Eligibility
Any individual member of AATCC may submit a nomination.
Inventions must meet the following qualifications to be considered for this award:
- Recognized as an innovation
- Relevant to the textile field
It is NOT required that the invention be patented or that inventors be members of AATCC. The award may be presented to multiple co-inventors and may be given posthumously.
Selection Criteria
Selection is by unanimous choice of the CS70 Millson Award Committee. The following criteria is considered:
- Invention merits
- Impact on the textile, fiber, polymer, or medical industries
Millson Award
Originally an annual award, it is now presented every three years (beginning in 2010) at AATCC’s Textile Discovery Summit. It includes:
- Plaque
- US$1,000 honorarium
- Free Textile Discovery Summit registration for recipient and a guest (for the year in which the award is presented)
- Invitation to VIP cocktail reception at Summit, including professional photos with AATCC President
- Press release, social media posts, magazine article, etc. announcing award recipient, including photo and bio
Below are past recipients of the Millson Award:
2024: Woody (Michael) Blackford, for his development of a thermal reflective textile at Colombia Sportswear, which was used by Intuitive Machines’ robotic lunar lander and assisted the first-ever commercial spacecraft to soft land on the moon in 2024.
2021: John Crocker and Rick Stanford for developing a standardized washing machine for testing textiles to multiple AATCC standards.
2018 Patrick R. Gruber for developing a green chemistry-based continuous process for producing poly(lactic acid) fibers known as PLA. Gruber is currently CEO and board member at Gevo Inc., specializing in converting carbohydrates into low carbon chemicals and fuels, lessening reliance on petrochemical sources.
2015 Under Armour- Invention: Creation and development of moisture-wicking athletic wear based on synthetic microfiber fabrics. The development of this athletic wear led to the formation and evolution of the company and popularized a new category of sporting apparel called performance wear.
2012 U.S. Marine Corp Systems Command and US Army Natick Solder Research, Development and Engineering Center- Invention: Their collaborative work developing camouflage patterns to improve combat effectiveness from counter surveillance in a variety of military environments.
Prior to 2010, the Millson award was presented annually.
2006 David A. Offord- Invention: Nanotechnology for oil and water repellent finishing for textiles
2009 Nester B. Knoepfler- Invention: Development of flame retardant treatment of cotton batting during the 1970s
2008 John R. Provost and Wim Prinsen- Invention: Development of the first commercially available inkjet printer for textile fabrics
2007 W. L. Gore and Robert Gore- Invention: Discovery of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and its applications
2005 David M. Lewis and C. Douglas Weston- Invention: Cumulative body of inventions in reactive dyes and their applications
2004 Roger Bacon and Leonard Singer- Invention: Development of high performance carbon fibers
2003 Neal E. Franks- Invention: Lyocell fiber (Tencel)
2002 Max A. Weaver- Invention: Development of heterocyclic Azo dyes for polyesters and polyamides
2001 Stephanie Kwolek- Invention: Kevlar
2000 I. D. Rattee and W. E. Stephen- Invention: Fiber reactive dyes
1999 Paul W. Mickler- Invention: Vacuum slot technology for textile finishing
1998 William H. Stewart- Invention: Ink jet printing of carpeting
1997 John D. Turner- Invention: Durable press finishes to 100% cotton garments
1996 Wilhelm Christ- Invention: Airflow jet dyeing machine
1995 Dr. Fredgar Hoffman- Invention: Development of the system of “K” values for dyes and
auxiliaries and for rate of constants for fibers
1994 Angelo J. Sabia- Invention: Development of surfactants and silicone softeners
1993 Bernard F. North- Invention: Advancement of resin finishing technology including ultra low and formaldehyde free applications
1992 Sueo Kawabata- Invention: Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) – textile testing devices
1991 Wolfhard Beckmann- Invention: Rationalization of dyeing process
1990 Ulrich Meyer- Invention: Tracing the cause of catalytic damage to cotton fabrics during peroxide bleaching and largely eliminating the problem
1989 Winfried T. Holfeld- Invention: Improved the dye uniformity of nylon and polyester fabrics
1988 Hugh R. Davidson and Henry Hemmendinger- Invention: Color matching computer systems
1987 Dietrich R. Hildebrand- Invention: Fundamentals of chemical and physico-chemical properties, reaction kinectics and techniques of application of dyes
1986 Andrew G. Pierce Jr., and John G. Frick, Jr.- Invention: Magnesium chloridehydroxy acid mixed catalyst systems in durable press finishing
1985 Herman B. Goldstein- Invention: Process for the manufacture of DMDHEU
1984 Victor T. Fahringer (posthumously)- Invention: Jet dyeing machine
1983 Valentin Appenzeller- Invention: Swimming roll pad
1982 George M. Bryant and Andrew T. Walter- Invention: FFT (Foam Finishing Technology)
1981 L. Russell Maguire- Invention: Flowtrue Logroll
1980 Samuel Smith- Invention: Soil release finishes
Millson Nomination
An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.
