| Founder(s) | Louis Olney |
|---|---|
| Type | Professional Association |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Location | Research Triangle Park, North Carolina |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Focus | Textile, Color, Test Methods, Quality Control |
| Website | www.aatcc.org |
The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) is a not-for-profit association that provides test method development, quality control materials, and professional networking for textile professionals throughout the world.
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AATCC has developed more than 200 textile-related test methods and evaluation procedures. These methods are published each year in the AATCC Technical Manual.[1] AATCC also manages several functions relating to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) textile test method development (AATCC is secretary of ISO TC38 SC1[2] and SC2[3]) on behalf of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).[4] AATCC offers test method training in 11 locations around the globe, test method proficiency programs, and quality control products for use in conducting its test methods.
AATCC publishes a journal, AATCC Review,[5] containing technical articles, peer-reviewed research, and news for textile professionals. A monthly newsletter is distributed by e-mail. Other publications include books, training CDs, and online instruction.
The association conducts educational programs such as workshops, seminars, conferences, and symposia on many aspects of textiles.[6] Proficiency programs are available for labs to participate in.
Each year, AATCC honors outstanding members and the greater textile community with a number of awards, including the Olney Medal for outstanding achievement in textile chemistry. The Millson Award for Invention recognizes outstanding contributions to textile technology, the Harold C. Chapin Award is presented for exemplary service to AATCC, and the J. William Weaver Paper of the Year Award goes to the authors of the best peer-reviewed manuscript published in AATCC Review during the year. Students may compete for several awards including a research paper competition, a fabric and textile product design competition, and a materials design competition.[7]
AATCC Foundation Inc. was established in 1997 and operates independently in the furtherance of the charitable mission of the association by providing scholarships and research grants to undergraduate and graduate students studying textiles and related fields.[8]
AATCC works in cooperation with other textile associations including the Textile Institute (UK), Asociación Argentina de Químicos y Coloristas Textiles (Argentina), and the China Textile Information Center (China). Together with its counterpart in the United Kingdom, the Society of Dyers and Colourists, AATCC maintains the Colour Index International, a reference database of pigments and dyes.
Local sections and student chapters are formed by association members located in a particular geographical area. Sections and chapters further the exchange of textile information by arranging meetings, lectures, and other technical or social activities. Several sections make up a region.
AATCC is administered by a board of directors, including regional representatives who are elected by the members from their region. Eligible members of all regions elect the AATCC President. AATCC staff is based at the AATCC Technical Center and provide administrative assistance to the board.
Research committees, made up of volunteer members, are responsible for test method development. Administrative committees, also consisting of volunteer members, are responsible for the various activities of the association.[9]
There are three interest groups within AATCC:
Stimulates and expands its members' knowledge base of applying chemicals (preparation aids, colorants, finishes, polymers, etc.) to textile substrates. This includes the technologies, equipment, systems, and processes used, as well as the tested physical/mechanical properties of treated materials.
Focuses on the creation of textiles and textile-containing products, from design to retail. C2C activities promote the association to the retail, merchandising, and design communities to increase membership and participation in activities benefiting textile, apparel, and home fashions production.
Addresses the latest innovations in fibers and fiber products, including smart textiles, novel fibers, medical/biomedical, and protective textiles. Areas of interest include modifications of existing structures and the creation of unique chemical-, polymer-, and fiber-based materials. The Materials Interest Group concentrates on the science and engineering used to create new materials, along with any technologies, equipment, systems, and processes developed for their commercial production and their tested physical/mechanical properties.
AATCC was founded in 1921 by Louis Olney and other textile professionals in the Boston area (Massachusetts, USA). Since 1964, the association has been headquartered at the AATCC Technical Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. A complete history of AATCC (to 1996) is covered in the book Dyeing for a Living[10] by Mark Clark and published by AATCC.
AATCC has individual, student, and corporate members in areas of the textile industry such as retail quality control, design, and merchandising; textile and apparel manufacturing; textile fiber, dye, chemical, instrument, and machinery manufacturing; testing labs; and academia. Several other textile-related associations are also members of AATCC.[11]