Presented herein are active textile structures with selectively variable surface friction characteristics, methods for making/using such structures, and vehicle components fabricated with electronically controlled textile structures with modifiable surface friction characteristics. An active textile system for governing frictional force levels at an interface with a user or object is presented. The system includes a textile structure that is fabricated from interlaced first and second textile filaments. Each textile filament has a respective texture that exhibits a distinct coefficient of friction. The textile structure has an outer and/or upper contact surface at the interface with the user/object. An actuating element, which is connected to the textile structure, is operable to selectively transition the textile structure between first and second states. The first state includes the first textile filament defining the textile structure's outer contact surface, whereas the second state includes the second textile filament defining the outer contact surface.

A method of manufacturing a mineral fiber insulating board comprising i) spraying a formaldehyde free aqueous binder solution onto a plurality of mineral fibers, the aqueous binder solution comprising binder reactants comprising a) a reducing sugar reactant and b) an amine reactant, wherein the reducing sugar reactant is selected from the group consisting of: a reducing sugar; a reducing sugar yielded by a carbohydrate in situ under thermal curing conditions; and combinations thereof, wherein the percent by dry weight of the reducing sugar reactant with respect to the total weight of the binder reactants in the binder solution ranges from about 73% to about 96%, and wherein the percent by dry weight of the amine reactant with respect to the total weight of the binder reactants in the binder solution ranges from about 4% to about 27%, ii) dehydrating the aqueous binder solution such that a dehydrated binder is disposed on the plurality of mineral fibers, and iii) curing the dehydrated binder on the plurality of mineral fibers to provide cured binder in about 0.5%-15% by weight as determined by loss on ignition.

An illuminated garment includes a base layer having knitted looped threads that hold in position a plurality of optical fibers. The optical fibers are laid into the base layer during the same knitting cycle as the base layer and are configured to emit light through the respective sides of the optical fibers and along the length of each optical fiber in response to receiving light from a light source through at least one end of the respective optical fibers.

A sensing textile includes at least one assembly of optical fiber filaments, wherein the sensing textile has a main direction and a cross direction, and wherein the at least one assembly of optical fiber filaments is oriented at any angle measured relative to the cross direction.

A netting material is knitted from at least two synthetic material yarns of which one is an opaque and the other is a transparent or translucent or different opaque yarn. A knitted netting material comprises a plurality of primary yarns knitted to form a mesh construction having an arrangement of primary apertures defined by yarn intersections and yarn connecting portions between yarn intersections, and a plurality of secondary yarns crossing over the primary apertures to form secondary apertures within the primary apertures.

Disclosed is a weighted material that is configured to effectuate deep pressure therapy to a person when the weighted material is used as a blanket over the person's body. A length of layered yarn is interlooped to form the weighted material. The layered yarn includes an outer tube extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The outer tube defines a conduit extending longitudinally therethrough from the first end to the second end. A fiber material is disposed within the conduit and extend longitudinally from the first end to the second end. The interlooped length of yarn, by itself, is configured and sufficiently weighted to effectuate deep pressure therapy to a person when the blanket lies over the person's body. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

An air-laid blank (10) comprises natural fibers and a polymer binder. The air-laid blank (10) comprises multiple portions (11) having a local fiber orientation distribution that is different from a fiber orientation distribution of a remaining portion (13) of the air-laid blank (10). The air-laid blank (10) can be used to produce sound absorbing or damping articles (20). The invention also relates to methods and apparatuses (100) for producing such air-laid blanks (10).

This three-dimensional knitted textile insert is obtained in a single step by warp knitting technology, on a double-needle Raschel machine or on a crocheting machine. It includes in the production direction at least two tubes extending parallel to one another, and separated from one another by a binding area at the level of which the sheets resulting from the knitting are interlinked.

An article of footwear is configured to be worn so as to at least partially cover a wearer's foot. The footwear includes at least one optical fiber on an internal surface of the footwear. The at least one optical fiber is configured to project radiation having a therapeutic wavelength through the at least one optical fiber and toward at least one of the wearer's foot, ankle or leg when the footwear is being worn so as to at least partially cover the wearer's foot.

An article of footwear may include a knitted component that at least partially forms an upper. The knitted component may include a first knit layer and a second knit layer, the first knit layer being separable from the second knit layer such that a pocket is located between the first knit layer and the second knit layer. A cable may be located at least partially within the channel. A cable guide may additionally be located at least partially within the channel, where the cable guide includes at least one curved surface for contacting the cable. The cable may extend around the at least one curved surface such that the cable changes directions within the channel.