#Associations

2023-11-23

Registration now open for AATCC’s haptics and textiles digital lab

AATCC, a leading organization for textile testing and standards, will host a comprehensive two-day virtual event focused on haptics and textiles on December 13-14, 2023. Registration is now open for industry professionals interested in attending.

This online event will bring together a range of textile industry experts, including researchers, product developers, lab technicians, chemical suppliers, and other relevant roles to discuss methods and best practices for measuring the tactile properties and feel of textiles and nonwovens.

A major highlight of the two-day event will be the in-depth exploration of haptic testing methods and instruments. To start, attendees will receive an introduction to the fundamentals of haptics, providing critical context on terminology, concepts, and industry applications. Building on that foundation, presenters will give a comprehensive overview of the most widely used techniques and devices for measuring tactile properties, including details on how each method works along with comparative advantages and limitations. The sessions will take a deep dive into interpreting results from different haptic tests, examining how to best leverage the data to enhance quality control and guide product development decisions.

Visit https://www.aatcc.org/aatcc-events/haptics/ to learn more about this virtual event and register.

AATCC members receive a discounted registration rate.

Reduced early registration rates end November 29, 2023.

Hands-on demonstrations will showcase innovative new solutions for digitizing, organizing, and communicating haptic sample data through online platforms and marketplaces. One of the most anticipated elements will be a live demonstration of the advanced TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer created by emtec Electronic, giving attendees valuable insights into utilizing and making sense of the output from this state-of-the-art haptic analysis instrument. Throughout the methods-focused segments, experts will lead thought-provoking discussions about real-world applications and best practices for harnessing the wealth of information haptic testing can provide and best practices for harnessing the wealth of information haptic testing can provide.

To provide diverse viewpoints, the event will feature presentations from experienced professionals representing prominent companies and institutions in the textile industry globally, including adidas, Lenzing, Black Swan Textiles, Cotton Incorporated, the Technical University of Dresden in Germany, and Dokuz Eylül University in Turkey. Read more about the presenters here: https://www.aatcc.org/aatcc-events/haptics/#presenters

The overarching goal of this virtual textile lab is to advance the practice of haptic testing by enabling beneficial knowledge sharing between leaders across the textile sector. With registration now open, spots are expected to fill quickly for this educational two-day event centered around the latest methodologies and future directions in haptics evaluation for textiles.

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.

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

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Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

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Europe is losing its textile industry

EURATEX has released its latest Economic Update on the performance of the European textile and apparel industry in 2025. For the third consecutive year, the sector recorded negative results across all key indicators — production, turnover and employment — confirming a continued erosion of competitiveness across Europe.

Kornit Digital expands digital production into footwear and technical textiles with Presto MAX PLUS

Kornit Digital (NASDAQ: KRNT) (“Kornit” or the “Company”), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production, today unveiled the Kornit Presto MAX PLUS, a new roll-to-roll system expanding digital manufacturing into footwear, automotive interiors, military camouflage, high-performance sportswear, and high-end furnishings. Debuting at Texprocess 2026 in Frankfurt, Presto MAX PLUS enables entirely new applications for on-demand textile production.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

Global growth in the technical textile sector drives interest in HIGHTEX 2026 to its peak

The continued steady growth of the technical textiles and nonwoven sector worldwide is increasing interest every year in the HIGHTEX Exhibition, one of the sector’s most important meeting points. In this strong growth climate, HIGHTEX 2026 International Technical Textiles and Nonwoven Exhibition, which will bring together the sector’s leading manufacturers, technology providers, and international buyers, is preparing to open its doors at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center on June 9–13, 2026.