AATCC enhances global textile community with new membership tiers and student chapters
The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) has unveiled significant updates to its corporate membership program aimed at enhancing access to benefits and fostering stronger engagement within the textile community. Following approval from the AATCC Board of Directors in May, key changes were made to various corporate membership tiers, designed to provide broader value to members and support international collaboration.
Notably, Gold Level corporate members can now designate two business locations under a single membership, gaining an additional complimentary individual membership. This expansion means five complimentary individual memberships and a complimentary young professional membership are included, with employees at both locations eligible for member discounts on AATCC products, event registration, and online educational programs.
The long-standing Diamond Level membership is being phased out at the end of current terms, with many of its benefits being absorbed into an enhanced Platinum Level. The Platinum Level now offers 10 complimentary individual memberships and two young professional memberships, which can be shared across up to six designated locations. This tier continues to provide discounted rates for employees across all covered locations, reinforcing AATCC’s commitment to broad-based member support.
Further reflecting AATCC’s focus on inclusivity and global outreach, new Silver and Gold Developing Nations (DN) Corporate Memberships have been introduced. These memberships target students and residents of emerging economies, offering a 20% reduction on virtual educational and event offerings. The association intends these DN-specific memberships to strengthen relationships with the international textile community and foster new collaborative opportunities worldwide. Current Gold and Platinum members can take advantage of these benefits immediately, with options to upgrade available upon membership renewal.
Complementing these corporate membership enhancements, AATCC announced the creation of two new student chapters at Iowa State University (ISU) and Utah State University (USU). Both institutions are land-grant universities that provide comprehensive textile education across apparel design, merchandising, materials science, and outdoor product design disciplines.
The ISU chapter, advised by Rachel Eike from the Department of Apparel, Events and Hospitality Management, seeks to deepen students' engagement with the textile industry through networking and professional development. Michelle Beaudet, the chapter’s founding chair, expressed optimism about the chapter’s potential to enrich academic experiences and foster the next generation of textile professionals.
Similarly, Utah State University’s student chapter, Aggie Threads, guided by faculty advisor Melissa Clark, plans to offer unique opportunities such as field trips, networking events like the AATCC conference, and a collaborative community environment. Emily Ellsworth, its founding chair, highlighted the chapter’s focus on educating students about emerging textile technologies and fostering industry connections.
In addition to these membership and student engagement initiatives, AATCC recently launched a Corporate Member News platform, designed to enable corporate members to share whitepapers, videos, blogs, and other updates widely within the textile community. This publicly accessible platform aims to improve communication and raise the visibility of corporate members' contributions and innovations.
AATCC also continues to invite industry professionals to participate in its volunteer-led committee meetings. These gatherings shape key aspects of textile standards, testing methods, sustainability measures, and innovation, offering members a unique perspective on developments that impact the global textile supply chain.
Taken together, these efforts demonstrate AATCC’s ongoing commitment to expanding its community, supporting professional growth, and promoting innovation in the textile chemistry and colouration fields on both domestic and international fronts.