Textile Nerd Podcast: Proactive Questions

The market in the United States for turning hemp fibers into another mass-produced fabric option has long been more sizzle than substance, but is are production methods and attitudes shifting? On this episode of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan talk with Courtney Caneer-Williams, a global textile expert and consultant, who will discuss the prospects and promise of hemp fibers taking hold stateside.

The sewing segment of a U.S. textile industry that shipped an estimated $64 billion in 2024 remains formidable, but it's not the global juggernaut it once was. On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Hummy Truh, a cut and sew industry lifer who now serves as sales consultant at TVF, will talk about this highly-skilled world that continues to face challenges while being ripe with growth opportunities. Lori and Dan will discuss the role technology, innovation, and precise people must play for the domestic sewing industry to gain back some prowess.

Where do textile careers begin? They almost never take a linear path. In the inspirational case of Blake Theademan's journey, it's revolved around finding solutions while doing what's best for his family. Lori and Dan welcome the TVF sales consultant to the Textile Nerd Podcast to find out what has taken him from the warehouse floor to closing deals with some stops in-between.

The fabric world doesn't have too many brand names that immediately speak for themself, but CORDURA® is in a class by itself. On this episode of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan take a deep dive into the history and mystique of this rugged and ready fabric whose roots date back decades for its military uses and now as a mainstay for bags and gear that can hold up to the most challenging conditions.

Shade and awning fabrics create a visual welcome, a branding opportunity, an architectural flourish, and so much more. For manufacturers of shades and awnings, a few well-considered questions before you select fabric for your next project can ensure a much better outcome. On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan will explore some of the important questions and considerations manufacturers should make when selecting a fabric for business, agriculture, home, or recreational uses with TVF Vice President of Business Development Robert Hinsch.

Fabric prints that pop require more than the right ink and a little luck. Color management is the key to taking a job -- whether it be direct-to-fabric, direct-to-garment, or any other method -- over the top. In the second edition of a two-part series on printing to textiles, Lori and Dan talk about this critical skill with Kornit Digital Presales Applications Manager Matthew Meany. Kornit is a world leader in on-demand printing, and Matthew has spent some three decades helping print service providers and manufacturers get the most out of their work.

The finer points of fabric printing are everchanging and often incredibly complex. An incorrect printer setting, misaligned tension, fouled up fixation step, or any other miscue along the way can spell disaster for a print run. Kornit Digital, a global leader in fabric printing and ink, has been developing technology and methods throughout the years designed to cut out complications and deliver brilliant, consistent prints on-demand. Lori and Dan welcome Kornit Digital Presales Applications Manager Matthew Meany to The Textile Nerd Podcast.

Advances and availability of textile printing technology must go hand-in-hand with first-rate printing education. PRINTING United Alliance, the premier trade association for printing professionals, is answering the call with rigorous course work and certifications through its iLEARNING+ platform to get novices up to speed and bolster the skills of industry veterans. Lori and Dan chat with Ray Weiss, director of digital print programs whose carries tremendous experiential chops, about relevant and responsive training for print media professionals in the textile world.

Proactive questions are like insurance for a successful textile project. Ask the right ones (even if you think you're asking too many), and you'll save yourself a serious amount of effort, headaches, and funds later on. What are some of the right questions to ask? Lori and Dan welcome back TVF Vice President of Business Development Robert Hinsch to detail projects that were loaded with lessons -- the good kind and the tough kind -- to help keep fabric decisions on-track. He discussed these proactive questions during a recent Advanced Textiles Association webinar.

In a world flooded with information, how do you zero in on quality industry-vetted fabric content and education? One solution is textile trade organizations, and more specifically, Advanced Textiles Association. On this episode of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan sit down with ATA Director of Content and Member Programs Jonathan Sweet, a former journalist, to examine initiatives designed to inform, enlighten, and boost the industry.