Fabric is all around us in both the physical sense and in pop culture and the entertainment we consume. This edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast will go off the beaten path and cover a few of Lori and Dan's favorite moments in TV and movies (Seinfeld, anyone?) where fabric is the focus. Did we miss any of your favorites?

Tradeshow season is whipping into a frenzy, and we’re in the middle of all the action. On this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan will talk with two stars of the TVF Print Media Sales Team, Danny Jimenez and Leif Kristensen, about what they’re looking forward to on the show floors and what’s hot among the printshops and manufacturers making booths sparkle.

Join us for a live broadcast of the podcast from the show floor of the Advanced Textiles Association Expo 2025 in Indianapolis.

The cutting-edge combination of modern medicine and modern textiles includes technology like bioscaffolds, which require researchers with an almost unheard of medical, medicinal, and technical knowledge base. On this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan will introduce you to Dr. Holly Morris, a pediatric hand surgeon who possesses a textile and engineering background shared by few, if anyone else.

The world of medical textiles is vast and exacting. From the safety and efficacy demands to the evolving needs and technologies, opportunities for advancements are ripe for the picking with the right knowledge. On this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan will explore the myriad of medical textile uses -- some seen, some unseen -- with TVF colleague Travis Conlon, a voracious learner with experience in the medical device, healthcare, and textile fields.

Two of the biggest issues facing the textile industry are the wave of upcoming retirements and the need for next-generation education. Young professionals and students sit at this important intersection, and Lori and Dan wanted to talk with a student who plans to blend textile expertise in with his dental career ambitions. North Carolina State University Wilson College of Textiles undergraduate Bryson Proctor joins the Textile Nerd Podcast to discuss his journey.

We adore natural fiber fabrics for their imperfect perfection. The factors that get them from field to finished product are numerous. Lori and Dan wanted to hear more, so they brought TVF Apparel & Home Décor Program Director Brian Vieweg on to the Textile Nerd  Podcast to give us a taste of what he's learned about cottons, lines, and more in his over 30-year career that includes dyeing, finishing, product development, and executive leadership experience.

There's more at stake for textile designers, makers, and manufacturers to execute the right fit than meets the eye. So much is on the line, an experienced and innovative pattern maven, Julia Watts of PatternRoom.com, has developed an entire business around perfecting the fit and helping others nail it the first time. Lori and Dan discuss the often overlooked world of pattern making on this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast.

The spectre of so-called "forever chemicals," or PFAS, looms over a significant portion of the textile industry. Lori and Dan will take a closer look with our colleague, TVF Global Trade & Logistics Manager Laura Martin, who joins us for an overview of some challenges and considerations for everyone from mills to manufacturers.

Rachal McCarthy is a new-age leader in an old-school industry. On this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast, the second-generation president of NTI Global in New York talks with Lori and Dan about the key place communications play in leadership in a world where the lines between on-site vs. off-site, high-tech vs. low-tech, and confidence vs. training are increasingly blurry.