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UK Defence Textile Collaboration Formed Between Pincroft Dyeing & Printing and Toray Textiles Europe Ltd

Thursday, April 30th, 2026

Adlington, United Kingdom: As the UK Government looks to secure a resilient domestic supply chain, Pincroft Dyeing & Printing and Toray Textiles Europe Ltd have responded to the need for printed woven technical textiles for the UK defence sector. Both companies are established suppliers to NATO military programmes and are now well positioned to support UK defence requirements.

Strategically located in the Northwest of England, Pincroftoperates one of Europe’s largest fully integrated textile processing, printing and finishing facilities. Exporting to more than 80 countries and with an annual production capacity exceeding 50 million metres, the company has built a strong reputation in military printing and flame retardant finishing. Armed forces around the world already wear uniforms made with fabrics processed at Pincroft.

Toray Textiles Europe Ltd is a leading technical textile manufacturer specialising in the weaving, dyeing and finishing of synthetic fibre textiles across defence, medical and industrial applications. A recent investment of more than £15 million in advanced looms and process machinery has further strengthened its capability to support future demand.

Paul Farrell, Group Sales Director at Pincroft, said: “Leveraging our combined expertise and innovation, alongside our UK-based operations and supply chains, Pincroft and Toray are well placed to support the shared goals of strengthening national security, driving economic growth and improving sustainability.”

Paul Daynes, Sales Manager at Toray Textiles Europe Ltd, added: “Pincroft and Toray operate at a scale capable of delivering national programmes while manufacturing a high-quality UK product. This collaboration supports employment across the manufacturing sector and helps build a resilient domestic supply chain for our armed forces.”

Both businesses were honoured to receive a visit from HRH The Princess Royal as President of the UK Fashion & Textile Association in 2025 which underscored the significant investment they have both made in their respective weaving, dyeing, finishing and printing capabilities, as well as increasing capacity at both sites.

Adam Mansell, CEO of the UK Fashion and Textile Association has welcomed this new defence textiles collaboration and said: “The UK already sells to major forces across the world, from the Netherlands, Germany and France, across to Australia and New Zealand, so why not the UK? The UK MOD and other UK procurement agencies need to be incentivised, or required, to source more of their products from reliable UK sources and see the bigger UK industrial picture.”

Posted in Camo, International, Manufacturing, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »

The Fabric Behind the Gear: X-Pac Materials Power Dillon Rifle Company’s Most Demanding Products

Tuesday, April 28th, 2026

At X-Pac® Tactical, we partner with brands that are pushing beyond the expected. Dillon Rifle Company is a clear example of that mindset. Built on over a decade of experience and a commitment to thoughtful design, their products reflect a focus on performance, durability, and purpose driven innovation.

Our high-performance laminated fabrics are engineered to meet the demands of real-world use. Developed for strength, structure, and long-term reliability, X-Pac® materials provide the foundation for gear that must perform under pressure. Whether exposed to heat, abrasion, or heavy load, these fabrics are designed to maintain integrity and consistency over time.

This makes them an ideal choice for a wide range of applications including packs, pouches, plate carriers, chest rigs, and protective equipment. The layered construction delivers durability and stability, while also offering a clean, technical aesthetic that aligns with modern performance gear.

Dillon Rifle Company incorporates X-Pac® materials across products designed for demanding environments, from heat resistant rifle protection systems to versatile load carrying solutions. The result is equipment that not only performs reliably in extreme conditions but also maintains a refined look and feel.

“X-Pac® has been a trusted brand that provides a high quality and durable look and feel to our products. We look forward to the continued partnership with them.”

–David B, Engineer, Dillon Rifle Company

The team behind X-Pac® Tactical is committed to supporting brands that prioritize performance, innovation, and durability. Together, we continue to develop materials and products built for those who rely on their gear without compromise.

Please visit X-Pac® Tactical for more information on its performance fabrics.

X-Pac® Tactical

Born from X-Pac® legacy on the world’s most challenging peaks and longest trails, X-Pac® Tactical Fabrics, are lightweight, durable, incredibly strong and 100% waterproof. At the forefront of innovation, these fabrics offer peak performance in the harshest environments. Leveraging a proprietary lamination technology, X-Pac® Tactical Fabrics combine trusted face fabrics and strategic fiber reinforcement; specifically designed for the demanding missions. This unique construction elevates equipment’s functionality and longevity. TRUST ONLY X-Pac® www.x-pactactical.com.

About Dimension-Polyant

Dimension-Polyant is the world’s largest sailcloth producer with decades of experience in highly technical sailing fabrics. Founded in 1966, Dimension-Polyant has consistently set the standard with their high-quality products and precision workmanship. The company is known for reliable customer care, world-class innovation, and conscious efforts to make products that have as little of an impact on the environment as possible. Its production facilities are in Putnam, CT USA and Kempen, Germany. As of 2021, the company is climate neutral. www.dimension-polyant.com. Dimension-Polyant is owned by Sioen Industries, Belgium sioen.com/en

Posted in Advertiser, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »

FirstSpear Friday Focus: TUBES Fasteners

Friday, April 24th, 2026

FirstSpear’s TUBES FASTENERS replace outdated hook-and-loop closures and bulky cummerbunds with a system that actually works when it matters. Traditional setups were noisy, soaked up water, held onto mud like a souvenir, and usually demanded two hands—none of which are ideal when things go sideways. TUBES FASTENERS fix that with a patented, mechanical interface that locks in solid and releases with one hand, no fumbling required. Whether you’re treating a casualty, climbing, or keeping a weapon up, that extra hand matters.

Built from high-strength polymer, the system holds its shape under load and doesn’t quit in wet or dirty environments. It won’t clog, lose grip, or wear out like legacy closures, and built-in ports help shed debris so it keeps working without babysitting. The design also makes it easy to integrate or retrofit across different platforms without a full rebuild.

It’s lighter, quieter, and faster to operate—three things nobody complains about. There’s no ripping Velcro giving away your position, and no wrestling your kit just to get in or out of it. In short, it does what your gear should’ve been doing all along. Tubes Fasteners cut the noise, drop the weight, and keep you moving.

To request an estimate click image above or visit First-Spear.com/Request-For-Estimate. FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting-edge tactical gear for military, law enforcement and those who train. For more information visit First-Spear.com

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Materials | No Comments »

Meet with Ocean State Innovations & 1947 at NAUMD

Tuesday, April 7th, 2026

We’re heading to NAUMD 2026.

Join 1947 & Ocean State Innovations at Booth T19 to explore advanced textile solutions built for performance, durability, and real-world applications.

May 03–05, 2026

Boston Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA

Meet our team, discover innovative materials, and see what’s next in high-performance textiles.

Let’s connect— peter@osinnovate.com

Posted in Advertiser, Materials, Tradeshow | Comments Off on Meet with Ocean State Innovations & 1947 at NAUMD

World’s First Inherent FR Blends Debut at Techtextil

Monday, April 6th, 2026

From 21 to 24 April at Techtextil in Frankfurt, Hall 9 Stand F03 will bring together textile manufacturing and specialist finishing expertise in one integrated offer. Carrington Textiles and Pincroft will present a co branded stand that unites fabric development, dyeing, printing and advanced flame retardant finishing under one roof.

The focus for 2026 is the unveiling of an entirely new generation of inherent flame retardant fabrics, developed in collaboration with technologies including Lenzing FR and XLANCE®. The collection introduces proprietary blends that have not previously existed in the global textiles market. Engineered from the fibre stage to deliver durability, wearer comfort and long term protective performance, these fabrics represent a genuine step change in inherent FR development. Each construction has been created to answer evolving garment engineering demands while maintaining permanent FR integrity throughout the full life cycle of the garment.

Alongside these industry first launches, Pincroft will demonstrate its depth as a specialist commission dyer, printer and finisher, with a strong emphasis on flame retardant finishing technologies. Its capabilities extend from controlled dyeing and precision rotary screen printing to in house permethrin application for insect repellent finishes. With artwork development, digital file preparation and rotary screen engraving managed internally, Pincroft oversees the full process from concept to final fabric, ensuring technical accuracy, repeatability and supply chain security for defence, workwear and technical textile programmes

Together, the two brands, part of RTS Textiles, present garment manufacturers and textile buyers with access to never before seen inherent FR blends supported by integrated finishing expertise, all from a single stand at Techtextil 2026.

Posted in FR, International, Materials, Press Release, Tradeshow | No Comments »

BFG Monday – The Elastic Pouch You Forget Is There

Monday, March 30th, 2026

“Military-grade elastic” is a well-known concept in the world of load-carriage today; but 15 years ago, it was a revolutionary idea. One that no one thought would work.


Photo courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac Cantrell

The idea was born when the CEO of Blue Force Gear (“BFG”) was nearly side-swiped by a cyclist careening out of an alley. As the “10-speed” cyclist swerved to avoid a collision, the CEO noticed a pair of water bottles tucked into the spandex pockets on the back of his jersey and the idea materialized. The water bottle was heavy, but it stayed in place. Could elastic work for a fully loaded M4 mag as well? That question (and BFG’s answer) changed the way gear manufacturers and warfighters have approached load-carriage for the past decade.

Blue Force Gear has always been an innovator – never reproducing something that was already on the market but rather approaching problems with a fresh look. If you recall from last week’s article, BFG’s design philosophy addresses the old military axiom “ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain.” A Pub Med article stated that “many injuries experienced by soldiers can be attributed to the occupational loads they are required to carry.” (1) BFG recognized our warfighters’ lives, backs, and knees are worth protecting and that’s why the attention to detail – and obsession with shaving ounces – goes into every product they produce.

Ten-Speed was another innovation by BFG to drastically reduce weight for the warfighter. Ten-Speed became known as their line of pouches that uses a proprietary elastic to retain objects. The pouches were originally developed and marketed for M4 magazines, but a few unexpected benefits were swiftly realized when they were beta tested.


Photo courtesy of Department of War

Ten-Speed pouches will stretch to accommodate just about anything, as long as they’re sized to fit within that pouch. This allows the user to carry critical items without changing pouches or having specific loadouts for each mission. One pouch…nearly unlimited utility. Ten-Speed pouches range in size from pistol mag to 417 mag and come in single, double, or triple configurations. Depending on the size selected, they fit various items such as different types of magazines, medical gear, small handheld radios, GPS units, multi-tools, knives, flashlights, and yes, even dip cans.

Ten-Speed pouches lay flat when they’re not in use, adding no bulk and virtually no weight to the user. This is crucial because form-factor is a concern no matter what the mission. Another Pub Med article stated that “it is most efficient to carry load as close to the body’s centre of mass (CoM) as possible.” (2) In addition to reducing risk of injury, men and women with smaller profiles can fit more places and move faster than those with bulkier kit. When a Ten-Speed pouch is needed, it stretches to accommodate an item.

The operational feedback that shaped Ten-Speed came directly from elite units conducting linear assault missions — operations carried out in the confined quarters of aircraft, subways, trains, and buses. In those environments, every millimeter of unnecessary bulk is a liability. A pouch that snags on a doorframe or catches on a seat could mean the difference between a clean entry and a compromised mission. Ten-Speed was built specifically to eliminate that risk.


Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jessi Roth

The best pouch is the one you forget is there. Ten-Speed pouches don’t add bulk, don’t weigh you down, and retain items beautifully until you need them and then lay flat when you don’t. BFG solves problems for the warfighter by drastically reducing weight and at the same time providing even more options, Ten-Speed is just another example of their innovation.

For procurement inquiries, unit evaluations, or operational briefings, contact the Blue Force Gear Military Department.

Keep an eye out for next week’s article where we’ll cover the technology that literally changed MOLLE pouches – Helium Whisper.

(1) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25178432

(2) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20060096

About Blue Force Gear®

Widely known for supplying the world’s best weapon slings, Blue Force Gear also leads the lightweight load carriage equipment revolution with Ten-Speed multi-use pouches, MOLLEminus platforms, and their patented Helium Whisper attachment system. Their proprietary ULTRACOMP high-performance coated fabric laminate material, unrivaled innovation, attention to detail, and obsession with reducing weight sets Blue Force Gear apart from others in the tactical equipment industry. Blue Force Gear is a Great Place to Work Certified Company. For more information on products, proprietary technologies, or how BFG continues to reduce weight for the warfighter, visit their website: www.blueforcegear.com

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Load Carrying, Materials | No Comments »

X-Pac Tactical x Haley Strategic: Built for the Mission.

Monday, March 23rd, 2026

When Haley Strategic set out to build the next evolution of their iconic FlatPack X, they turned to X-Pac® Tactical – the laminate brand trusted by leading gear brands across the defense and outdoor markets.

The Limited Edition FlatPack X showcases the performance of X-Pac® Tactical X50, a rugged laminate built for demanding environments. Constructed with a 500D CORDURA® nylon face fabric, signature X-PLY® reinforcement, and a waterproof film backing, X50 delivers exceptional abrasion resistance, structural stability, and weather protection with optimized weight efficiency. Paired with Haley Strategic’s refined FlatPack platform featuring upgraded hardware, expanding gussets, and next-generation shoulder straps with laser-cut MOLLE the result is a pack designed to move seamlessly from the street to the field.

X-Pac® Tactical is proud to collaborate with industry leaders such as Haley Strategic Partners. Together, we continue to work in close partnership to bring high-performance, innovative products to market—driven by a shared commitment to superior quality and cutting-edge solutions for the end user. We value this collaboration and look forward to continuing our support with advanced materials that help shape the next generation of products.

For gear brands that demand the best, partnering with X-Pac® Tactical means a competitive advantage:

Superior Weatherproofing: Unlike traditional materials that absorb sweat and moisture, X-Pac® fabrics stay dry, enhancing comfort during extended wear.

Lightweight & Abrasion Resistant: Engineered for long-lasting durability without adding unnecessary weight to the end product.

Manufacturing Efficiency: X-Pac® fabrics perform exceptionally well under robotic sewing systems, showing minimal distortion and streamlining production — helping brands lower labor costs and boost capacity.

Versatility Across Applications: Trusted for a wide range of products including slings, plate carriers, pouches, packs, and more.

Proven Under Stress: Tested across fabrics including X-Pac® VX21, X33, and X50, the material holds up under real-world stressors and demanding sewing conditions alike.

About X-Pac® Tactical

Born from X-Pac® legacy on the world’s most challenging peaks and longest trails, X-Pac® Tactical Fabrics are lightweight, durable, incredibly strong, and 100% waterproof. At the forefront of innovation, these fabrics offer peak performance in the harshest environments. Leveraging a proprietary lamination technology, X-Pac® Tactical Fabrics combine trusted face fabrics and strategic fiber reinforcement — specifically designed for the most demanding missions. This unique construction elevates equipment’s functionality and longevity.

TRUST ONLY X-Pac® —  www.x-pactactical.com and follow us @x-pactactical

Posted in Advertiser, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »

Army Forges Partnership with Pennsylvania Companies to Create Next Generation Small Arms Gun Barrel

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Army armament engineers here partnered with a pair of Pennsylvania companies, one with alloy expertise and the other with forging metals, to deliver a capable barrel for the Army’s next generation of small arms.

Carpenter Technology developed the alloy and Geissele Automatics (also known as GWYNEDD) developed the production techniques for the barrels, while the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center provided the expertise in gun technology to deliver an innovation that is key to meeting the required capability.

This novel barrel design, created as part of two separate CRADAs (Cooperative Research and Development Agreements) between the Armaments Center, Geissele and Carpenter, relies on the alloy, GNB 200, which provides Army small caliber next generation weapons with higher tensile strength and, with it, better wear resistance.

This advancement came after several projects focusing specifically on barrel technology over the past decade.

According to general engineer Daniel Cler, the design’s principal investigator, DEVCOM had tested several “high alloy barrel materials” over the decade, seeking to help alleviate pressure buildup, corrosion and mechanical wear as next-generation weapons maintain significantly higher-pressure than their legacy counterparts, this could in turn worsen barrel wear.

In the past several years, the U.S. Army has attempted to shift away from using hazardous heavy metals such as hexavalent chromium coatings, which is still renowned for its longevity, but is known to cause significant health problems in production when hexavalent chromium is in solution.

Seeking to replace hexavelant chrome coatings with barrel materials that provide good wear and corrosion performance without coatings, the Army has performed research into a plethora of different metals. However, many of these materials were too hard to cold hammer forge, a method that is the current manufacturing technology for most military small arms. Because of this, the Armaments Center was refocusing on hammer forging and materials that were compatible with the process when it signed both CRADAs in 2022.

GNB 200 is, per Carpenter Technology’s website, a “premium remelted alloy steel specially formulated for high temperature wear resistance.” According to Cler, GNB 200 is near the upper limit of what can reliably be cold-hammer forged.

Carpenter Technology was already highly familiar with GNB 200, and as such provided samples for testing, along with several other materials. The Armaments Center gave guidance, processed information, provided support for analysis and result documentation and carried out accelerated wear testing for proposed alloys.

Work with Geissele focused on manufacturability and feasibility. Geissele cold hammer forged the barrels themselves, provided input and direction for coating alternatives and specifications, performed testing on barrels, and processed parameters on manufacturability. In this stage, the Armaments Center gave its expertise on barrel technologies, provided ammunition for testing and performed project oversight.

The parties involved tested the barrels in an M240L machine guns over the project’s third and final year, which ended in spring 2025. The material showed much better performance than the standard M240L barrel and now informs future Army next generation weapons.

GNB 200 continues to inform the next generation of Army small caliber weapons.Though the CRADA with Carpenter Technology has expired, DEVCOM renewed its CRADA with Geissele for another three years to continue development of barrel coatings.

A CRADA is a written agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties to work together on research or development.

The GNB 200 hammer forged barrel is not the only project made in collaboration with Geissele. The pair also collaborated on developing a new rifle profile which has been shown to further reduce wear and improve dispersion. This profile received United States Patent 12,203,716 B2 on Jan. 21, 2025.

Cler said he was most proud of seeing a project he worked on informed next generation systems. He also noted how important it is to have some influence upon the industry in the correct direction, though he lamented not being able to get involved earlier.

“CRADA’s are a good way to influence industry so that as systems are developed to meet Army requirements, industry is ready to jump in with better solutions that are more aligned with the Army,” he said.

By Tyler Barth

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Manufacturing, Materials, Weapon Accessories | 2 Comments »

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