Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1378030
TEXTILE TALK | EMILY WALZER y and large the only things I learned during high school physics class were how to not get caught passing notes to my friend CJ who sat across the aisle and shared my interest in the boy in row three, and that it was important to look attentive when our teacher Mr. Nelson concluded a lecture with his standard refrain, "You will find, just as I illustrated..." Other than that, the scientific world of matter and energy passed me by. Yet one basic concept did stick: Newton's first law of motion. It states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion. I've been thinking a lot about Newton's theory lately. The pandemic fundamentally changed the way we exercise and I had a front row seat to observe this phenomena. My home office looks out onto a quiet road that has become a parade route for cyclists, dog walkers, skateboarders, joggers, and occasionally a neighborhood kid on a pogo stick. This is how we move now. And even as restrictions lift, the flow of bodies in motion continues. Textile development directly relates to this trend, and we explore this relationship in our cover story that opens on page 18. Rob Pickels, Pearl Izumi's head of advanced product development, nailed it, explaining that wearing soft, comfortable materials next to skin during workouts pays off physically and emotionally to provide a feel-good fitness experience. There's also a bigger picture at play this season. Not only are individuals moving forward in new ways, but so is industry. The push to advance sustainability has never been stronger, whether that's the hunt for sustainable alternatives via partnerships, investing in responsible recycling practices, or supply chain dynamics as a circular economy emerges. You'll find stories that dig into what's new on all these fronts throughout this issue. The role of academia and research is also key to movement, from a textile perspective. Two stories address this, but in different ways. Our Education story, page 31, highlights researchers at MIT doing amazing work giving shopping bags new life by converting polyethylene (PE) plastics into sustainable textiles, while our update on smart textiles, page 24, suggests a need to transition e-textile development out of the academic setting and move into full rate manufacturing. If we are "on the cusp" of exciting textile innovation, as many of my textile colleagues believe, then inertia is not an option. Let's stay in the flow. Cheers, In the Flow: Newton's First Law Of Motion Finds Traction in Textiles This is how we move now. And even as restrictions lift, the flow of bodies in motion continues. B 4 • Textile Insight ~ May/June 2021 textileinsight.com Better partners. Greater bonds. Superior products. conceptiii.com info@conceptiii.co.uk Though supply chains are still affected, the demand for quality textiles is on the rise. That's why you need someone who can source and develop the innovative fabric-based solutions you want today. For nearly 40 years, Concept III has collaborated with the world's leading mills, and the relationships we've built over the decades are instrumental in shaping the apparel industry, now more than ever.