Advanced Functional Fabrics of America announces two companies selected for its Product Accelerator for Functional Fabrics 2.0 program, aimed at enhancing textile technology commercialization.
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Inc. (AFFOA) has announced the selection of two companies, Nuream and Z-Polymers, as participants in its Product Accelerator for Functional Fabrics (PAFF) 2.0 program. The initiative is designed to speed up the commercialization of innovative fabric technologies by providing selected companies with technical and manufacturing support at no direct cost, allowing for more efficient development processes and reduced time to market.
Launched in 2024, PAFF aims to assist businesses in improving their functional fabric products. Dr. Sasha Stolyarov, CEO of AFFOA, commented that many companies encounter challenges that slow down the product development process. “Through the PAFF program, AFFOA can fill those gaps with targeted support to overcome those challenges,” he said. The program intends to enable innovators to bring transformative textile technologies to market more quickly and fortify the domestic supply chain.
Nuream, a health technology startup, is focused on developing sleep monitoring systems that embed advanced sensor technologies within everyday textiles like pillowcases and bedding. AFFOA’s team will support Nuream in advancing its e-textile sensor designs and prototypes, while also facilitating pilot-scale production with an emphasis on domestic manufacturing. Rob Cooley, CEO and Co-Founder of Nuream, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, calling it a crucial step towards scalable U.S. manufacturing and enhancing their market position in smart textiles and sleep health technology.
Z-Polymers, which previously participated in the first PAFF initiative, will also continue its collaboration with AFFOA to enhance its Tullomer™, a polymer compound used to produce exceptionally strong fibers. The partnership will focus on accelerating Z-Polymers’ market entry by creating plans for domestic supply chain partnerships and scaling up manufacturing capabilities. Dr. Mike Zimmerman, CEO and Founder of Z-Polymers, acknowledged the support of AFFOA in propelling their vision for high-performance fabrics aimed at clean energy and filtration applications.
This expanded collaboration reinforces AFFOA’s commitment to fostering innovation in the textiles industry amidst a growing demand for advanced fabric technologies across various sectors.
Source: Noah Wire Services
