Smart Textiles & Nanotechnology

The company STBL Medical Research AG has developed a device that can be worn on the wrist and records the blood pressure continuously. The measurement is carried out by several sensors which simultaneously measure the contact pressure, pulse and blood flow on the surface of the skin in the vicinity of the wrist. The new sensor designed as an alternative to the pressure cuffs and invasive monitoring involving a catheter inserted into the artery, is as big as a wristwatch.

Around 40,000 visitors from 113 countries attended Techtextil and Texprocess trade fair duo last week to find out about the latest innovations and trends. A total of 1,652 exhibitors from 56 nations presented their latest products and innovations. “Techtextil and Texprocess have once again set new records,” said Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt, commenting on the results of the textile trade-fair double. “With an increase of 15% compared to the previous events, the two leading trade fairs confirmed the worldwide significance of technical textiles and textile-processing machinery”, he added. The events focusing on technical textiles combined various aspects of the industry from light to very heavy materials – from functional garments, via car seats and safety belts, to aircraft interiors.

The garment making-up industry has always been the labour-intensive ‘bottleneck’ of the conventional textile chain, despite attempts such as the Leapfrog EU7 project to streamline and automate all of its processes into a single-line system.

Belgium based leader in low pressure plasma technology Europlasma launched a new range of nanocoatings under the Nanofics 110 brand name. Referring to nanoscaled functionalization into the core of complex shaped materials and products, Nanofics is Europlasma’s patented and patent pending nanocoating technology platform, first applied on industrial scale in 1998.

In a new exhibition series MAK Fashion Lab is initiating a comprehensive examination of intelligent fashion as it presents the innovative BLESS No45 Soundperfume sound technology. Introducing the features of the new concept, such as personalised sonic ambience, the exhibition will be focused on that area where art, design, science, and research intersect and overlap, with the topic of smart textiles opening the discussion. “With the MAK Fashion Lab, the MAK, home to one of the world’s most valuable and extensive museum collections of textiles and carpets, opens itself up to innovative, avant-garde worlds of fashion that are not only trendy and wearable, but also invested with the intention of presenting forward-looking design solutions,” explains Christoph Thun-Hohenstein, MAK director.

Techtextil hits a record number of exhibitors as it is due to open on the 11 June, while the exhibition running alongside, Texprocess, has confirmed its position as the leading international trade fair for cutting-edge textile-processing technologies. The two international venues for the textile sector Techtextil and Texprocess are set to open their doors next week with 1,648 exhibitors, an increase of 123 exhibitors over the previous events. “All in all, our trade-fair duo at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre offers the world’s biggest range of technical textiles, nonwovens and textile-processing technologies”, said Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt.

Nylstar, one of the leading providers of Polyamide 6.6 filaments and yarns, will showcase its latest Meryl and Premium Nylgold fibres at Techtextil for the first time this year, presenting its new slogan: ‘Polyamide Feels Better’. Nylstar Polyamides that offer various properties such as moisture management, UV protection, reduced static energy, bacteriostatic functions and odour-control, are the main component in the latest Nylstar developments.

Earlier this year when 4,662 innovative products from 1,865 inventive companies competed for one of the world’s most treasured design prizes, the red dot - X-BIONIC, the high-tech sportswear brand won double honours in Essen. The innovative Swiss company was able to convince judges with its latest technological invention and won an award for its Precuperation/Recovery Shirt & Trousers and a second award for its Precuperation/Recovery Socks. Both products aid sports performance and muscle recovery through the application of compression.

In the run in to Techtextil, the leading trade fair for technical textiles and industrial nonwovens, organisers Messe Frankfurt have published the following article on the spread of nanotechnology in technical textiles. The article shows how nanotechnology is being used in a growing number of applications from clothing, through construction to regenerative medicine. Techtextil takes place in Frankfurt from 11-13 June.

The Journal of Industrial Textiles has published the results of a study conducted by Texas Tech University and Enercon Industries that determined when spunbond polypropylene nonwoven fabrics are pre-treated with atmospheric plasma it increases the breathability of the fabric.