characters. If I didn’t wander the show floor, I wouldn’t have met certain people to have conversations with and wouldn’t have learned what they know without engaging in that conversation.”
Educational Opportunities
As always, Techtextil North America offered educational sessions through its symposium series that was conducted over the three days. The symposiums centered on this year’s theme of “Accelerating Technology,” and topics focused on:
Sustainability, Traceability and Supply-Chain Disruptions;
Digital Transformation Strategy;
High Performance Fibers: From Concept to Market;
Sustainability in Laundering & Textile Care;
A Full Embrace of Circularity in Textiles;
Sustainability Strategies to Protect Your Brand and Your Bottom Line; and
Manufacturing, Managing, and Regulating PPE — Now and into the Future.
The content for this year’s sessions was expanded to include topics relevant to the apparel and textile laundering side of the industry to support the Texprocess Americas Pavilion and the new Textile Care Pavilion.
The symposiums were interesting and well attended, leading to some lively discussions on sustainability, supply chain issues and concerns, and in several cases, the art of surviving in a pandemic.
The Academy was new on the show floor in 2021. This free, show floor education opportunity combined the Tech Talks and The Lab premise from past shows. The presentations covered a wide variety of subjects within the technical textiles and nonwovens arena, with sessions on antiviral textiles and the “Testing Water Resistance of PPE Fabrics” the most well attended.
As always, student research was on view at the show through the Student Research Poster Program. Both graduate and undergraduate students from textile engineering programs in the Southeast region used the opportunity to share their findings with peers and potential employers. Some of the students also were given the opportunity to present their research at The Academy.
The Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) also collocated its 10th Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies conference with Techtextil North America. The single-day event focused on how the sewn products industry will operate in a post-COVID-19 world. A series of four panel discussions featured speakers from a variety of companies including Henderson Sewing Machine Co.; Shima Seiki; DAP America Inc.; Gerber Technology, a Lectra company; Morgan Tecnica America Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Industrial Sewing Machines; Brother International Corp.; Shimmy Technologies; Motif; and the Zeis Textiles Extension at North Carolina State University.
“This year’s Advancements Conference was unique in many ways,” said SPESA President Michael McDonald. “It happened at a time when the industry has seen substantial change over the past two years. It brought together a lineup of new industry experts. And it served as a milestone moment for SPESA — it was the first in-person event we’ve hosted in more than eighteen months. This industry thrives on networking and engagement. It’s a true community!”
SPESA’s Michael McDonald (right) with Techtextil North America participants during the opening day reception.
Social Opportunities
The after-show meetings and gatherings — where many members of the industry say is where much of the business actually gets done — were numerous and varied.
SPESA and Techtexil North America sponsored the official opening day reception, while day two’s happy hour was hosted by the North Carolina Textile Foundation and NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles — Techtextil North America’s official Academic Partner.
On Tuesday evening after the Techtextil North America show floor closed for the day, Lawrenceville, N.J.-based Datacolor hosted a cocktail reception at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles to celebrate a donation of state-of-the-art color management equipment and software valued at $270,000 to the school. According to Datacolor, the full suite of software licenses and instruments provides “immediate hand-on learning opportunities for the textile professionals of tomorrow.” The color lab houses all the equipment and tools needed to measure color and visually assess materials to ensure they conform to AATCC, ISO and ASTM International standards; including the latest Datacolor handheld ColorReaderPRO devices donated earlier this year.
“At Datacolor, we recognize the importance of color education, and we are proud to support the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State,” said Albert Busch, president and CEO, Datacolor. “By equipping the Datacolor Color Science Lab with our state-of-the-art software and instruments, we want to provide the next generation of color experts a chance to practice what they learn as they prepare for a career in color.”
“NC State has always been at the forefront of innovation,” said Dr. Renzo Shamey, director of Color Science and Imaging Laboratories, NC State. “Through our partnership with Datacolor, NC State students now have a unique opportunity to work with innovative industry-grade color management equipment, providing them with invaluable hands-on experience and unparalleled access to technology that will help them succeed well beyond their time here.”
Attendees received German beer steins stamped with the slogan “I spent a year without trade shows and all I got was this lousy mug.”
Overall Consensus
The general conclusion is that Techtextil North America 2021 met, or exceeded, most expectations and offered a much-needed positive start as the textile world emerges from a rough year and a half.
“We were thrilled with the turnout in Raleigh,” said Kristy Meade, vice president of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows at Messe Frankfurt North America. “It was so great to see the amount of business being done on the show floor, and the feedback we’ve received since has absolutely confirmed that the industry was desperately in need of an in-person event. Our goal was to provide a platform for the industry to reunite and get back to business after the rough 18-plus months we’ve all endured due to COVID-19, and I believe we more than succeeded in doing so.”
Here’s to the industry continuing the momentum forward!
