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The FabricLink Network’s Top 10 Innovation Awards for 2013 recognize outstanding new developments in textile fabrics for outdoor, industrial, and medical applications. The awards highlight an array of cutting edge products, which involve a range of technologies from nano-technology, to NASA research, to fire protection, to smart fabric construction. The new technologies are commercially available in the specialty fabrics market, and one is currently available as a finished consumer product.
Kathy Swantko founder of the FabricLink Network, explains the motivation behind the annual awards, “Innovation drives the specialty and high tech fabric market. The awards are presented to recognize the products, designers, manufacturers and suppliers, who are leading the way to the next generation of products and technologies.”
The annual Top 10 Innovations Awards pay tribute to the creation of new products in the specialty textile fabrics market and for the formulation of interesting and novel textile developments, fiber technologies and fabric developments that significantly improve the design, construction or performance of existing textile products.
The selection of the “2013 Top 10 Products” is made by the FabricLink Network based on reviews of new products introduced into the marketplace during 2012. This year’s winners have end use applications in the areas of technical sports textiles, industrial, medical, safety/protective, home furnishings and gardening.
The 2013 FabricLink Top Ten Innovation Awards:
- Corkshell™, by Schoeller Textil AG combines the natural features of cork with the functional features of high-performance fabrics. Two- and three-layer constructions are available.
- Emana®, Rhodia’s new polyamide 6.6-based intelligent yarn, incorporates a patented additive, which offers both thermo-regulation properties and blood circulation improvements.
- Fire Stomp™, a line of FR fabrics, introduced by Texollini, a circular knitter based in Long Beach, Calif. The collection includes constructions and fiber blends knitted in Texollini’s Superfino® fabric for first layer apparel applications.
- GlenGuard® Hi-Vis Anti-Stat Fabrics, developed by Glen Raven Technical Fabrics, Performance Textiles and William Barnet & Son, is an engineered fabric that prevents the buildup of static electricity for hospital and industrial work wear applications.
- Merino State’s Bi-Component Fabrics, by Australia’s Charles Parsons & Company, blends Merino wool with fibers including cotton, Biophyl®, Tencel®, Modal® and high filament polyester, taking Merino wool into new markets.
- Polymer Cross Linked Aerogels, developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center, are low-density materials with excellent thermal and acoustic insulating properties for aerospace and industrial applications.
- SafeTcrete, developed by EY Technologies, is a long flat fiber, cut into shorter lengths and re-engineered with a proprietary coating process for blast-proofing dispersion into a concrete matrix.
- SEFAR® Power-Matrix, made by Sefar AG, is a lightweight hybrid fabric consisting of polyester (PET) and metal monofilaments in warp and weft. Using this technology, SEFAR offers custom-made LED (light emitting diode) panels on the fabric.
- VELCRO® Brand Peel-Away Pots™, developed by Velcro Industries and available through Gardener’s Supply Company, offers gardeners three ways to experience transplant success for a variety of seedlings.
- Viscont FR® is the world’s only FR filament rayon, manufactured by Glanzstoff Industries, Bohemia, and available through the New Jersey based, ICF Mercantile. The fiber offers several technical performance qualities in 100 percent FR rayon.