Hemp America, an advocacy group promoting use of industrial hemp, is ready to start a revolution to reverse a 1937 federal ban on using the rugged, multi-use fibers in the U.S. The hemp plant, Canabis sativa L. (same family as marijuana), is harvested for its fibers, seed, seed meal and seed oil in countries around [...]

In July, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced legislation that would require government agencies to source 100 percent Made in the USA when procuring textiles, textile components and apparel items. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) supports the bill, which would increase the content requirements currently contained in the Buy American Act and would [...]

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc., Lansing, Mich., produces a proprietary fiber, Monster Silk™, that incorporates features of spider web material into a silk base. The transgenic silkworms, which have had spider genes spliced into their DNA, produce the fiber. The genetically engineered silkworms produced silk that was still 96 to 98 percent silkworm, with only 2 [...]

Frank Sinclair formed his own company, Sinclair Equipment Co., Diamond Springs, Calif., in 1987, developing success in the flooring and industrial fabrics market. In 1979, Sinclair was general manager of Columbine Intl., which developed a strong presence in geosynthetics and rigid plastic fabrication. In March 2012, Sinclair Equipment combined with Columbine’s successor, PWT International, to [...]

The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies for outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technologcal innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Secant Medical Inc., Perkasie, Pa., won the 2012 North American Award for Enabling Technology for its cutting-edge biomedical textiles, widely used by medical device manufacturers for implantable technology. Secant Medical’s [...]

Woodhead Publishing, based in Cambridge, England, publishes textile technology books for an international audience. The company recently published three books that focus on different aspects of the industry. > The Global Textile and Clothing Industry: Technological Advances and Future Challenges, edited by Professor Rashan Shishoo, former director of the Swedish Institute for Polymers and Fibers [...]

Integrated Textile Solutions (ITS), a leading provider of cutting, sewing, packaging and distribution services, is expanding its market reach by recruiting Dan Swift to a newly created business development role. With more than 35 years of industry experience, Swift will focus on sales of the company’s product development, production, inspection, repair, warehousing and order fulfillment [...]

Two designers in San Francisco have merged safety, fashion and culture into an article of clothing. Their idea: to create the world’s first multipurpose illuminating LED safety belt that also looks good. HALO looks like an ordinary, everyday belt. Within the premium quality nylon of the belt, an LED emits lighting through a thermoplastic polyurethane [...]

Eric Tischer now serves as president of Verseidag Seemee U.S., and will be responsible for handling all day-to-day business aspects of VSUS’s North and South American markets. In his previous roles at the company, Tischer was instrumental in positioning the company into the printable textile market; with 15 years of experience. Tischer replaces Garland Drew, [...]

Baird Gray Holker, 80, of Englewood, Fla., passed away on Aug. 27, 2012, following an extended illness. Holker, who served as president of several companies throughout his career, including Central Fabric Engineering Inc., H/H Marketing and Business Management Concepts, was president (chairman) of the Advanced Textiles Association in 1988–1989, and became an Honored Life Member [...]