#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.

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles unveils Trends 2027 alongside new lifestyle zone and product expansion

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition 2026 will spotlight forward-looking design directions and evolving consumer demand, as the global home and lifestyle market continues to adapt to sustainability priorities, emotional well-being, and diversified living spaces. Taking place from 18 – 20 August 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the fair will present its latest trend theme, ‘BREATHE UP!’, developed in collaboration with leading international trend forecaster NellyRodi™ Agency, alongside expanded product categories, and the debut of the Home Textiles Lifestyle Zone.

Itema to showcase weaving excellence at ITM 2026

From June 9 to 13, Itema will exhibit at ITM 2026 in Istanbul (Hall 8 – Stand 806D), unveiling a distinctive exhibition concept designed to highlight the Company’s expertise across the entire weaving value chain. For this year’s edition, Itema will introduce an innovative stand experience built around two core areas: advanced weaving and spare parts solutions and an immersive textile gallery featuring fabrics produced by Itema Customers worldwide.