#Associations

2021-06-17

Winners Announcement - 2021 Pitch it to Win it Student Competition

The Herman and Myrtle Goldstein Undergraduate Student Competition is intended to highlight projects conducted by students from all areas of the textile/apparel supply chain. Projects submitted may include academic research, technology and/or process investigations, and literature reviews. This competition is designed to enhance the textile education experience for student members of AATCC. The intent is to encourage independent student projects both within the USA and internationally.

AATCC is happy to announce the winners of the 2021 Pitch It to Win It Student Competition:

https://www.aatcc.org/students/competitions/pitchit/

First Place (US$1000)

Sophia Luu

Project: Optimizing 3D Fashion Design Software for Physically Disabled Populations

Major: Apparel, Merchandising, and Design: Creative and Technical Design

School: Iowa State University

Luu says “The Pitch It to Win It competition has helped me learn how to communicate very discipline-specific research endeavors into accessible presentations that anyone can understand and glean significance from. Additionally, this competition has further broadened my understanding of 3D fashion CAD systems and aspects that can be improved for inclusive apparel design purposes.”

Phase I Video Submission:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lChrYN8nb_s

Phase II Written Submission:

http://www.aatcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Optimizing-3D-Fashion-CAD-Software_Pitch-It-2021.pdf

Second Place (US$600)

Jessica Trippiedi

Project: Huubi

School: Fashion Institute of Technology

Major: Textile Development & Marketing

Trippiedi says, “Participating in the AATCC Pitch It to Win It competition gave me the freedom to ignite my passions and challenged me to explore the limits of endless possibilities.”

Phase I Video Submission:

https://youtu.be/ErRDLLRfwtY

Phase II Written Submission:

http://www.aatcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Huubi.pdf

Third Place (US$400)

Brooke McKee

Project: BooRay Clo.

School: University of Missouri

Major: Fashion Merchandising & Apparel Product Development

McKee says, “This competition taught me to be thorough in my work and to always back up my claims. As the process went on, I learned more and more about sustainability, humbling me on the amount of information I thought I already knew.”

Phase I Video Submission:

https://youtu.be/GmJHmJ5R0Ns

Phase II Written Submission:

http://www.aatcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BooRay.pdf

Thank you to the following developers and judges!

Without their expertise and assistance, the Competition would not have been possible.

• Kanti Jasani, Performance & Technical Textile Consulting

• Kerry King, Vice President, R&D at Spoonflower Inc

• Janet Brady, Associate Professor Materials Technology, Thomas Jefferson University

• Martha Carper, Retired, University of Delaware & DuPont

• Nelson Houser, AATCC Board of Directors member

• Roland Connelly, RoLyn Group Color Consultants

• Ashley Handley, Senior Technical Services Specialist at UL Retail and Industry

• Alissa Baier-Lentz, Co-Founder and COO at Kintra Fibers

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.

Italian textile machinery orders show quarterly recovery in Q2 2026

In the period between April and June 2026, order intake for Italian textile machinery manufacturers showed mixed but encouraging signals for the second half of the year. The order index at constant prices stood at 46.6 points (taking 2021=100 as the base year), showing a slight decrease of 3% compared to the same quarter of 2025. This trend was largely due to the contraction recorded in the domestic market, which fell by 25% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

Indorama Ventures advances circularity tthrough PETValue Philippines' “Zero Waste to Landfill Partnership” with Republic Cement

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is advancing the circular economy through a new Zero Waste to Landfill initiative at its recycling site PETValue Philippines, further demonstrating how collaboration across industries can maximize resource efficiency and reduce waste.

Networking Day 2026: Industry stakeholders unite around textile recycling

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.

The new RDJ 7/3 defines the design footprint of modern athletic shoes

Stylish, functional, and efficient to produce – spacer fabrics are the all-arounders among textile materials. These versatile fabrics are particularly in demand in the sports and casual footwear sector, as they combine comfort, breathability, and design freedom. At the same time, this industry is trend-driven, dynamic, and price-sensitive like few others. Innovations are therefore a decisive factor for success. With the RDJ 7/3, KARL MAYER offers a solution specifically tailored to these requirements. The particular strength of the new double raschel machine: its exceptional flexibility, thanks to its three jacquard bars.