Natural Fiber
Industry leaders engage on sustainable solutions and other hot topics in textile fiber applications and technology
For the second year running, the Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress (GFC), now in its 60th edition, was held as a virtual event. Besides the ongoing theme of sustainability, there was a strong emphasis on the circular economy and digitalization, as well as discussions on a wide range of topics from fiber innovation to fashion. Synthetic …
Considering cotton and natural fiber alternatives
Cotton was undoubtedly the fiber of the 19th and early 20th centuries and is still by far the world’s most widely used natural fiber. But while cotton is a biodegradable and renewable resource, the use of conventional cotton to produce clothing could decrease going forward as retailers and consumers seek more sustainable alternatives in the …
BastCore bets big on hemp
Hemp has a long history as a raw material for American industry. Jamestown settlers introduced hemp to colonial America in the early 1600s for rope, paper, and other fiber-based products; they even imposed fines on those who didn’t produce the crop themselves. U.S. presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp. The U.S. Constitution and …
Looking back to go forward – natural fiber innovation, 30,000 years in the making
Not too long ago, deep in a cave in the Eurasian country of Georgia, archaeologists unearthed the world’s oldest textile fibers – flax (linen) fibers dating back 30,000 years or more. Early humans recognized the importance of bast fibers and used the plant to revolutionize the way they made baskets, ropes, string and ultimately textiles. …
Gaston College gets the green light to build state-of-the-art Fiber Innovation Center
In 1941, the North Carolina Textile School was established by an act of legislation, and it officially opened in 1943 with a series of classes including weaving, spinning, knitting and equipment maintenance. The school awarded its first diploma in 1945, and it established the first Associate Degree Program in Textile Manufacturing Technology in 1971. In …