TW Special Report
The Arlington-Va.-based Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) recently held its annual Fall conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Titled “The Strong Economy And Advances In Technology,” the conference featured a wide variety of helpful and interesting presentations.
Presenters covered a wide range of topics and came from such companies as Brrr°, Bergson & Campbell, Milliken & Company, the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), Kennesaw State University, Bozzetto Group, Algiknit Inc., Salem Leasing, Teijin Aramid USA Inc. and PCI Wood Mackenzie.
Long-term friend of the industry Kennesaw State University Professor of Economics Roger Tutterow presented “On the Economic, Political and Business Climate” offering an overall positive forecast regarding the economy.
Presentations of note included Brrr° Chief Scientist Apurba Banerjee’s talk titled “Chill Out, How Synthetics Can Revolutionize Cooling Fabrics,” which detailed the introduction of certain minerals into an extruded fiber that causes a cooling effect when exposed to the skin via an endothermic reaction.
AlgiKnit Co-Founder and CEO Aron Nesser presented “Transforming Fashion with Kelp-derived Yarn”. He explained that his company has a goal to transform the industry with a highly sustainable, low environmental impact algae-based fiber technology that utilizes the textile industry’s existing manufacturing systems.
SYFA president Machell Apple, of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based True Textiles, lead the sessions and facilitated the conference.
Sponsors for the fall conference included Gold Sponsors Premiere Fibers Inc. and Jomar Softcorp International, Inc.; Silver Sponsors Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Bozzetto Inc.; Bronze Sponsors Burlington, DAK Americas LLC, and Goulston Technologies Inc.; and Patrons and Exhibitors Sponsors Clariant Corp., Expo Producción, Industrial Laboratory Equipment, Milliken & Company, National Council of Textile Organizations, Polyspintex Inc., Staubli Corp., Techtextil North America, Textile World and Unifi Manufacturing Inc.
SYFA will hold its spring conference April 25-26, 2019, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.
January/February 2019
