AFFOA Opens New Headquarters in Bedford to Expand Advanced Textile Innovation
New Massachusetts facility will support advanced textile research, manufacturing collaboration, workforce development and technology innovation.
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Inc. (AFFOA), a Manufacturing USA Institute focused on advanced textile innovation, has officially opened its new headquarters at 135 South Road, Bedford, Massachusetts, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the start of operations at the facility.
The event brought together industry representatives, government officials, academic institutions and startup innovators as AFFOA begins operations from its new headquarters, which is designed to support textile technology development, manufacturing innovation and workforce development.
Sasha Stolyarov, Ph.D., CEO of AFFOA, said:
"Our new facility enables AFFOA to expand its technical development capabilities, better serve the US advanced textile ecosystem, and create an environment to inspire the next generation of innovators. We are grateful to our members and partners who attended and are looking forward to leveraging this new space as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and workforce development."
Leadership Addresses Ceremony
The ribbon-cutting ceremony included remarks from leaders representing advanced manufacturing and textile innovation.
- Sasha Stolyarov, Ph.D., CEO of AFFOA, welcomed attendees and discussed AFFOA's work in functional fabrics and advanced textile technology.
- Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, spoke about AFFOA's role within Massachusetts' advanced manufacturing ecosystem and its contribution to the state's innovation economy.
- Eric Evans, Ph.D., Chair of the AFFOA Board of Directors, Director Emeritus of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Professor of Practice and Senior Fellow at MIT, addressed attendees on the development of advanced textiles and AFFOA's activities across technology, defense and commercial applications.
Facility Showcases Textile Innovation
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests toured the new headquarters to view AFFOA's research and development capabilities in functional fabrics and wearable technologies.
The facility provides end-to-end development capabilities intended to support innovation across the U.S. advanced textiles ecosystem.
Industry, Academic and Government Participation
The event was attended by representatives from organisations including MIT, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Puma, Shark Ninja, E Ink Corporation, Boston Engineering, and Draper Knitting, among others.
Government representatives participating in the ceremony included:
- Laura Byman, representing the Office of Senator Elizabeth Warren
- Michael Massiwer, representing the Office of Senator Edward Markey
- Tom Arsenault, representing the Office of Congressman Seth Moulton
- Selectman Terence Parker, representing the Town of Bedford
Representatives from the U.S. Department of War, including the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army, also attended the event.
The opening of the new headquarters marks AFFOA's expansion of its research, collaboration and manufacturing activities within the advanced textiles sector.