#Associations

2021-02-11

A clean start: AATCC announces improved version of 1993 Standard Reference Detergent powder

The AATCC 1993 Standard Reference Detergents is improved! It still provides the same consistent formulation labs across the globe rely on.

How can this be and still perform the same? The AATCC 1993 Standard Reference Powder Detergents’ formulation and performance have not been changed and will continue to provide consistent results.

The old process used more energy per batch and required extremely high production pressure to create a very fine powder with a propensity to dust and waste. AATCC worked with production engineers to find the production parameters that minimized energy consumption and product loss. The pressure and energy usage during manufacturing have been lowered. This improvement impacts the density resulting in a larger powder size to reduce dusting.

The benefits of a courser powder do not stop with production. Customers benefit from lower dusting, which saves product as well as improves mixing. Handling finer powder can cause losses through dusting when opening, measuring, and mixing. The larger grain size of the powder is easier to mix with less clumping and results in a more consistent detergent solution.

The detergents produced with the lower energy process has been shown to provide consistent results comparable to the previously made detergents. Several tests were conducted to ensure the same performance in colorfastness, fabric appearance, and fabric hand. Users can trust the 1993 Standard Reference Detergent Powders to consistently perform all home laundering, colorfastness, and handwashing procedures.

The package sizes have been reduced as a result of this change. The adjustment can benefit users looking for more economical quantities. The prices have been adjusted to reflect the change in amount so that the overall value remains the same.

This change will be a flow-in. As the inventory of the current detergents is depleted, we will transition to the lower density version. AATCC cannot accommodate product requests but rest assured that the performance and functionality remain unchanged regardless of the version you receive.

AATCC 1993 Standard Reference Detergent Powder comes in two versions: With Brightener (W/B) and Without Optical Brightener (WOB).

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.

Meadow Grove Research joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

Textile machinery: Italian technology charts the course for revival

Operating in a scenario characterized by geopolitical instability, slowing industrial investments, and new protectionist pressures. This is the main challenge for the Italian textile machinery industry that emerged during the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), held today in Milan at the Shareholders’ Hall of Palazzo Edison.

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.