Winners include manufacturing and production technologies and insulation solutions.

The FabricLink Network (FLN) recently announced the winners of its annual Top 10 Innovation Awards, presented to exceptional textile-based materials and technologies that have launched during the past year and are commercially available.

The FLN recognizes the research and development effort required to create new products that address needs within the specialty fabric markets. This year’s winners include manufacturing and production technologies; insulation solutions; and advancements in textiles for a variety of markets.

The winners for 2014–15 are:

• 3M™ Thinsulate™ Featherless Insulation from 3M. The loose fill insulation mimics the look and performance of natural down with two times the loft when wet and without the allergens.
• Freudenberg Interlining’s nonwoven polyester lining material made from independently certified biodegradable fibers. The Freudenberg linings have been tested and certified according to procedures developed by the Hohenstein Institute.
• HydroTurf™ CS and HydroTurf™ Z from Watershed Geosynthetics. The economically and environmentally friendly erosion armoring technology is designed to reduce construction and long-term maintenance costs in geotechnical applications.
• Carhartt FR Extremes® Arctic outerwear with AMTEX™ PLUS and Wind Fighter™ Technology. Launched by Mount Vernon FR and Carhartt, the flame-resistant wear is designed for extreme weather conditions without added weight or bulk.
• “Universe” from Outlast Technologies. The phase-change material (PCM)/down filling material adds lightness, fluffy volume and naturalness, while the Outlast® PCM viscose fibers regulate and optimize the climate comfort.
• Schoeller®-WB400soft-shells with memory foam. Two textile surfaces are bonded with a breathable coating in a special process. The coating in the middle ensures additional protection from wind and water.
• Carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers from Teijin Aramid. The fibers are created through a wet-spinning process and can be used in future super fiber developments in industries such as aerospace, healthcare, automotive and smart clothing.
• Ultraflect™ from AFM Heatsheets®. The reflective, lightweight polyester woven insulation fabric features a single reflective-insulation layer that provides protection in a more compact form.
• Core Construction™ from VOORMI®. The weather-protective textile technology delivers a single-layer fabric with an integrated weatherproof membrane.
• WoolVisions™ from CoolVisions®, a disperse-dyeable polypropylene fiber produced by FiberVisions®. The new blend with merino wool is lightweight, quick drying and dyeable, and offers advantages over pure wool and wool-synthetic blends, cooling when it’s warm and retaining heat when it’s cold.

Source: FLN