#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2024-11-14

A Non-PFAS moisture barrier for use in firefighter turnout gear

Global diversified manufacturing leader Milliken & Company has announced the launch of Milliken Assure™, North America’s first non-PFAS, non-halogenated, flame-resistant moisture barrier for firefighter turnout gear. The new fabric is UL certified and exceeds NFPA 1971-2018 requirements.

New offering marks the manufacturer’s entry into the moisture barrier product category

"Milliken is committed to providing firefighters with cutting-edge fabrics to help them work comfortably, safely, and efficiently," said Marcio Manique, SVP of Protective Fabrics at Milliken. "We see moisture barriers as the missing piece in the fire service market when it comes to high-performance, non-PFAS turnout gear fabrics. Our expertise in eliminating PFAS chemistry from textile products makes us well-suited to take on this challenge."

To ensure the highest quality product, Assure exceeds the requirements of the NFPA 1971-2018 standard, successfully passing a more stringent testing process for moisture barrier performance than the newly published NFPA 1970-2025 standard.

Two of the most difficult tests to pass for a non-PFAS moisture barrier are the Light Degradation Resistance test and the Viral Penetration Resistance test, as outlined in the NFPA 1971-2018 standard. There is a modification to the Light Degradation test and an alternate Liquid Barrier test allowed in place of Viral Penetration Resistance in the NFPA 1970-2025 standard. Assure passed both of the more challenging tests.

"Getting a non-PFAS solution that meets the highest possible standards to our first responders as quickly as possible is everyone’s goal,” said Manique. “Milliken is proud to lean on our centuries-long expertise in textile manufacturing and do our part to get this product to the market in support of that effort."

Milliken works with all fire service garment manufacturers and not only provides fabrics for structural turnout gear, but also for station wear, wildland, technical rescue, and EMS. With the introduction of Assure, Milliken is the only textile manufacturer in the United States to offer outer shells, moisture barriers, and thermal liners.

Description of three layers including Milliken Horizon, Milliken Assure, and Milliken Equinox © 2024 Milliken

Assure is available for specification and purchase now. For more information, visit contact.milliken.com/assure.

Independent testing confirms no detectable PFAS in Milliken firefighter turnout gear fabrics

Independent laboratory testing has confirmed that Milliken fabrics used in the manufacturing of firefighter turnout gear contain no detectable PFAS, based on third-party analysis conducted by Forever Analytical, an independent laboratory specializing in screening products and environmental samples for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Polychim and Milliken partnership

Polychim Industrie, a brand of Beaulieu International Group, and diversified global manufacturer Milliken & Company today announced the introduction of two clarified polypropylene (PP) resin grades carrying a UL Environmental Claim Validation (ECV) label to Europe for the first time. Polychim utilized Milliken’s Millad® NX® 8000 ECO additive solution to debut its HJ45XI and HS45XI high-clarity PP grades that enables up to 10% less energy use during the molding process—verified savings that translate across the plastics value chain.

Milliken & Company becomes first textile manufacturer to offer Non-PFAS materials for every layer of firefighter turnout gear

Global diversified manufacturing leader Milliken & Company announced that it is the first textile manufacturer to offer non-PFAS materials for all three layers of firefighter turnout gear, including outer shell, thermal liner, and moisture barrier. Access to all three layers from a single U.S.-based supplier allows garment manufacturers to test the fabrics as a system while ensuring a complete chain of custody for the material — which can minimize delays and get gear into the hands of firefighters faster.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

Smart sensors, smart savings - Reducing energy and cost in textile finishing

As energy prices, sustainability requirements and quality expectations continue to rise, manufacturers of technical textiles face increasing pressure to optimize efficiency while ensuring process reliability. At the same time, skilled labor shortages require production systems that are intuitive, automated and easy to manage. PLEVA addresses these challenges with robust, maintenance-friendly sensor technologies combined with intelligent process control.

From preparation to 3D weaving: Stäubli’s solutions at Techtextil 2026

Stäubli, a global leader in high performance weaving technologies, is pleased to announce its participation at Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. As technical textiles continue their rapid expansion across demanding markets such as defense, mobility, aerospace, construction, energy… Stäubli will showcase innovative solutions designed to empower mills to produce the next generation of advanced fabrics. Stäubli will exhibit its trend-setting technologies at the Swiss Pavilion Booth B01.6 in Hall 12.0.

DIENES at Techtextil 2026: Flexible pilot lines for bio-based fiber development

The growing relevance of bio-based materials in technical textiles is accompanied by increasing demands for reproducibility, high-quality data, and scalable process routes. Especially when working with cellulose and its derivatives, chitosan, lignin-based approaches, or bio-based PAN as a carbon-fiber precursor, R&D teams face variable feedstock quality, tighter process windows, and the need for reliable comparability across trials. This calls for flexible, data-driven experimental setups that can be reconfigured efficiently when recipes, solvents, and raw-material batches change.