Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) has launched the Chemical Protective Textile Challenge to identify commercially available and mature textile materials capable of protecting against hazardous chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid, jet fuel, and rocket fuel.

The challenge is sponsored by the Capability Program Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (CPE CBRND), which oversees the U.S. government's investments in defense technologies across these areas.

One of the key evaluation criteria for the challenge is the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), a standard nine-level scale used by organisations such as the U.S. Army and NASA to measure how advanced a technology is, from early research to proven operational use. The judging process will also consider whether the materials can be manufactured domestically, their effectiveness in protecting against hazardous chemicals, their durability, and the strength and reliability of their supply chains.

On August 4, AFFOA will host an Industry Day in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where stakeholders will have the opportunity to hear government officials and end users discuss current requirements for chemical-protective textile solutions. The event will also allow participants to present their innovations. Following the Industry Day, interested participants will be invited to submit material samples and supporting information for evaluation.

“Through this challenge, AFFOA is bringing together innovators, manufacturers, government stakeholders, and operational end users to accelerate the evaluation of promising textile technologies,” said Dr. Sasha Stolyarov, CEO of AFFOA. “By combining our national innovation ecosystem with technical expertise and manufacturing knowledge, we can identify solutions with the greatest potential to strengthen future chemical-protective systems and reduce risks for personnel exposed to hydrofluoric acid, hazardous gases, and fuel-related threats.”