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#Technical Textiles

Milliken acquires South Carolina Textile facility

Global diversified manufacturer Milliken & Company has acquired the assets of Highland Industries, Inc. in Cheraw, South Carolina. The transaction strengthens Milliken’s domestic operations and position in technical textiles.

“This acquisition bolsters the capabilities of Milliken’s technical textiles business to benefit our customers,” said Halsey Cook, president and CEO of Milliken. “We remain committed to the U.S. textile industry and grounded in our belief that precision manufacturing of innovative, high-performance materials is crucial for industrial resilience.”

The Highland facility will become a hub for Milliken’s technical textile weaving and knitting capabilities in the region.

“In addition to reinforcing current operations, acquiring Highland adds new offerings to the technical textiles portfolio,” said Allen Jacoby, EVP and president of Milliken’s technical textiles business. “Highland provides important assets to help us better serve our customers and opens the door to new growth opportunities.”



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#Heimtextil 2026

Stability in volatile markets: Heimtextil 2026 launches with 3,000 exhibitors and design expertise from Patricia Urquiola

Heimtextil opens the new season with 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries – maintaining stability while becoming even more international. The new hall layout increases visibility and connects supply and demand even more efficiently. At the opening, architect and designer Patricia Urquiola and Rosa Bertoli, Global Design Director of Wallpaper magazine, talk about AI, innovative materials and future-oriented design for modern living environments.

#Research & Development

Innovation center for textile circular economy inaugurated

Just over eight months after the foundation stone was laid, the new Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy was officially inaugurated today at TITK Rudolstadt. Thuringia's Minister President Mario Voigt, TITK Director Benjamin Redlingshöfer, and other guests of honor cut the ribbon to the modern building complex and viewed the premises, which are now ready for occupancy. The “DICE – Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy” is TITK's largest single investment to date. The Free State of Thuringia supported the total cost of €11.5 million with €8 million in GRW and FTI funding.

#Research & Development

Sustainable design of Geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates

Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project.

#Associations

Waste2Fashion: FTTH Committed to advancing Circular Fashion in the Mediterranean

As an official partner of the Waste2Fashion project, the Tunisian Federation of Textile and Apparel (FTTH) participated in the Kick-off Meeting held on 10–11 December in Spain. The event brought together project partners from across the Mediterranean, including Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, to align on a shared vision and initiate the first implementation steps.

More News on Technical Textiles

#Technical Textiles

Techtextil India 2025 concludes on a stellar note: Sports textile, circular supply chains, bio-based materials and resource-efficient manufacturing under spotlight

The 10th edition of Techtextil India 2025 concluded recently at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, with strong buyer turnout, primarily from Western India, reaching 9144 visitors across 235 Indian cities and 45 countries. Over three days, the trade fair brought together leading domestic and international brands, technology providers, institutional buyers and policymakers, reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as a global hub for value-added technical textiles. The show hosted 216 exhibitors, featuring over 300 brands and showcased cutting-edge solutions across 12 application areas, keeping the show floor busy throughout the three days.

#Associations

Driving innovation in technical textiles, digitalisation and testing

Members of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) can look back on 2025 as a year marked by notable technological advances and continued progress in global trade, despite an uncertain and volatile market.

#Technical Textiles

Autoneum and Polestar set new benchmarks for passenger experience and sustainability

As the global market leader in sustainable acoustic and thermal management, Autoneum is a key supplier of interior and exterior components for the highly anticipated Polestar 5 model. The successful collaboration between Autoneum and Polestar marks a significant milestone in sustainable automotive engineering: the electric grand tourer sports car features several innovations in lightweight, fully recyclable polyester-based components that ensure a superior driving experience. Polestar 5 was revealed at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich and is available in 24 markets.

#Research & Development

More safety and comfort for protective clothing thanks to auxetic fabrics

When everyday materials are pulled, they stretch or elongate in the direction of the pull and become narrower in cross-section. We can also observe this property in two-dimensional textiles. Auxetic structures behave differently here. They have the striking property of not changing under tensile stress or even increasing their width or thickness. These properties are advantageous, for example, in protective textiles or textile filter media. The DITF are researching auxetic fabrics for various applications.

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#Associations

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.

#Nonwoven machines

Yanpai expands nonwovens capacity with two new ANDRITZ needlepunch lines

Zhejiang Yanpai Filter Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Yanpai”) has placed an order with international technology group ANDRITZ for two high-performance needlepunch lines. The equipment will be installed at Yanpai’s headquarters facility in Tiantai County, China. Commissioning is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.

#Natural Fibers

Dr. Jane Dever inducted into the 2025 Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame

Dr. Jane K. Dever, a recognized leader in cotton breeding and fiber quality research, was inducted into the 2025 Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame during the joint Cotton Incorporated/Cotton Board Annual Meeting held on December 9 in New Orleans, LA.

#Yarns

INVISTA proposes plant closures and production shift to strengthen global competitiveness

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