KERNERSVILLE, NC — January 13, 2025 — Tex-Tech Industries Inc., a provider of high temperature and high-performance specialty material and coatings, has successfully completed the previously announced acquisition of Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI) based in Biddeford, Maine, and Woonsocket, R.I., from Spirit AeroSystems Inc.
FMI is a supplier of high-temperature materials and reinforced composites, with a focus on carbon/carbon and related composites. FMI’s applications include thermal protection systems, re-entry vehicle nose tips, and rocket motor throats and nozzles. FMI’s products are installed on critical defense platforms as well as NASA programs such as Stardust, Mars Curiosity, Orion, and Mars 2020. The company employs approximately 400 people. The existing senior management team of FMI will continue in their existing roles at FMI.
“The acquisition of FMI is highly complementary and strategic for Tex-Tech,” said Scott Burkhart, Tex-Tech CEO. “The addition of FMI adds a unique set of high-performance products to our robust portfolio of thermally protective materials. FMI’s unique capabilities will allow us to better service the rigorous material requirements in the rapidly growing space and defense industry.”
“We are excited to join forces with Tex-Tech,” said Matt Bernier, FMI’s general manager. “This acquisition highlights the remarkable accomplishments of our team and sets the stage for an even brighter future. Together, with the significant capital and combined heritage of IP rich material science know-how and manufacturing capabilities, we will leverage our combined strengths to continue delivering innovative solutions and unparalleled value to our customers.”
Kravet x Pottery Barn Collection Photo — Pottery Barn
SAN FRANCISCO — January 8, 2025 — Pottery Barn, portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, announced today a new collaboration with the revered home furnishings company, Kravet. The prints and patterns Kravet is known for, which were previously only available to the design trade, have been translated into an inspiring collection of tabletop, bedding, pillows, wall and window coverings, and decorative accessories.
Founded in 1918, Kravet has remained a family-operated business for over five generations. The brand’s impressive textile archive holds more than 60,000 pieces dating back over 2,000 years, all preserved with museum-quality standards to honor the rich history of the documents. For the first time in its history, Kravet opened the archive beyond their own team to work with Pottery Barn’s in-house designers to develop a collection that artfully blends Kravet’s prints and patterns with Pottery Barn’s world-renowned quality and craftsmanship.
To create the collaboration, the Kravet and Pottery Barn design teams partnered closely on hand-selecting prints from the archive. These prints were recolored and reimagined to develop new fabrications, applications, and products. The resulting assortment of print and pattern – the Garden Floral, Arboretum, Heirloom Damask, Ikat, Petite Floral, Medallion, and Meadow Stripe – celebrates Kravet’s mastery of textile design as seen through the inimitable lens of Pottery Barn’s timeless aesthetic. These designs can be found throughout the collection on products intended to bring the coveted interior designer touch to the Pottery Barn customer. Several pieces in the collection also feature additional designer details like French knots and embroidery.
“We’re so proud of the one-of-a-kind pieces from the new Kravet and Pottery Barn collection,” says Pottery Barn President Monica Bhargava. “This collection reinterprets their heirloom decorator prints in a way that feels fresh, timeless, and beautifully suited for our customer’s home.”
“The Kravet family has had the privilege of serving the design trade for many decades, and we’re now thrilled to partner with Pottery Barn to bring consumers exclusive pieces for their home inspired by our archives,” says Cary Kravet, President and CEO, Kravet LLC. “Pottery Barn’s exceptional expertise, as well as their commitment to quality and craftsmanship, made reimagining our prints and patterns into new categories an exciting and rewarding journey.”
The Kravet for Pottery Barn collection is available now in all stores, and online at potterybarn.com/kravet. Follow along on social @potterybarn and @kravetinc for styling tips and inspiration.
Posted: January 13, 2025
Source: Pottery Barn, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. / Kravet LLC
LOS ANGELES — January 13, 2025 — Hologenix and HEFEL, Austria’s bedding company, are joining forces to launch the Wellness Retreat Line, a revolutionary collection of eco-conscious bedding designed to enhance sleep quality and promote recovery. This partnership marks Hologenix’s debut product launch with HEFEL, blending CELLIANT® infrared (IR) technology with HEFEL’s expertise in high-quality bedding.
The Wellness Retreat Line includes fiber- and down-filled sleep essentials such as pillows, duvets, and mattress toppers, all powered by CELLIANT Viscose — the first in-fiber sustainable viscose infrared solution. CELLIANT’s proprietary minerals transform body heat into infrared energy, boosting local circulation and oxygenation, thereby supporting restorative sleep and faster recovery.
A Marriage of Science and Sustainability
The collection highlights CELLIANT Viscose, a nature-based fabric that enhances a product’s comfort and wearability and is known for its sustainable raw material sourcing – one of the most environmentally responsible infrared carrier options on the market, a credit to the impressive efforts of CELLIANT partner Kelheim Fibres. The Wellness Retreat Line combines this sustainable textile with TENCEL™ Lyocell, a silky, moisture-wicking fiber derived from renewable wood sources, that fosters temperature regulation, allergy support, and moisture control for the ideal sleep environment.
“A good night’s sleep can be the catalyst to a great day — when you’re well-rested you might feel happier, more productive, more active. Your sleep sets the tone for the day, which is why it is important to prioritize rest and recovery,” said Seth Casden, founder and CEO of Hologenix. “HEFEL is esteemed in Austria as bedding experts, so we were really honored and excited to partner with them on the new Wellness Retreat line. It is the perfect balance of comfort and practicality, and we can’t wait for customers to feel the benefits firsthand.”
A Customized Sleep Sanctuary For Every Bedroom
The Wellness Retreat Line leads with science-backed technology but also understands that sleep set-ups come with personal preferences. The new portfolio includes two options, so there is something for every type of sleeper:
Fiber Collection: Offers pillows, comforters, and mattress toppers available in all standard sizes, blending CELLIANT Viscose with TENCEL™ Lyocell for exceptional temperature regulation and softness.
Down Collection: Features three-chamber pillows and duvets in all standard sizes crafted with RDS-certified, ultra-fine goose down, enveloped in a luxurious satin fabric made of CELLIANT Viscose and TENCEL™ Lyocell, which is woven exclusively at HEFEL’s in-house’s mill. These down-filled options promise unparalleled coziness and restorative benefits.
“At HEFEL, we consider ourselves innovators in the bedding industry and thanks to our partnership with Hologenix, we are able to launch a new regenerative wellness program called ‘Wellness Retreat’ at the Heimtextil Conference 2025,” said Ulrike Hefel, CEO of HEFEL. “In the down products of the Wellness Retreat line, CELLIANT Viscose fiber is seamlessly integrated into fabrics crafted exclusively at HEFEL’s in-house ticking weaving mill in Austria. In the quilted products, the fiber enhances comfort helping you fall asleep faster, achieve deeper sleep, and recover more quickly after physical activity.”
For more information, or to purchase products from the Wellness Retreat line, please visit https://www.hefel.com/.
SICOMIN, France — January 13, 2025 — Sicomin has announced its partnership with MADskis, the Swiss company renowned for crafting handmade skis with a commitment to innovation and sustainability. MADskis will now incorporate GreenPoxy® 56 resin, known for its industry-leading bio-content of 51 percent, into its high-performance ski production.
The Sicomin and MADskis collaboration sets a new standard in winter sports manufacturing, showcasing maximum sustainability, uncompromised performance on the slopes and improved working conditions. With the highest bio-content available, GreenPoxy 56 delivers great mechanical performance as well as meeting MADskis challenging production and environmental requirements. It also ensures a cleaner, safer production environment for the MAD production team, as they hand laminate wooden top sheets, natural fibres and European wood cores in their boutique workshop.
MADskis was co-founded by Aurélien Ducroz, a celebrated professional skier and Class40 ocean racing world champion. Ducroz’s Class40 yacht was constructed using Sicomin GreenPoxy resins and flax fibers, highlighting the resin’s durability. Ducroz will now apply the similar processing techniques and materials at MAD, creating cutting-edge, lower impact skis. MAD’s revolutionary UNDO-REDO process uses bio-based resins and natural wooden topsheets to enable skiers to repair or replace the upper layers of their skis. This innovation significantly extends the lifespan of the skis, reducing waste and promoting eco-responsibility.
“MADskis share our vision to enhance the sustainability of their products without compromising on their performance,” said Matthieu Chaloin, Sicomin. “We are proud to support their mission as they craft unique wood-finished, eco-conscious skis for dedicated customers that understand how advanced bio-based materials can help support the future of winter sports.”
GreenPoxy 56 is a high-performance resin system formulated with 51% of its carbon content from biobased sources. Its unique formulation and low viscosity mean it quickly and efficiently wets out reinforcements under hand lamination, vacuum bag or press consolidation processes. A range of different reactivity hardeners are available to suit the varied laminating and bonding challenges of custom ski manufacturing.
DORNBIRN, Austria — January 13, 2025 — Warm greetings as we welcome the start of a new year filled with opportunities and innovation!
As a leading platform for knowledge exchange, research, and innovation in the fiber industry, Dornbirn GFC is set to (co)-host a series of expert-driven events in 2025. These four key events will showcase groundbreaking advancements and foster global collaboration:
Dornbirn GFC ASIA / Korea
In collaboration with DYETEC, KOFOTI, and Textile TechForum, this event will take place on 3rd & 4th April 2025 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO), Busan, South Korea.
The 4th Dornbirn GFC-ASIA 2025, co-organized by the Dornbirn GFC,
DYETEC , KOFOTI and Textile TechForum in Korea, will be held on April
03rd and 04th 2025 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) in Busan, South Korea as a 2 day On-Site event. The two days international conference will consist of plenary lectures, oral presentations and culture event for foreigners.
From the reputation as a world class beautiful city of tourism and culture, we welcome you to the 4th Dornbirn GFC-ASIA 2025. To present furthermore the most important developments and findings, we kindly invite you to submit your lecture proposals for 2025 program.
CRETE 2025 International Conference
Organized together with the Technical University of Crete, this conference will run from 27th to 31st May 2025 in Chania, Greece.
The 8th International Conference on Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management will be held from 27 to 31 May, 2025 in Chania, on the beautiful island of Crete in Greece. CRETE 2025 is organized by the Technical University of Crete, Vienna University of Technology, Nanyang Technological University, Tsinghua University of Technology, Austrian Fibers Institute (Dornbirn GFC), Korean Basel Forum and the University of Stavanger.
CRETE 2025 will once again include an extended spectrum of topics, in order to allow a holistic approach of industrial and hazardous waste management and create an appealing, interesting and riveting Conference program. This time a focus on recovery potential and processes will be pursued. The renewed CRETE 2025 Organizing Team is working on new ideas and events, in order to make the upcoming Conference even more successful, always counting on your high quality contributions and presentations.
64th Dornbirn GFC & 5th Innovation Days
Join us for the flagship event from 10th to 12th September 2025 in Dornbirn, Austria, show-casing cutting-edge research and innovation.
The Dornbirn GFC is inviting researchers, experts, manufacturers, and practitioners to submit papers for the 64th edition, taking place in September 2025. This congress offers a platform to present cutting-edge research and innovations that will shape the future of the fiber and textile industries.
Submissions possible until 14th of February 2025!
Dornbirn GFC ASIA / India
In partnership with Techtextil India 2025, this event will be held on 18th November 2025 in Mumbai, India.
Details will be announced soon, but the spotlight will undoubtedly be on cutting-edge fiber innovations and transformative solutions for sustainability. Stay tuned for updates on how this event will shape the future of the industry!
Join us in shaping the future of the fiber industry through these transformative gatherings.
Posted: January 13, 2025
Source: Dornbirn GFC Global Fiber Congress / Austrian Fibers Institute
WASHINGTON — January 13, 2025 — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) and the National Chamber of the Textile Industry (CANAINTEX) commend the Mexican government for its decisive action to curb the flow of illegal and subsidized apparel products from Asia that evade tariffs and undermine the U.S.-Mexico textile co-production chain.
In as joint letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, NCTO and CANAINTEX expressed strong support for Mexico’s new decree, which imposes penalty tariffs and taxes on imported finished textile and apparel goods and certain inputs into Mexico from non-Free Trade Agreement countries. These measures will shield regional supply chains and ensure fair competition for production in the United States and Mexico.
The decree also targets the misuse of the U.S. “de minimis” trade loophole by taxing goods entering the U.S. from Mexican warehouses that exploit the rule to avoid tariffs, a practice that has significantly harmed U.S. and Mexican textile and apparel manufacturers. The associations are also asking the incoming Trump administration to immediately close the de minimis loophole.
U.S. textile producers have lost 25 plants and 26,000 jobs in the past 18 months, while Mexico’s industry has shed over 75,000 jobs, largely due to predatory trade practices by non-USMCA signatories like China.
“Despite the legal efforts of Mexico and the United States to prevent the importation of goods that are undervalued, made with forced labor or with tariff or regulatory restrictions, we have seen firsthand how the Asian market has gained an unfair advantage through predatory trade practices, displacing companies and workers in the USMCA industries and undermining our critical coproduction chain,” the associations wrote in the letter. “The countries participating in the USMCA produce ample supply to guarantee a continuous flow of cost competitive manufactured products. The Decree will improve the production chain, grow jobs and ensure tariff preferences are granted to goods manufactured in the region and stop rewarding non-signatories such as China and other Asian suppliers.”
Posted: January 13, 2025
Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — January 9, 2025 — The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation® (IACMI), also known as IACMI–The Composites Institute®, celebrates today a decade of revitalizing American manufacturing and strengthening the nation’s defense industrial base. Established by the Department of Energy (DOE), IACMI was announced as the fifth of now 18 Manufacturing USA® institutes on January 9, 2015.
IACMI Impact: A Decade of Innovation and Economic Growth
For 10 years, IACMI has played a pivotal role in America’s reindustrialization, aiming to secure its position as a global leader in manufacturing innovation and workforce development. Reshoring initiatives have been key to bolstering U.S. economic and national security. Through multiple national workforce programs sponsored by DOE and the Department of Defense (DoD), IACMI has been inspiring, educating, and training a skilled workforce to help address the projected 4.6 million open manufacturing jobs in the coming decade.
IACMI’s impact for economic growth has been clear in four primary ways:
Public-Private Collaborations – convening more than 170 members and 4,500 professionals from industry, academia, and federal labs to tackle the composites industry’s toughest challenges in automotive, aerospace, wind, infrastructure and the circular economy
Technical Innovation – connecting 90+ of its members to conduct 60+ industry-led R&D projects that helped commercialize dozens of products, advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of numerous technologies, and create hundreds of design, engineering, and manufacturing jobs
Workforce Development – catalyzing IACMI, ACE, and METAL programs to enable
100+ internships with industry collaboration, resulting in 100 percent placement in industry jobs or higher education
18,300+ STEM outreach engagements
12,400+ trained online across 50 states in CNC machining
5,100+ trained in-person in composites, CNC, metrology, and metallurgy
40 machine tool training centers in 14 states
Leveraging Resources – providing open access to over $400M in scale up facilities across 8 states has led to an additional $220M+ for companies, universities, national labs, and workforce initiatives
“For 10 years, IACMI has harnessed the power of public-private partnerships to improve products, processes, and people’s lives through composites innovation and workforce solutions that secure America as a global leader in advanced manufacturing,” said Chad Duty, CEO, IACMI. “With steadfast investment and support from industry and government partners, notably DOE and DoD, IACMI has empowered domestic manufacturers to accelerate design and commercialization, fostering a more reliable, secure, and competitive U.S. economy.”
Since 2015, IACMI, the DOE, and state economic development organizations have invested in a shared infrastructure that collectively delivers a breadth and scale of open-access advanced composites manufacturing R&D capabilities that stand unmatched in the U.S. These facility and infrastructure investments have been led by IACMI’s core innovation partners in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. Today, these capabilities uniquely position IACMI to build on past achievements, de-risk future research, and accelerate onshoring efforts in the United States.
Examples of state-of-the-art scale-up facilities include:
Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Carbon Fiber Technology Facility (CFTF) at ORNL
Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF) at University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Laboratory for Systems Integrity and Reliability (LASIR) at Vanderbilt University
The Composites Laboratory at the University of Dayton Research Institute
The Composites Manufacturing & Simulation Center (CMSC) at Purdue University
The IACMI Scale-Up Research Facility (SuRF) in Detroit, Michigan
The Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology Facility (CoMET) at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
IACMI has leveraged these facilities to undertake transformational R&D, in nation-critical industries including energy, transportation, aerospace, and infrastructure & construction. An IACMI-sponsored project team helped Volkswagen of America redesign and validate a composite liftgate for SUVs, reducing the weight by 35 percent and lowering its recurring cost by 9 percent compared with steel. Technological advances from this research are now being used across multiple VW platforms, including the new VW ID Buzz EV. The scaling, manufacture and testing of novel thermoplastic wind turbine blades that are recyclable and lower in cost has also been demonstrated. Further research in automating finishing processes for wind blades aims to reshore wind manufacturing jobs. Simulation and modeling work to develop a virtual twin for additive manufacturing is revolutionizing the production of tooling.
IACMI has become an “ecosystem of innovation” and has discovered an effective formula that works: Technical Innovation + Workforce Development = Economic Growth. As the first DOE institute to receive renewed funding in 2023, and with DoD investments expanding proven programs, IACMI is committed to building on these successes. Over the next few years, IACMI and its partners will leverage their full-scale facilities and equipment and significantly expand programs. In this next chapter, IACMI will advance its purpose to convene, connect, and catalyze the U.S. composites community by attracting startups and small enterprises while creating opportunities with large enterprises, national labs, and universities.
FUNDÃO, Portugal — January 10, 2025 — TWINTEX, a Portuguese clothing manufacturing company with 45 years’ experience and specializing in the production of garments for medium-to- high-end and luxury brands, has installed the Hänel Lean-Lift automated vertical warehouse from VRC WAREHOUSE TECHNOLOGIES to transform its logistics management and ensure greater accuracy in internal processes. The Hänel Lean-Lift from VRC enables operators to access materials quickly, eliminating low-value manual tasks and ensuring real-time control of stored items.
“Nowadays, a clothing manufacturing company is much more than just a warehouse where garments are produced. That is why we’ve embraced a highly complex logistical responsibility,” explained Mico Mineiro, COO of TWINTEX. “With VRC WAREHOUSE TECHNOLOGIES’ equipment, an operator can, in just a few steps, retrieve and organize all the necessary materials, while stock management is updated by the day, hour, and minute, significantly enhancing performance in an impressive way.”
The automated warehouse has also reduced the factory’s space usage by 40% and improved safety conditions for employees. “We no longer use ladders, and there’s no physical strain. This was a complete transformation,” emphasized Ana Almeida from TWINTEX’s Trimming Department.
Furthermore, this investment reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainability, an area in which it holds several eco-label certifications, such as the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), and Global Recycle Standard (GRS).
“We have a pressing need to store and keep everything well-organized and compartmentalized. This upgrade in our organization has made us much more efficient and able to work in a much simpler way,” added Beatriz Tavares, Social and Environmental Sustainability Ambassador at TWINTEX. The installation of the Hänel Lean-Lift from VRC WAREHOUSE TECHNOLOGIES is a clear example of how technology can transform the textile industry, making it more efficient, sustainable, and future-ready.
TOKYO — January 8, 2025 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd. announced today that its group company, Nantong Teijin Co. Ltd. has been recognized by China’s Jiangsu Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment for reducing water usage by approximately 300,000 tons/year. Nantong Teijin, which manufactures polyester long-fiber woven and knitted fabrics in Jiangsu Province, independently developed equipment and systems for analyzing, recovering, storing and reusing wastewater from its water-intensive dyeing process. This initiative, which began in 2022, has also resulted in a 4 percent reduction in CO2 emissions, based on a third-party lifecycle assessment review conducted according to ISO14040. As a result, Nantong Teijin has been certified as a company promoting environmental initiatives in the Yangtze River Delta region.
The certification of model activities for supporting the environment was implemented to strengthen ecological and environmental protection in the Yangtze River Delta area. The Nantong City Bureau of Ecology and Environment in Jiangsu Province evaluated companies subjected for certification based on their self-reported efforts to reduce environmental impacts and on onsite inspections and recommended selected companies to the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment. Out of a total of 164 companies recommended, 30 were selected by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment. Among this group, five companies, including Nantong Teijin, were particularly highly rated.
Nantong Teijin is the only Japanese company, and the only one in the textile industry, among these five companies.
The Teijin Frontier Group promotes environmentally friendly manufacturing and systems under its environmental strategy, THINK ECOⓇ. Using this certification as an opportunity, Nantong Teijin aims to further promote environmentally friendly manufacturing by expanding its water usage reduction initiatives to other group companies.
GRAZ, Austria — January 10, 2025 — International technology group ANDRITZ supplied and recently commissioned two new refining and cottonizing lines for Van Robaeys, France. These fully customized teXline bast fiber lines enable the company to increase its production of textile fibers from flax.
ANDRITZ teXline bast fiber line in operation at Van Robaeys, Image — ANDRITZ
With the new lines, Van Robaeys is responding to the growing demand from the French market for cottonized and high-quality textile fibers from natural sources. Europe is the world’s largest producer of flax fibers, showing a 133-percent increase in flax cultivation areas between 2010 and 2020.
The ANDRITZ teXline bast fiber lines can process up to 800 kg/h of fiber and use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure a high degree of flexibility throughout the fiber processing operations.
These lines are the seventh and eighth ANDRITZ cottonizing lines for Van Robaeys, with the first having been in operation for fifty years.
“It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with the ANDRITZ textile experts again, fifty years after purchasing our first ANDRITZ line. With our new equipment, we benefit from the latest bast fiber processing technology and significantly increase our capabilities in the production of high-quality fibers,” said Pierre D’Arras, CEO of Van Robaeys.
Van Robaeys is a family-owned company producing flax fibers for the spinning industry. Its extensive expertise in flax scutching dates back to 1919. The recent investment supports the company’s efforts toward sustainable and zero-waste fiber production.
ANDRITZ has many years of expertise in technology for the decortication of straw from bast fiber crops, as well as for refining and cottonizing fibers and shives for further processing. This premium quality fiber is ready to be used for nonwoven or spinning processes in the textile industry.
KERNERSVILLE, NC — January 13, 2025 — Tex-Tech Industries Inc., a provider of high temperature and high-performance specialty material and coatings, has successfully completed the previously announced acquisition of Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI) based in Biddeford, Maine, and Woonsocket, R.I., from Spirit AeroSystems Inc.
