The Textile Nerd Podcast

Where do textile careers begin? They almost never take a linear path. In the inspirational case of Blake Theademan 's journey, it's revolved around finding solutions while doing what's best for his family. Lori  and  Dan welcome the TVF sales consultant to the Textile Nerd Podcast to find out what has taken him from the warehouse floor to closing deals with some stops in-between.

The fabric world doesn't have too many brand names that immediately speak for themself, but CORDURA® is in a class by itself. On this episode of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori  and  Dan take a deep dive into the history and mystique of this rugged and ready fabric whose roots date back decades for its military uses and now as a mainstay for bags and gear that can hold up to the most challenging co...

Shade and awning fabrics create a visual welcome, a branding opportunity, an architectural flourish, and so much more. For manufacturers of shades and awnings, a few well-considered questions before you select fabric for your next project can ensure a much better outcome. On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori  and  Dan will explore some of the important questions and considerations man...

Fabric prints that pop require more than the right ink and a little luck. Color management is the key to taking a job -- whether it be direct-to-fabric, direct-to-garment, or any other method -- over the top. In the second edition of a two-part series on printing to textiles,  Lori  and  Dan talk about this critical skill with Kornit Digital   Presales Applications Manager Matthew Meany . Kornit i...

The finer points of fabric printing are everchanging and often incredibly complex. An incorrect printer setting, misaligned tension, fouled up fixation step, or any other miscue along the way can spell disaster for a print run. Kornit Digital , a global leader in fabric printing and ink, has been developing technology and methods throughout the years designed to cut out complications and deliver b...

Advances and availability of textile printing technology must go hand-in-hand with first-rate printing education. PRINTING United Alliance , the premier trade association for printing professionals, is answering the call with rigorous course work and certifications through its iLEARNING+ platform to get novices up to speed and bolster the skills of industry veterans.  Lori  and  Dan chat with Ray...

Proactive questions are like insurance for a successful textile project. Ask the right ones (even if you think you're asking too many), and you'll save yourself a serious amount of effort, headaches, and funds later on. What are some of the right questions to ask?  Lori  and  Dan welcome back TVF Vice President of Business Development Robert Hinsch to detail projects that were loaded with lessons...

In a world flooded with information, how do you zero in on quality industry-vetted fabric content and education? One solution is textile trade organizations, and more specifically, Advanced Textiles Association . On this episode of The Textile Nerd Podcast,  Lori  and  Dan sit down with ATA Director of Content and Member Programs Jonathan Sweet , a former journalist, to examine initiatives designe...

With international markets in a near constant state of flux, textile companies in the United States are investigating options like onshoring, nearshoring, and reshoring to keep their edge. Sounds great, but how feasible? Lori  and  Dan convene a panel of supply chain experts that includes TVF Supply Chain leaders Stephanie Shrader , Tabitha Green , and Jamie Sullivan , as well as well-traveled glo...

Meet Russ Hubbard, an Army veteran whose experiences during military training and in the sands of Middle East battlefields spotlighted a lifesaving fabric opportunity. On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori  and  Dan will explore the origin story of Polar Skin™ , a rapid-cooling system that is made here in the U.S. – from fiber to finished product – and achieves stringent Berry complian...

And the winner is… all of us nerds! On this special edition, Lori  and  Dan  will present the first-ever "Nerdies" to the top guests, topics, and moments of the inaugural 50 episodes of The Textile Nerd Podcast. It's been a great ride of sharing knowledge and exploring textile curiosities so far. Here's to the next 50 episodes!

The global logistics, sourcing, and shipping environment might be the most talked about – and kvetched over – corner of the textile universe today. Lori and Dan convene a supply chain roundtable to discuss challenges that go beyond the "t-word" (tariffs) and impact companies large and small, domestic and international. TVF Supply Chain Director Stephanie Shrader , Senior Sourcing Manager Tabitha G...

Logistics is the lifeblood of textiles. As with so many corners of the industry we love, the journey leading professionals to choose logistics is not linear. Lori and Dan will introduce you to TVF Global Trade and Logistics Manager Laura Martin – who once worked on a season of The Real World – to talk about challenges and opportunities she and the textile universe face.

Which methods come to mind when joining fabric pieces? Sewing? Adhesives? How about fabric WELDING? Miller Weldmaster is a global fabric welding powerhouse based in rural Ohio that has been on the forefront of welding technology for decades. Lori and Dan will explore the depths and future of this process with Jason Damis , North American sales manager at Miller Weldmaster.

At the intersection of textile nerdery, industry-tested information, and accessible learning lies a free tool we're proud to be part of: the TVF Resource Center . On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori and Dan talk about how the Resource Center was born, how Lori helped build it, and how it provides a solid, easy-to-digest foundation for learning more about fabric in all forms.

Timothy Mitchell has a gift. The Practical Printer, as he's known, is renowned for making complex printing processes and terminology more easy to understand. On this edition of The Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori  and  Dan will discuss the skill and learning abilities necessary to bring clarity to printing.

More than four decades working with textiles coupled with even more time adventuring on trails, skies, tracks, and slopes helps Robert Hinsch understand high-performance fabrics on a deeper level than almost anyone. Lori  and  Dan will comprehensively examine the durable and adversity-tested characteristics built into the fabrics relied upon by the fierce, fit, and fearless.

In a world full of influential fashion figures, be more like Zoë Hong. That's one impression Lori  and  Dan came away with during this wide-ranging discussion with one of YouTube's most engaging fashion educators and innovators. Zoë Hong has dedicated her career to all facets of fashion, instructing, and learning, and she'll share her journey, wit, and wisdom.

What is a gray back fabric in the print media world? The answer lies in the intersection between printability and sustainability, and the result is a European-borne innovation.  Lori  and  Dan  sit down with  Georg+Otto Friedrich  Digital Printing Business Unit Director  Hendrik Igler to discuss the market demands and the development story of these fabrics that are crisply-printable and recyclable...

The pantheon of memorable holiday commercials is extensive, and one car company's ad campaign still stands out year-after-year: Lexus bows. But what's the story behind the elegant accoutrement? Turns out, an innovative print services provider in Los Angeles has been bringing the bows to life for years. Lori  and Dan will take you behind the scenes with A3 Visual  Director of Operations  Mario Soto...

In a companion to our "Why Do Trade Shows Matter?" episode, we welcome Erica Roudabush and Blake Theademan to Podcast Row of Advanced Textiles Expo 2025 to talk about their impressions based on their varying years of attendence at the industrial fabrics industry's flagship show. Blake and Erica are colleagues of Lori  and  Dan , and they'll also relay their textile industry origin stories.

What better place to answer the question "why do trade shows matter" than the floor of one of the most well-known textile trade shows around?  Lori  and  Dan talk with Robert Hinsch from podcast row at Advanced Textiles Expo 2025 in Indianapolis. Robert is an esteemed colleague and vice president of business development at  TVF with more than 40 years of industry experience and he weighs in on the...

Sometimes a job or project doesn't quite go as we drew it up, and we escape to tell the tale. Fashion professor and influencer Zoe Hong (of ZoeHong.com fame) and two veterans of the TVF Print Media Sales Team, Danny Jimenez and Leif Kristensen , join Lori  and  Dan on the Textile Nerd Podcast to discuss their fabric horror stories. Join in the conversation and let us know about your own hair-raisi...

Some 5 million tons of medical fabric waste is created globally every year. That number sounds daunting, but brilliant minds in health care and textiles are focusing every day on solutions. Lori  and  Dan will welcome back Dr. Holly Morris to the Textile Nerd Podcast, a surgeon, educator, and medical textile waste researcher who will discuss the helpers, the hinderers, and the hope to curb this gr...

Some people have a knack for building industry connections, and in textiles, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone working harder to bring the community together more than Devin Steele . On this edition of the Textile Nerd Podcast, Lori  and Dan talk with Devin, whose eTextileCommunications.com publication is billed as "The Voice of the U.S. Textile Industry."