The 2021 edition of Techtextil North America took place last month, Aug. 23-25 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, NC. After nearly a year and a half of virtual business dealings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. textile industry gathered together in-person for this highly anticipated reunion.

Despite several obstacles including the re-emergence of Covid-19 via the Delta variant and Tropical Storm Henri that battered the Northeast in the days leading up to the show, Techtextil North America 2021 saw strong attendance, with many exhibitors noting the high quality of visitors throughout the three days. Decision makers from all of the major industries that touch technical textiles and nonwovens attended the event to conduct business, reunite with industry pals, and discover the latest technological developments and trends shaping the industry as we approach a post-pandemic world.

This year, visitors included top industry executives, buyers, engineers, technical directors, plant managers, product development managers, and more from the world’s leading brands including Gildan, Honeywell, Lear Corporation, Patagonia, Procter and Gamble, Milliken and Company, Courtland Biomedical and Bluewater Defense Inc, among others.

Educational Features
Techtextil North America Symposium
Symposium ticketholders attended sessions covering hot topics on new levels of innovation, disruptions brought on by Covid-19, and how the global textile industry continues to thrive and find new solutions. Many sessions nearly sold out during the last weeks of pre-registration; sessions including “Sustainability, Traceability and Supply-Chain Disruptions,” “Digital Transformation Strategy and “Manufacturing, Managing and Regulating PPE- Now and into the Future” proved to be in high demand.

Student Research Poster Program
The Poster Program returned to Techtextil North America again in 2021. Participants included undergraduate research students and those pursuing their Master’s or Ph.D. from the top textile engineering programs in the Southeast region. Participants had the opportunity to share their research findings with peers and potential employers on the show floor each day, and a handful were given the opportunity to present their research at The Academy in front of a captive audience throughout the three days.

The Academy
A must-see show floor attraction area, The Academy combined the previously named Tech Talks and The Lab for three days of free show floor education. Featuring the latest scientific developments in technical textiles and nonwovens, the Academy features students from the Poster Program and speakers from companies like AATCC, American Truetzchler, The Hohenstein Institute, Manufacturing Solutions Center, and Microban. Sessions covering antiviral and antimicrobial textiles and textile treatments proved to be in high demand, and “Testing Water Resistance of PPE Fabrics” proved to be a hot topic as well.

Networking Opportunities
With happy hours held on the show floor on the afternoons of both day one and two, Techtextil North America was full of networking opportunities. The opening day reception was sponsored by Techtextil North America and SPESA, who hosted their Advancements in Manufacturing Conference in parallel with the event, drawing sewn products professionals from the region to the show floor. Day two’s happy hour was hosted by the show’s official Academic Partner, North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, along with The North Carolina Textile Foundation. The events provided free drinks, light hors d’oeuvres, and an opportunity to network with other show-goers outside of the booth setting, and proved to be a great way for attendees to catch up with old industry peers prior to dispersing for evening plans.

The Atlanta edition of Techtextil North America will take place May 17-19, 2022, once again co-located with Texprocess Americas, the leading sourcing event for sewn products manufacturing.