BELMONT, North Carolina — Since 2005, the Textile Technology Center at Gaston College has attempted to keep new textile niches from going offshore
by helping entrepreneurs, start-up companies and other textile producers develop new textile products in the U.S., according to John Anderson, director since 2006.

“We can get new fiber and fabric concepts off the ground quickly in a few weeks instead of sending a bale of fiber to India and get it back in finished form in 90 days,” Anderson explained. Half of the Tech Center’s work is geared to new product development and the other half is for testing. The Center has seven labs, each devoted to a specialty: staple fiber, polymer, chemical analysis and microscopy, yarns, fabric and fabric defects. “Suppose there is a product failure in the field — we can find out where the problem lies and who was responsible,” he said.

The Textile Technology Center at Gaston College provides: product testing of fibers, yarns and fabric; new and sample product development for innovation; consulting to solve problems; and training. “No other facility offers the breadth of capabilities to assist firms with costeffective prototyping, backed up by world class technical analytical data, delivered in a timely fashion,” said Anderson, a graduate of the textile industry, having logged some miles at Wellman Corp. prior to his becoming the director here.

“To use a simile, the Center is like the artist’s studio where new ideas are manifested into tangible materials for evaluation and demonstration,” said Anderson. The Tech Center covers all segments of textiles, including technical textiles and home fashions.

Various textile industry sectors utilize the services of this Tech Center including fiber industries, yarn manufacturers, weavers, knitters, converters and finished product manufacturers. For example, Unifi Repreve has done work through the Center, Anderson said.

The Tech Center starts with polymers, makes yarn with air jet or vortex equipment and produces long staple yarn in wool and alpaca for craft and fashion applications. All kinds of fabric forming are possible including sample weaving in single package or six components in dobby construction.

“In two days, you can have a 20-inch width sample in up to two yards ready for testing, especially for FR, specifically NFPA 701,” said Anderson. If needed, 40-yard production is available through Tech Center partner Burlington Labs in Rockingham, NC.

The Center also gives basic textile courses to help those involved in buying textiles who do not already have such knowledge.