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AATCC—the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists—is the world's leading not-for-profit association serving textile professionals since 1921. AATCC is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., USA, providing test method development, quality control materials, and professional networking for thousands of members in 60 countries throughout the world.

Membership

AATCC has individual and corporate members around the world and in all areas of the textile industry. Any student, professional, or organization with ties to textile research or industry may become a member. Current members include retail quality control managers, designers, and merchandisers; textile and apparel manufacturers; textile fiber, dye, chemical, instrument, and machinery manufacturers; testing labs; and academia. Several other textile-related associations are also members of AATCC.

Activities

AATCC is best known for the more than 200 textile-related test methods and evaluation procedures it has developed since its founding. These methods are used worldwide and are published each year in the AATCC Technical Manual. AATCC also manages several key functions relating to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) textile test method development. AATCC also offers test method training in several locations around the globe, test method proficiency programs, and quality control products for use in conducting its test methods.

AATCC publishes a monthly journal, AATCC Review,[1] with technical articles, peer-reviewed research, and news of interest to textile professionals. A free, monthly newsletter is distributed by e-mail. Other publications include books, training CDs, and online instruction.

The association conducts educational workshops, seminars, conferences, and symposia on many aspects of textiles. An ultraviolet (UV) calibration program helps users calibrate their spectrophotometers for use with textile substrates.

Each year, AATCC honors outstanding members of the association, and the greater textile community, with a number of awards, including the prestigious 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.

In 1997, AATCC established AATCC Foundation Inc. The Foundation, with its own board of directors, operates independently and in the furtherance of the charitable mission of the association. The AATCC Foundation provides scholarships and research grants to undergraduate and graduate students studying textiles and related fields.

In addition to its own activities, 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.

History

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 by Mark Clark and published by AATCC.

Organization

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, each representing a region. These board members 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.

There are three interest groups within AATCC:

Chemical Applications Interest Group

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.

Concept 2 Consumer® (C2C) Interest Group

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.

Materials Interest Group

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.