#Associations

2020-11-26

AATCC announces 2021-2022 Board of Directors

AATCC held its Annual Meeting remotely on November 11, 2020. The results of ballots for 2021-2022 AATCC Board of Directors members were announced by Executive Vice President Diana Wyman.

Patrick Ayers, LCA Designs LLC, Central Atlantic Region

Nelson Houser, Midsouth Region

Jack Bare, StarChem LLC, New England Region

Ashley Handley, UL, Southern Region

Karen Muhlin, VF Outdoor Inc, Western Region

A.K. Samanta, University of Calcutta, Southeast Asia Region

Members also elected board members to represent AATCC’s three interest groups for 2021-2022:

Tom Stutts, Color Solutions International/Dystar, Concept 2 Consumer® Chair

Tammie Rollins, UL, Concept 2 Consumer At-Large Member

Rembert Truesdale III, TenCate Protective Fabrics, Chemical Applications Chair

Peter Hauser, North Carolina State University – Wilson College of Textiles, Chemical Applications At-Large Member

Christina Rapa, WL Gore & Associates, Materials Chair

John Crocker, SDL Atlas LLC was elected President-Elect 2021-2022. Harrie Schoots, Ascend Performance Materials LLC will rotate to President and Kerry King, Spoonflower Inc will become Immediate Past President. A video of the presidential pinning ceremony is available at https://youtu.be/h4NcQwRYxW4.

Continuing in their roles on the AATCC Board of Directors are Apurba Banerjee, Materials Interest Group At-Large Member; R Michael Tyndall, Treasurer; Adam Varley, Executive Committee on Research Chair; Jiping Wang, Publications Committee Chair; Kanti Jasani, Membership Committee Chair; and Diana Wyman, Executive Vice President.

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

New funding available for textile research

The AATCC Foundation Student Research Support Grant Program provides financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing textile-related projects. Students may submit proposals now for funding to be awarded January 2026. Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2025, to be considered.

Mongolia: Workshop on Italian textile technologies kicks off in Ulaanbaatar

The workshop dedicated to Italian textile technologies will kick off in Ulaanbaatar from 21 to 23 June 2026. Focused on the most advanced innovative solutions for the textile industry, the initiative will bring together 13 Italian textile machinery manufacturers, confirming the growing interest in strengthening industrial cooperation between the two countries and highlighting Mongolia’s strategic importance for Italian textile machinery producers.

Towards pragmatic and harmonised labelling in the EU

EDANA, alongside 14 European associations, urges the European Commission and Member States to adopt a pragmatic approach for the future harmonised packaging labels, in line with the EU’s agenda for the EU Single Market, simplification and competitiveness. The system should rely on text-free pictograms, available in achromatic or monochromatic versions matching the packaging palette, with the possibility of using digital labelling as a core element. Our associations represent manufacturers of consumer goods across Europe.

Textile PRO Forum calls for greater harmonisation of textile EPR systems across Europe

The Textile PRO Forum has published a new analysis highlighting the need for greater harmonisation of textile Extended Producer Responsibility systems across Europe. The document, Toward harmonised Textile EPR Systems in Europe: analysis and recommendations, presents the results of work carried out by Workstream 1 of the Textile PRO Forum, led by Dr. Eng. Viola Corbellini, Strategic Development and Innovation Expert at Erion Textiles, and Eng. Luca Campadello, General Director at Erion Textiles. The workstream focused on reducing administrative burden for textile producers by identifying areas where procedures could be better aligned across countries.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

New spinning package with two-step filtration for recycled yarns and more

At the ITM in Istanbul, BB Engineering unveiled its new, patented ValuePack spinning package for the first time, which features a two-stage filtration system. This is particularly beneficial for re-cycling processes. Until now, spinning packs have used either metal powder (“sand”) or filter candles as filter media. Both options are suitable for differ-ent applications, and each has its own specific advantages and dis-advantages.

ITMA 2027 gains strong momentum

In line with the theme "Co-creating the future of textiles", ITMA continues to strengthen its support for start-ups, recognising their role in driving innovation and shaping the future of textile and garment manufacturing. Through the Start-Up Valley, emerging companies gain access to a global marketplace where they can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, investors and customers.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.