{"id":74341,"date":"2025-04-04T14:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T18:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/?p=74341"},"modified":"2025-04-04T20:33:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-05T00:33:26","slug":"milliken-naming-investment-fuels-nc-state-research-in-the-textile-protection-and-comfort-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/milliken-naming-investment-fuels-nc-state-research-in-the-textile-protection-and-comfort-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Milliken Naming Investment Fuels NC State Research in the Textile Protection and Comfort Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

When lives are on the line, textiles do more than cover. They protect, perform and push boundaries.

With a new $1.5 million investment from Milliken & Company, groundbreaking research at NC State\u2019s Textile Protection and Comfort Center<\/a> (TPACC) will be further elevated through a five-year, fixed-term naming.

Housed within the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a>, the newly named Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation Textile Protection and Comfort Center is poised to reach new heights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The center, or TPACC for short, continues to build on its global reputation for advancing innovation and enhancing comfort in high-performance protective apparel. This important work safeguards first responders, military personnel and other frontline workers who depend on protective fabrics to keep them safe, secure and able to perform in the line of duty.<\/p>\n\n\n

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At the naming ceremony on April 4, key leaders of the expanded industry partnership shared a moment of celebration. From left to right: Burlington Distinguished Professor Roger Barker, founder and director of the newly named Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center; Halsey Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Company; and Cone Mills Distinguished Professor David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis generous investment from Milliken & Company is a powerful affirmation of our shared mission to lead in textile innovation,\u201d says David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles. \u201cIt will expand research in protection and performance, open doors for student discovery and fuel the next generation of breakthroughs at the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It remains the only academic center in the United States that researches, tests and evaluates the comfort and protective performance of textile materials, garments and ensemble systems in one location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMilliken and TPACC are aligned in a bold vision to develop breakthrough materials and technologies that shape the future of protective apparel textiles,\u201d says Halsey Cook, president and CEO at Milliken & Company<\/a> and chair of the Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation. \u201cThis collaboration reflects our deep commitment to purposeful textile innovation that impacts lives, transforms industries and ensures that NC State remains a global leader in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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“Milliken and TPACC are aligned in a bold vision to develop breakthrough materials and technologies that shape the future of protective apparel textiles.”<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As a global manufacturing leader focusing on the science of materials, Milliken produces specialty chemicals, flooring and performance textile materials for a variety of industries, including household care, personal care, agriculture and dyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting its shared commitment with the Wilson College of Textiles to integrity and excellence, Milliken\u2019s innovations are shaping the future across multiple fields. Polartec\u00ae<\/sup>, a Milliken & Company brand, is found in performance, lifestyle and workwear apparel brands from around the world, including household names like Adidas and Prada. Their products power everything from outdoor performance to military gear with technologies that offer cooling, insulation and fire resistance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milliken\u2019s wide-ranging portfolio also includes OVIK Health, which produces the self-adhering compression bandages commonly used after donating blood, and Borchers, an industry pioneer in coating additives that can be seen in architectural and automotive applications.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Faculty and students work in a fabric assessment area in the newly named Milliken Textile Protection And Comfort Center (TPACC) on Centennial campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Igniting discovery for over three decades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since its establishment in 1994, TPACC has become the world’s most advanced facility for researching and testing protective materials and clothing. With over 30 years of specialized expertise, the center has made significant strides in improving the safety, performance and comfort of firefighter protective gear, as well as outdoor, sports and military apparel and accessories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few laboratories or institutions have had more impact on the safety and health of firefighters and first responders. The center\u2019s unique capabilities have made TPACC an indispensable, reliable and independent resource that companies nationwide rely on to test their fire protective and performance clothing technologies using advanced testing methods.<\/p>\n\n\n

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9,500
square-foot space<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\n The Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center, or TPACC for short, includes state-of-the-art laboratories, offices and collaboration spaces.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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Sole ISO 17025-accredited lab<\/h2>\n

\n The only NC State lab with ISO 17025 accreditation. This standard ensures impartial, competent testing and calibration operations.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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Over $75 million in awards<\/h2>\n

\n TPACC has generated nearly $80 million in research and technical service awards, including from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Pioneering research isn\u2019t the only hallmark of the center\u2019s highly skilled and interdisciplinary team of researchers and technical personnel. Their dedication to one-of-a-kind, hands-on teaching has also equipped Wilson College of Textiles students with invaluable industry experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re proud to serve as a bridge between groundbreaking research and real-world application,\u201d says Burlington Distinguished Professor Roger Barker, founder and director of the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center. \u201cThrough interdisciplinary innovation and educational programs, we provide high-impact collaborative services to our university, state and global partners while also training the next generation of research professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following 9\/11, Barker secured the center\u2019s first grant from the Department of Homeland Security to develop a firefighter suit capable of protecting against fire and toxic chemical exposure. This groundbreaking research in PPE technologies has gone on to help firefighters employ best practices to minimize their exposure to harmful contaminants.<\/p>\n\n\n