#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.

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.

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, the members of VDMA Textile Machinery underline their key role as global technology leaders for technical textiles and textile processing. With a strong presence of more than 50 members they will highlight how engineering excellence, innovation strength and sustainability expertise from Germany and Europe are shaping the future of the textile industry. Seven companies will be present at the VDMA group stand in the centre of hall 12.0.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.