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Student Spotlight: Turning textile waste into thermal and acoustic insulation
Shafiq Islam developed a strong interest in textiles pursuing his undergraduate and master’s degrees in textile engineering in Bangladesh, while also working in the textile research and development sector. As an undergraduate, Shafiq’s main interest was technical textiles, nonwovens, and composites, and this is also the focus of his Ph.D. research at the University of …
COVID-19 Update: AATCC warns against claims of COVID-19 protection in textiles or related materials
With the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading worldwide, International Fiber Journal is tracking stories relevant to the textile fiber industry. Facemasks, personal protective equipment, medical supplies and wipes are among the fiber-intensive technologies particularly relevant to the COVID-19 response effort. And as manufacturers of these technologies and others struggle to meet global demand in the face of the …
Sustainability should still be more than just a buzzword
Not so long ago, sustainability was the buzzword in the fiber industry with several companies announcing progress in terms of recycling or using bio-based alternatives. The hope is that the coronavirus crisis will provide the catalyst for developing more sustainable supply chains going forward. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced fashion retailers to drastically reduce costs …
COVID-19 supply & demand
As we consider how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the nonwovens industry, it is important to start with an understanding of the numerous nomenclature issues associated with nonwovens. The majority of the nonwoven material in demand as a result of the pandemic is spunlaid. The primary method for categorizing nonwoven capacity and production is …
A strange brew – genetically engineered polymeric fibers
Over the past century, man has truly harnessed the power of artificial polymer materials; polymeric fiber materials have allowed for applications not possible with the use of natural fibers. Driven by cost, ease of processing and variety of applications, the use of synthetic polymer fibers has expanded to all corners of life. However, these polymers …