2016 Smart Fabrics Summit Videos

May 26th, 2017

Watch videos from the 2016 Smart Fabrics Summit on the website of the International Trade Administration Office of Textiles and Apparel. Part 1- Opening Remarks; Globe Demonstration; Challenges in Manufacturing Smart Fabrics Panel Part 2- First Line Technology Demonstration; Federal Research and Development in Smart Fabrics Panel; Part 3- DuPont Demonstration; Intellectual Property Rights for […]

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MIL-SPECS: Get the facts and gain a competitive edge

April 18th, 2017

May 4, 2017 | Noon, EST  Free to all industry professionals  Need help deciphering Military Specifications? Attend Mil-Specs, Get the Facts and Gain a Competive Edge, a free webinar that provides an in-depth analysis of the entire scope of a Detail Specification, followed by a Q&A session. Understanding the significant cost implications can give you a competitive edge when bidding […]

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Geotechnical Frontiers 2017 Is Huge Success

April 6th, 2017

Over 2100 attendees gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, Florida for Geotechnical Frontiers 2017, the biggest geosynthetics show in the industry.  Geotechnical Frontiers combined the annual Geo-Congress and the biennial Geosynthetics Conference into a super-event held once every six years. “We had a great show and we’re delighted with both the turnout and […]

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IFF announces 2017 scholarships

February 7th, 2017

Students have until June 10, 2017, to apply for any of four $5,000 scholarships available through The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF). Each year, IFF awards several scholarships to degree-seeking students enrolled in accredited colleges, universities or technical schools. The scholarships are paid directly to the students’ schools for fall semester tuition. Available scholarships include: Textile […]

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NCTO praises textile outcomes in FY 2017 Defense Bill

January 18th, 2017

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) applauded the senate’s 92-7 vote to pass S. 2943, the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Defense bill would give way to favorable textile industry outcomes. There wasn’t any increase to the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT). The Berry Amendment was exempted from changes to the procurement […]

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IFAI Expo 2016: specialty fabrics programming

December 1st, 2016

A variety of educational choices drove the Specialty Fabrics Program schedule Oct. 18-21 at the IFAI 2016 Expo. Attendees enjoyed dozens of presentations and “campfire” sessions featuring experts on topics as diverse as training the next generation of skilled workers, understanding functional fabric design and beating offshore manufacturers. The exhibit hall showcased the latest in fabrics, […]

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IFAI Expo 2017 information available

November 16th, 2016

Information about IFAI Expo 2017 is now available on the show’s website. IFAI Expo 2017 will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La., Sept. 26–29. It will highlight three show floor areas: specialty fabrics, advanced textiles and shade & weather protection. The show will feature a broad marketplace connecting thousands […]

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Details count when submitting government bids

October 21st, 2016

Teresa Bouchonnet knows a lot about doing business with the U.S. government. Bouchonnet is a retired U.S. Air Force major and former warranted contracting officer with the military. She is now a consultant for commercial manufacturers, and she shared her expertise Oct. 20 at the IFAI 2016 Expo in Charlotte, N.C. For businesses interested in […]

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What’s happening to the military textile market

October 1st, 2016

Decreased budgets are a reality, but markets exist for new and innovative products. While it's fair to say that portions of the military textile market are shrinking—the U.S. now has far fewer troops overseas—it is also true that some segments are changing, which is an open door for innovation. Despite a decline in the U.S. Department […]

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Innovators find a variety of markets for color-changing materials

September 1st, 2016

New research and applications are proving that color-changing smart textiles continue to offer viable technology and products in the smart fabrics marketplace. Most recently, researchers from the School of Information, University of California, Berkeley, have developed a new color-changing “smart thread,” Ebb, that turns fabric into a computerized display. According to information provided by the […]

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