Posted September 2, 2015

 

Man, where did the summer go? It’s moved out of here faster than a hopped-up hummingbird in a hang-gliding race. The stinging slap of September spurs me to peek at the fall schedule, eliciting one compound adjective: Jam-packed.

 

The reality just hit me that ITMA is just over two months away, and between now and then, there are enough industry activities to keep me (and many of you) as busy as can be. The next few weeks will offer us many opportunities to network, learn and grow as professionals. This industry was built and continues to thrive on interconnectivity and collaboration, and we won’t be lacking in chances to do so in the next couple of months.

 

If you’re looking for ways to best use your time out of the office, consider attending some of the following that apply:

 

• MedTex15 USA (Sept. 8-9), hosted by N.C. State University’s College of Textiles in Raleigh, N.C., where you can learn about the latest advances in polymers, fibers and textiles used in healthcare and medical applications. These are promising areas for textiles and are segments that keep it at the fore as an important industry.

 

• The Antibacterial & Odor Control: Marketing and Technology Advancements Conference (Sept. 16-17), sponsored by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists in Research Triangle Park, N.C., where marketing, antimicrobial chemistry routes, anti-odor chemistries, test methods and testing and regulatory issues will be covered.

 

• The Advancements in Manufacturing Technology Conference (Sept. 17), sponsored by the Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) in Charlotte, N.C., which provide information to help manufacturers improve quality and efficiency while reducing the lead-time required for production.

 

• The Micro and Nano-fiber Fundamentals and Applications Course (Sept. 21-24), sponsored by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry and The Nonwoven’s Institute in Raleigh, N.C., which will provide the fundamentals of electrospinning for the production of high-quality nonwoven-structured micro and nano-fiber layers.

 

• The Southern Textile Association’s Southern Division Meeting (Sept. 29) in Clemson, S.C., featuring a focus on the nonwovens sector.

 

• The Specialty Fabrics Expo and Advanced Textile Expo (Oct. 6-9), organized by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) in Anaheim, Calif., which will bring together the world’s leading industrial fabric manufacturers and suppliers.

 

• The Let's Talk Turkey: U.S./Turkey Textile Machinery Technology and B2B Opportunities workshop (Oct. 13) in Belmont, N.C., organized by the American Textile Machinery Association and eTextilecommunications.com, designed to give attendees an overview of the Turkish textile industry and their machinery suppliers.

 

• The Southern Textile Association’s Northern Division Meeting (Oct. 20) in Belmont, N.C.

 

• INDA’s Hygienix 2015 Conference (Oct. 26-29) in St. Petersburg, Fla., the premier event for the absorbent hygiene and personal care markets.

 

• The Synthetic Yarn & Fiber Association’s Fall Conference (Oct. 29-30) in Charlotte, N.C., an always well-attended meeting by members of the entire supply chain.

 

• SEAMS’ National Networking Conference (Oct. 29-31), sponsored by the National Association for the Sewn Products Industry in Nashville, Tenn.