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At a recent apparel market in Portland, I heard a lot of new fashion jargon.

"Coolmax," "smart" fabric, "UPF-rated," and "value-added textiles" were words and phrases consistently woven throughout the show. I'd heard them all before, but this time my curiosity piqued and gave me cause to pause.

Upon returning home, I began an investigation that lead me into the fascinating and revolutionary world of "Textiles 2020," and thought I'd share my findings with you.

Let's start with what makes a fabric "technical," or "smart." Technical fabrics, also referred to as value-added textiles or smart...