Last week I caught up with Chad Kelly, president of eVent Technology, to get a quick update on the company and chat about business challenges as well as industry bright spots. A self-described “gearhead,” Kelly started his career in outdoor specialty retail and worked as a rep before pivoting to...

Eco-conscious product development hits a new high in Fall ‘21 in styles that feature responsible materials and manufacturing. Biodegradability, ocean plastics recycling and regenerative practices are now boxes to check in today’s advancement of circularity and a climate-positive approach...

What a difference a year makes. Online is the new in-person, trade shows last for weeks not days, and textiles are presented to customers without the ability to touch or feel fabric. These COVID-influenced 2020 business trends have not served the textile industry particularly well.

From innovative materials and business models to an upcoming Nordic recycling hub, Finland is bringing to market a slew of answers to challenges facing the textile industry. “By replacing primary raw materials with recycled components or using, for example, wood-based...

Despite all the adversity of the past year, the textile industry has come forth with a full scope of eco advances for Fall/Winter 22/23. These developments, showcased by ISPO Textrends 2021, present six key drivers defining what’s new and what’s next.

The new Cordura Fabric Finder allows brands to navigate a user-friendly digital interface to view an assortment of over 500 fabrics. The digital fabric library includes images of all fabric angles, and close-up details as well as fabric content information so that partners can...

Whether actually worn or not, face coverings are now recognized as a mainstream lifestyle item. Results from our recent Trend Insight Consumer survey not only confirm this trend but also reveal that masks have become a must-have fitness accessory...

Whether the relationship is rooted in chemistry, circularity or consumer awareness, experts believe the best course of action in the era of sustainability is to know your supply chain. Understanding that it takes an interrelated system to improve the sustainability of product...

With Winter OR Online just around the corner, the textile community continues to ponder the benefits of participation in virtual trade events. Whereas in the past, exhibiting at Outdoor Retailer was pretty much a no-brainer, after a year like 2020 suppliers are re-evaluating selling options.

Reflecting on the impact of the pandemic and analyzing post-Covid trends will provide a plethora of talking points in 2021, so here’s my 2 cents on 3 top takeaways from 2020.

MMI Textiles, with headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, will open a 30,000-square-foot production facility in Lenoir, NC to begin producing select narrow fabrics during the first quarter of 2021 in an effort to improve quality and lead times.

HeiQ has become a publicly listed company (LSE:HEIQ) on the London Stock Exchange Main Market. The Company’s shares were admitted to the Standard Segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority earlier this month by way of a reverse take over into Auctus Growth Plc.

With the intent of creating a face covering that can be worn comfortably during workouts, NexTex Innovations, an Atlanta-based textile technology and inventor of TurboDry, recently launched its new ParticleScreen face covering fabric.

At a time when companies, independent designers, industry organizations, emerging professionals and textile services are looking to transition to a new virtual reality, Cotton Incorporated’s state-of-the-art online resource Cottonworks covers all the bases.

If not now, when? That is the question of the day regarding antimicrobial solutions. Noble Biomaterials has answered that call to action by seizing several opportunities to showcase its stable of antimicrobial and conductive products, as concerns over safety and cleanliness have escalated...

In response to the rapidly changing marketplace, a trio of industry experts have joined forces to launch Akcel Partners, a new style consulting firm tailored to fit today’s business needs that goes beyond traditional selling.

New looks from Moncler elevate both form and function with garments that merge performance skiwear with space suit aesthetics to feature Dyneema composite fabric in styles that work on and off the slopes. The new partnership between Moncler and DSM, a global science-based company and...

What does proper bra fit have to do with preserving the planet? Actually, more than one would think. Because, in today’s COVID marketplace, with surging e-commerce sales and spiraling return rates, that little bralette, the one purchased in a few swift clicks online then sent back for being...

October is designated National Fair Trade month and Patagonia’s partnership with its Colombian factory Supertex serves as a prime example of how investing in Fair Trade offers a wide range of social and eco benefits.Supertex makes Patagonia fleeces and Capilene baselayer products.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) released an updated version of the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) in August which leading leather organizations believe treats leather unfairly, stating that “inappropriate methodologies” and “out-of-date, unrepresentative, inaccurate and...

Taiwanese fiber/textile manufacturer Nan Ya Plastics has launched a new brand called SAYA based on R&D focused on new sources for recycled fibers and defined by strong, more consistent recycled fibers with functional attributes targeting the performance marketplace.

They say “three’s the charm,” but in the newsroom “three’s the trend.” At least that’s what I was taught from a top editor in my early days of reporting and a rule of thumb that continues to hold true. So when I heard Annie Agle of Cotopaxi describe a recent collection done in...

The days of having an event calendar filled with dates scheduled one or even two years in advance are long gone, as show organizers continue to find their footing in this time of change and Covid concern. The latest updates reveal new and different show formats, along with...

To more effectively deliver fabric innovations, PrimaLoft has formed an alliance with Shanghai Challenge Textile Co., to exclusively produce PrimaLoft Performance Fabrics. This partnership will utilize the strengths of each company’s market position to best serve PrimaLoft customers.

Unifi has just released its inaugural Sustainability report, a comprehensive account of the company’s environmentally responsible journey over the years with the introduction of the Repreve platform in in 2007 and this year’s milestone of 20 billion plastic bottles recycled.

With people now more reliant on digital content and interaction, and interested in learning about sustainability in materials and products, The Woolmark Company has introduced a new resource well suited to the times. The Woolmark Learning Centre is an open-access learning platform established for...

Earlier this month Supima presented the 13th annual Supima Design Competition, held for the first time in a digital format and broadcast on Instagram Live. The collective runway show featured women’s evening wear that was made exclusively with donated Supima cotton fabrics and designed by...

Keeping with the trend of trade shows evolving from trans-actual, order-writing affairs to networking gatherings, so it goes with today’s virtual shows as textile execs we spoke to highlighted “connectivity” as a top takeaway of Outdoor Retailer Online.

In support of Chargeurs’ global growth strategy, Christy Raedeke has been appointed the company’s first chief marketing officer. The position includes a focus on growing the company’s new U.S.-based Lainiere Health & Wellness division.

Roger Tutterow, Ph.D., professor of Economics, Kennesaw State University, addressed the Southern Textile Association’s Summer Marketing Forum with a presentation that balanced good news with caveats, resulting in an outlook that portrayed progress being made on the economic front mixed with...