Every experienced textile professional knows that two bales with identical test results can behave completely differently on the spinning frame, in the dye bath, or in the finished garment. The reason is that our standard fiber measurements, while useful, have never told the whole story. And until recently, we lacked the tools to tell it.
Category: Abstracts
Keynote: Navigating the Forces Shaping our Industry
Nathan Fisher Key Account Executive with Daikin America, Inc. and President of the Southern Textile Association (STA), will start off the 2026 Southern Textile Research Conference (STRC) with the Keynote Address.
THREAD-X: Leveraging AI & AR Technology to Accelerate Workforce Training
Across the US, industries are navigating a historic demographic shift often referred to as the “Silver Tsunami”. It is estimated that by 2030, approximately 2.1 million jobs could go unfilled across the manufacturing sector because of a lack of skilled applicants. This transition is creating a massive knowledge transfer gap, where institutional expertise is leaving faster than it can be passed on or replaced.
Innovations in Dyeing and Coloration
The amount of water, energy, and harmful chemicals consumed during conventional dyeing through traditional methods over the past century has been tremendous, and in many countries, water has become a very precious and limited resource. The textile industry continues to face several challenges such as an increasing shortage of natural resources such as water and energy, higher prices and costs related to raw materials and these natural resources, increasing regulatory and environmental pressure, as well as increasing expectations of social responsibility and business compliance. In recent years, efforts have been made to reduce the amount of water, energy, and chemicals used.
ECODESIGN – A Science-Based Approach
While circularity has become a dominant framework in the textile industry it often falls short in practice. A promise to close loops, reduce waste, and reconcile production with environmental limits. It offers the comforting idea that consumption can continue, just differently. Yet after years as a global megatrend, the gap between vision and reality remains wide. Action has lagged, and impact has fallen short.
State of Textile Recycling: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Path Forward
Textile waste is a growing challenge, yet its recyclability remains limited due to complex material compositions, market constraints, and infrastructure gaps. In this session, we’ll examine the scale of the challenge, where textile waste goes once discarded, and the critical distinction between discard and disposal.
Updates on Recycling and Repurposing Cotton Textile Waste: Cotton to Sugar Project
This presentation will review and update the efforts by Cotton Incorporated to obtain glucose from cotton textile waste. Cotton fiber is nearly pure cellulose, a natural polymer composed of many glucose units. Research has shown that glucose can be readily obtained from cotton textile waste through enzymatic hydrolysis.
Custom Circularity Models and Understanding the Process
In this presentation, “Custom Circularity Models and Understanding the Process,” we will explore the importance of developing tailored circularity models within the textile industry. We will discuss the process of designing and implementing these custom solutions, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities they present. By delving into the need for personalized approaches, I will explain why a one-size-fits-all solution can be difficult and how custom circularity models can drive greater sustainability, efficiency, and innovation in the industry.
History, Capabilities and Future Plans for the Manufacturing Solutions Center
Jeff Neuville Director, Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Valley Community College Created as the Hosiery Technology Center in 1990, the Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC) at Catawba Valley Community College has evolved into a nationally known and trusted resource for manufacturers throughout the United States. With an ISO accredited testing lab, knitting labs for product development […]
Second Generation of Cotton Cationization: Sustainable Dyeing and Finishing of Cotton
Ahmed El-Shafei, Ph.D. This talk will provide a summary of dyeing results and fastness properties of cationized cotton using new cationizing chemistry knows as the Second Generation for Sustainable Dyeing and Finishing of Cellulosic Fabrics, developed in El-Shafei’s laboratory. Cotton pretreated using this new technology was dyed with reactive dyes and achieved a clear dye […]
