#Associations

2020-06-11

Guidance for Making a Better Face Covering

Face coverings are now required or recommended in many areas. But quality and performance vary widely. And there is little guidance for manufacturing or selecting face coverings for general use.

In response to this situation, an ad-hoc group of industry stakeholders convened to provide some much-needed guidance. This guidance is entirely voluntary and for non-medical face coverings intended for use by adults. Surgical masks, respirators, and other medical personal protective equipment (PPE) are not addressed in the face covering guidance; these items are regulated by separate standards and requirements.

The ad hoc group, including experts in textiles, manufacturing, filtration, safety, and testing, met throughout April and May 2020 to develop a draft document. That document was then submitted to AATCC for ballot and eventual publication.

The draft guidance is currently being balloted as an AATCC monograph, with results expected by early July. In the meantime, the draft is publicly available for use and comment.

AATCC MXXX-2020 Guidance and Considerations for General Purpose Textile Face Coverings: Adult

https://www.aatcc.org/testing/emerging/

Considerations included in the draft are intended to help manufacturers more efficiently design and produce face coverings for general purpose (non-medical) use. It may also serve as a useful resource for those sourcing face coverings for general use. This document contains voluntary guidance and practical options for:

Regulatory Considerations

Fit and Sizing Considerations

Material and Construction Considerations

Particle Filtration Considerations

Breathing Resistance Considerations

Laundering and Service Life Considerations

Tie and Ear Loop Considerations

Product Labeling and Marking Considerations

To submit comments or questions, contact Diana Wyman, AATCC Executive Vice President, or any of the task group members listed on the cover sheet of the draft monograph.

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

New funding available for textile research

The AATCC Foundation Student Research Support Grant Program provides financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing textile-related projects. Students may submit proposals now for funding to be awarded January 2026. Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2025, to be considered.

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

Itema to showcase weaving excellence at ITM 2026

From June 9 to 13, Itema will exhibit at ITM 2026 in Istanbul (Hall 8 – Stand 806D), unveiling a distinctive exhibition concept designed to highlight the Company’s expertise across the entire weaving value chain. For this year’s edition, Itema will introduce an innovative stand experience built around two core areas: advanced weaving and spare parts solutions and an immersive textile gallery featuring fabrics produced by Itema Customers worldwide.

Last chance to apply: ITMA 2027 Start-Up Valley closes tomorrow

Applications for the Start-Up Valley at ITMA 2027 close tomorrow, offering young technology companies the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of several successful participants from the 2023 edition. The initiative, organised under the CEMATEX Start-Up Grant programme, has already helped a number of textile start-ups accelerate their transition from early-stage concepts to industrial partnerships, funding rounds and commercial deployment.