Exploring recent developments in fiber innovation, trade and the economy, the Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association delivered at its recent fall conference.
TW Special Report
The Charlotte, N.C.-based Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) recently held its annual fall conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.
SYFA President Meredith Boyd opened the conference stating: “Our theme this conference, ‘From Fiber Forward: Technology, Trade, and Transformation,’ captures what this moment means for our industry. Today, we’re no longer just a manufacturing sector, we’re a strategic industry that anchors national security, environmental progress, and economic competitiveness. We are the quiet enablers behind nearly every major innovation shaping modern life, and it all starts with chemistry, engineering, and ingenuity.”
A Variety Of Presentations
Senior International Trade Manager with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Jeri Barutis, hosted a discussion with Felicia Pullam, senior director, Geo-Commerce, APCO Worldwide, tackling the topic “Trade & Compliance: Challenges & Opportunities in the Textile Industry.” The exchange explored how to navigate trade policy and gave insight into actions small and mid-sized companies may use to deal with compliance issues.
Matt Yakush, Global Market Development leader, Kevlar® EXO™, and Jake Pretko, lead engineer II, R&D Aramids Product & Process Development, DuPont, presented “Kevlar EXO: Innovating the New Generation of Technical Textiles.” The duo explained the history of Kevlar and the innovations achieved with Kevlar EXO including increased strength, weight savings and flexibility.
Well-known textile trade professional Auggie Tantillo with SRG & Associates presented “A Federal Textile Trade & Tariff Review.” Exploring the chaotic trade landscape, Tantillo gave his take on the good and bad of current trade issues and raised concern regarding the future of the Berry Amendment.
Craig Lindemann, a technical specialist, Product Integration, Reju, presented “Reju: Building a Circular Textile System. He explained Reju as a systems change company that uses selective depolymerization of polyester and a network of feed-stock suppliers, brands, and resellers to create a circular textile system.
Roger Tutterow, Henssler Financial Endowed chair, professor of Economics, Kennesaw State University, presented an Economic Review tuned for textile executives. Always entertaining, Tutterow gave context to the current economic situation.
Dr. Ramesh Kesh, senior vice president and Global Business manager – Polartec, and Government & Defense with Milliken & Company, gave an in-depth overview and update on Polartec, titled “Innovation Made to Go Beyond.” Dr. Kesh’s command of the topic of innovation and application was insightful.
Billy McCall, Kintra Fibers’ founder and CEO, discussed “Next Generation Polyester Yarns: Looking Back in Order to Move Forward,” and described his initiative as an interested scientist bringing a fresh approach to fiber challenges while developing a biobased polyester.
Tamsin Ettefagh, chief sustainability officer and vice president of Industry, PureCycle Technologies, presented “Recycled PP for Fiber Applications.” An industry veteran, Ettefagh spoke of her personal journey transforming and reusing post-consumer plastics in meaningful ways.
In concluding the conference, Boyd offered remarks, saying: “Our industry may be centuries old, but it’s also among the most dynamic on earth. We have the rare ability to impact everything, from what people wear and how they work and play, to how they move, heal, and even protect their lives. We’re advancing a shared mission: to make textiles smarter, stronger, and more sustainable for the world we live in.”
SYFA will hold its Spring Conference April 1-2, 2026, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel. The SYFA Annual Spring Golf Tournament to raise money for the SYFA Scholarship at Gaston College will be held Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at The Rocky River Golf Club, Concord, N.C.
2025 Quarterly Issue IV
