#Associations

2022-11-24

AATCC announces 2023 Board of Directors

This fall, AATCC members elected their 2023-2024 representatives to the Board of Directors. All officers will begin their term on January 1.

President-Elect

Andrew Fraser, Textile Color and Sourcing Solutions, will serve two years as President-elect before continuing to President for two years, and finally Immediate Past President for two years. Fraser will be a member of the Board for all six years, providing continuity and guidance to the Association. When Fraser become President-elect, John Crocker, SDL Atlas, becomes President and Harrie Schoots becomes Immediate Past President.

Interest Groups

AATCC members participate in one or more interest groups to network, learn, and share ideas with like-minded colleagues. Each member may select one “voting” interest group from which they elect representatives to the AATCC Board.

The Chemical Applications interest group elected Sabyasachi Gaan, Empa as Chair; Brian Alloway, Azelis as Secretary; and Dennis Scheer, SST Technology Solutions, as At-Large Member.

Tom Stutts, Color Solutions International and Tammie Rollins, UL were each selected to serve a second term representing the Concept 2 Consumer interest group. Stutts will continue as Chair and Rollins will continue as At-large Member.

The Materials interest group also re-elected an experienced slate of officers. Christina Rappa, WL Gore, will serve a seconds term as Chair and Apurba Banerjee, Glowforge, will reprise her role as At-large Member.

AATCC’s newest interest group is Rising Professionals. The group is focused on supporting individuals as they embark on a career in textiles. Members include recent graduates as well as seasoned professionals transitioning from other industries and those who just want to learn more about navigating opportunities for growth. The Rising Professionals interest group elected Jessica Brooks, WL Gore, as Chair and Bryan Ormond, NCState, as At-large Member.

Regions

AATCC members belonging to a local section had the opportunity to elect a Regional representative to the Board.

Beginning in 2023, Patrick Ayers, Noble Biomaterials, will represent the Central Atlantic Region, which is comprised of the Delaware Valley, Hudson Mohawk, and NY-Metro sections.

Nelson Houser will continue to represent the Midsouth Region made up of the Piedmont Section. Houser has served on the Board in many capacities, including as President.

The New England Region, covering the New England Section, elected Bethany Pollack, Draper Knitting.

Ashis Kumar Samanta, Calcutta University, was re-elected to represent the Southeast Asia Region. This region is currently composed of the India Section.

The Southern Region, including the Ozarks and Texas Sections will be represented by Ashley Handley, UL.

Western Region is comprised of the Northwest and California Sections. The region re-elected Karen Muhlin, The North Face, as its representative with an impressive 100% of the valid ballots.

Constitutional Amendments

Members also voted on approval of several amendments to the AATCC Constitution. This ballot is extended to December 23. If approved, the changes will take effect immediately.

Opportunities

While AATCC Board elections only occur every two years, there are many ways to get involved. Taking a leadership role on a committees or task group is an excellent way to make connections and gain valuable experience. To learn more about available opportunities, contact Diana Wyman, AATCC Executive Vice President (diana@aatcc.org; +1.919.549.3532) or any Board or staff member.

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.

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.