SpecialtyFabricsReview.com | March 11, 2010

Atlas Material Testing Technology offers basic and advanced Fundamentals of Weathering seminars to educate its broad client base on the essential elements of weathering testing, designed for professionals involved in coatings, plastics, textiles, cosmetics and other products that can be affected by exposure to light or weather. The courses are held in Atlas’ Center of Excellence in Chicago.

Fundamentals of Weathering Level I is offered April 7, June 23 and September 29, 2010. Fundamentals of Weathering Level II is offered April 8, June 24 and September 30, 2010.

A complete list of Atlas’ global educational events is available online at www.atlas-mts.com.

SpecialtyFabricsReview.com | March 10, 2010

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC has launched a mobile version of its popular Sunbrella fabrics website, allowing users to search a fabrics library and locate the nearest Sunbrella resource from a handheld device. “Our initial mobile offering includes the five most popular portions of our website, and gives consumers a powerful decorating resource they can take anywhere,” says Gina Wicker, Sunbrella Fabrics design and creative director. The mobile site includes a searchable fabrics library, where-to-purchase directory, care and cleaning tips, warranty information and contact information, and will automatically adjust to fit the screens of most handheld devices. Visit the new mobile site at www.sunbrella.mobi.

The quality of your estimates has an impact on your bottom line.

Marine Fabricator | January 2010

By Shelby Gonzalez

Estimating job costs is one of the cornerstone skills of running a successful marine fabrication business. The more accurately you can estimate the amount of labor and materials a given job will require, the better the job will go, and the more satisfied the customer will be. And satisfied customers lead to repeat business and great word-of-mouth advertising.

What are the basic steps in making an estimate? What tools and changes can improve your estimating procedure, making your business more efficient and profitable? What are the most common problems and mistakes marine fabricators make when estimating the cost of a project, and how can you avoid or fix them?

Experienced marine fabricators from across the country answer these questions and share their expertise, insights and tips for estimates that lead to profitable jobs and satisfied customers.

Phone estimates

Often, initial contact with a customer happens over the phone. When a potential customer calls you, first ask what they are looking for or what problem they want fixed. Get as many details about the project as you can.

“We identify whether they’re looking for a cover or an enclosure,” says Chris Ritsema, co-owner of The Nautical Needle in Holland, Mich. “If it’s an enclosure, we ask how many panels it has. Basically, we’re just getting a good description. Then I give an estimate.”

About 30-percent of the estimates Ritsema gives are over the phone. “I’m very clear that it’s an estimate only, and I can’t commit to it unless I can see the boat.”

Of course, over the phone is not the best way to come up with a cost estimate. Ideally, once you’ve had phone contact with a potential customer and given a rough estimate, he or she will agree to set up a meeting so you can visit the job site and discuss the job in more detail.

At the job site

At the job site, you can take measurements, upsell products and services, answer questions and gather information that will help you come up with an accurate estimate. Take lots of notes.

“I come to the boat with samples and products, like the type of thread we use,” Ritsema says. “The first thing I’m going to explain is the materials. It’s important that the customer understands that there are different gauges of eisenglass, for example. I like to go into detail, explain how we fabricate a curtain compared to the competition. I try to upsell our products and give options.”

When Justin Jones, owner of Custom Covers in Salt Lake City, Utah, visits potential job sites, he snaps photos of problem areas, which he later includes with his estimate.

The estimate itself

“It’s important to come up with a good, honest, fair price,” Jones advises. “You want to make sure you’re charging a fair market rate for your time and materials, and that you’re not leaving money on the table or shorting yourself.”

How do you come up with a good, honest, fair price? When Ritsema gets back to the office after visiting a job site, he sits down and estimates the materials the job will require. “From that point, we go ahead and estimate labor, sewing and fabrication,” he says. “Instead of just bulking it all in with a price at the bottom, we do itemized quotes so the customer can really see what they’re getting. Sometimes I will give a streamlined quote and then include different options at the bottom.”

Katie Bradford, MFC, of Custom Marine Canvas in Noank, Conn., offers a method that can help experienced fabricators refine their labor estimates.

“For frequently produced items, we add up time and materials for several jobs and divide by a unit of measure to come up with a reasonable estimate,” Bradford says. “For example, we get an average price per linear foot of a sailcover, a square foot of a bimini, an average number of hours per cushion in an interior, a per-panel price for an enclosure.”

An alternate way to standardize the estimating process comes from Chandler Clark, co-owner of Signature CanvasMakers in Hampton, Va.

“Give yourself a baseline to work from on core products,” he advises, “such as a three-bow bimini (of a limited width) setup with your fabric options, then set pricing for add-ons. This helps to take the guesswork out of estimating, takes less time and ensures that you maintain price integrity and consistency.”

On your itemized estimate, remember to include details about products.

“I think it’s important to give the customer a detailed estimate so he knows what he’s getting,” Ritsema says. “If I’m giving a lifetime warranty on our thread, that should be on the estimate.”

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The mistake: Too low an estimate. “I think what angers people more than anything is if you give them an estimate and secure the job, and at the end you give them a price that’s $300 or $400 higher than you quoted,” Ritsema says.

The fix. With a recession still breathing down our collective necks and everyone keeping a wary eye on their wallets, it may be tempting to be optimistic about how long a given project will take. The lower the price, the more attractive for the customer. But underestimating the cost of a project will only hurt you in the long run.

At the end of the project, you’ll either have to rush to stay within your estimated time (risking lower-quality results), eat the difference between your estimated and actual labor costs, or charge the customer significantly more than you quoted.

Needless to say, that’s not the kind of choice you want to have to make. So resist the urge to low ball your estimates.

The challenge: Upselling. Upselling products and services can significantly increase the value of a project. But it’s hard to persuade people to part with more money.

The fix. Identify areas where you can add value and services. Then show the customer why the quality and extra services they will receive are worth the added expense.

“When I get onto a boat, I look at other areas, besides the one the project involves, because we also do upholstery,” Ritsema says. “If I notice the upholstery is bad, I can say to the customer, ‘We also do upholstery.’

“If we’re dealing with an enclosure, I look at the frame. If the enclosure has a really flimsy frame, I’m going to try to upsell to a better frame.”

Upselling doesn’t necessarily mean adding to the scope of a project. Quality in craftsmanship or products, like zippers or thread that carry lifetime warranties, can be a big upsell when trying to secure a job or justify a premium price.

“We always sell quality,” Jones says. “That’s our niche. We’re not the cheapest in town, but we can justify the cost because we can show them physically why we’re better or why our products are better and will last longer.”

Clark also underscores the importance of added value.

“We’ve aimed toward the higher-end market with a quality product, a little extra customer service and the addition of added-value that adds little cost in production to us, but provides high ‘perceived value’ to the customer,” he says. “This has served us well in the recent slowdown. We have been able maintain a steady business flow this year without reducing prices, profit margin or quality.”

The challenge: Large or new-to-you jobs. “Since everything we do is custom, the hardest part is determining how long an item will take to build,” Bradford says. Other fabricators echo her sentiments.

The fix. “I would say time is the hardest part of estimating, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before,” Jones says. “Or sometimes you’ll get a unique project that’s really tough to determine in advance how much time it will take. Our policy with projects like that is to ‘underpromise and overdeliver.’ I think that goes a long way with finishing the sale and getting the good word of mouth for future customers.”

Ritsema finds complete overhauls particularly challenging to estimate. He and several other fabricators recommend the MFA Time Standards Manual as a useful resource.

Refine your estimates, boost your profits

“The economy has affected us greatly,” Jones says. “We’re doing a lot of different types of estimates, more for repair and replacement of old overs vs. doing a lot of new covers on new boats. The percentage of people who follow through with estimates has also decreased.”

In a time when every penny counts, it might be worth your while to review your estimating tools and procedures. The quality of your estimates can have a big impact on your bottom line.

Shelby Gonzalez is a freelance writer. She welcomes comments and inquiries at shelbygonzalez@gmail.com.

SpecialtyFabricsReview.com | March 9, 2010

The European Apparel and Textile Organization (EURATEX) will host a conference examining the regional and national dimension of textile research and innovation in Europe on March 24-25, at the Hotel HUSA President Park Hotel, Brussels, Belgium. The conference aims to showcase the strategies and activities of national and regional platforms, clusters and networks from across Europe. The goal is better cross-coordination of funding programs for textile research and innovation. For details, visit www.euratex.org.

SpecialtyFabricsReview.com | March 8, 2010

The International Oeko-Tex® Association and Textile Insight will present “A Focus on Workwear” on March 12 in New York City, at the DuPont™ Corian® Design Studio. The latest installment in the popular “Insight on What’s Next” textile and apparel industry roundtable discussions, the event will feature expert opinions on current trends in workwear and the future growth of the market. The panel will include Charlie Siracusa, director of North American sales at Carhartt; Gary Zumstein, vice president of sales and marketing, protective segment, at Glen Raven Technical Fabrics; and Marc Kraufman, founder and CEO of Old Toledo Brands. For information, contact Dina Dunn at dina@blinkready.com.

SpecialtyFabricsReview.com | March 1, 2010

Bekaert Textiles is now using REPREVE®, a 100 percent recycled fiber from Unifi Inc., for a new collection of eco-friendly mattress coverings designed for comfort, durability and sustainability. The new collection includes eight patterns, contemporary with a natural theme and a very soft hand. Current constructions are knit, with woven constructions soon to be added.

Plan your strategy to make social media marketing your interactive advantage.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

By Linda Kaun

You might be tempted to jump right into social media marketing, sign up for Facebook and Twitter, start a blog, and add a few videos to your website. However, you’ll quickly realize it’s not the shiny new tools that lead to success—it’s how you use those tools.

A strategy and plan of action provide a strong foundation for reaping long-term benefits from social media. A “look and listen before you leap” policy will help inform your strategy and goals and make your online efforts much more effective.

What is social media?

Understanding social media is to understand the profound shift in thinking that is revolutionizing the way we conduct business, both as consumers and as business owners. The old one-way interruption marketing mindset—think television, radio and print ads—has given way to an interactive, collaborative peer-to-peer model through online tools like blogs, Amazon, Facebook and YouTube. Your customers are online talking about you, your products, and your industry.

Marketers simply do not control their one-way message anymore. Social media pulls your audience to you with informative content that you publish and share online, while networking and building an interactive community around your brand. The key words are ‘interactive’ and ‘community.’ It’s about building relationships with people.

Social media marketing strategically uses specific tools to reach your targeted audience.

Increasing marketing effectiveness

In terms of customer-related benefits, McKinsey Quarterly’s 2009 “Global Survey”1 found blogs were the most useful tool for 51 percent of responding companies. Video sharing and social networking rated 48 percent each. In addition, 52 percent said that the tools increased marketing effectiveness, 43 percent found higher customer satisfaction, and 38 percent reduced their marketing costs.

Jason and Rodney Carr, co-founders and CEOs of Softline Home Fashions Inc., Gardena, Calif., leading distributors of drapery and decorative fabrics, actively started using social media tools in 2009. They find that “Facebook and Twitter have a different audience than our already existing customer base, which served as an opportunity to grow our brand. The feedback we’ve received reveal that customers feel like they are more informed about what we have to offer and are more knowledgeable about our products. This is encouraging for us because we have many repeat customers.”

Besides identifying new markets, new products and garnering free market research through customer feedback, social media can increase your website traffic, generate qualified leads, build brand authority and promote your products and services.

While these online tools are often free, updating the various accounts, writing blog posts and other content does take time—and talent. Be sure to factor that into your plans. According to the Carrs, another potential downside is that “not only are your customers following you, but your competitors as well. They can easily see what your next move in business will be, so it’s essential to be strategic in your approach.”

In the beginning

Listening and observing first help you develop the strategy best suited to your company, team and resources. Social media can easily eat up time, leaving little to show for your efforts, unless a process for engagement is in place from the beginning.

There is no one-size-fits-all social media kit to buy and plug in. There’s no right answer. It’s also not about the tools. The point is to decide how you can best give value to your audience using your unique capabilities, and then choose which tools will serve that purpose.

To get started:

Research your target community. Who are they, and where do they congregate online? Do they read blogs, share videos, join networks, or discuss issues on forums?

Select ten blogs to follow. Check out your competitors, your broader industry and related sources such as social media blogs. If you plan to use videos, choose several key video sites to observe.

Your purpose is to get a feeling for the world of social media. Take your time. Start to comment when you’re ready. Share your knowledge and expertise, ask questions, and get involved. Don’t immediately launch into a sales pitch—this is the biggest mistake businesses make. Notice how successful companies find a balance between sharing information and talking about their own products. Think of it as a business networking event, without the boundaries of time or space.

Establishing a strong foundation

As you begin to see how you’ll fit into this online marketplace, use the answers to these questions to guide your social media strategy development.

Tools. Which of the many tools available will best serve your particular goals? Think about what you hope to accomplish, then select the tool(s) to support that goal. Blogs, videos, social networks, articles, wikis and podcasts all have a purpose, depending on your audience.

Branding. How do you define your brand? What style, tone and personality will you present? What point of view? Who will be your spokesperson?

Value. Your value proposition keeps the focus on the needs and concerns of your customers and buyers. You might highlight your expertise through thoughtful and informative content, educate them on industry issues, solve their problems, or create your own niche networking community.

Differentiation. As you look at what others are doing, think about what makes your company stand out. Gather ideas from a variety of sources across different industries, not just from your competitors.

Content. What will you talk about that can sustain a long-term program? Select a theme and produce it in a variety of formats: videos, articles, blog posts. Use your existing information like white papers, speeches, presentations or product demonstrations and repurpose them into fresh articles, e-books, videos, or podcasts. Think like a publisher. Set out a schedule to plan and execute your content strategy. Who will plan, write, design, produce and submit this content?

Promotion. Decide how to promote your social media program on and offline. Some aspects, like networking, become the promotion and the process at the same time. Tell your e-mail list, use online press releases, register your blog in online directories.

Monitoring. It’s vital to be aware of what’s being said about your company, products, and personnel online. Someone needs to respond to any negative remarks and also acknowledge the positive ones. Remember: Social media marketing is all about building relationships between your company and real people, one by one.

Making it work

Early enthusiasm can easily give way to lost interest as you try and fit this system into your already hectic schedule. Set up systems and processes to streamline the time and effort needed to grow and maintain your programs. This is another good reason to proceed cautiously in the early phases.

When you measure your success, what metrics define success in terms of your business objectives? What do you really want your customers to do? If your goal is to increase brand awareness, you might measure your website traffic, media coverage, unique visitors or participants. Decide what to measure from the very beginning. Take baseline measurements so you can track your progress, and change course as needed; with social media techniques, you won’t have lots of money invested in printed products.

Companies of all shapes and sizes are benefiting from meeting their customers online through social media. It’s not only retail chains and music companies that are building their businesses online.

Linda Kaun of Linda Kaun Copywriting works with companies to generate leads and increase sales.
Download her free white paper, “The Textile Industry and Social Media: Why You Must Take Action Now and How to Profit from this Information Revolution”

Fabric products help farmers put the green back in agriculture.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

By Jamie Swedberg

The market for agricultural specialty fabrics in the United States is a paradox.

On one hand, agriculture has suffered terribly over the last two years for reasons related to the current recession. Accordingly, sales of agricultural products have dropped or stagnated.

“For the first time in 29 years, the ag market fell at the same time as the general economy did,” says Barry Goldsher, president and CEO of ClearSpan Fabric Structures Intl., Dyersville, Iowa. “In prior recessions, like during 9/11 and in the 1989–1990 downturn, the country went into a small economic tailspin, but farmers didn’t at all. The farmers were soaring; they were enjoying the greatest of times. But this time, ag actually started to fall before the general economy, when the oil prices went to $140 a barrel. Their fertilizer inputs and heating costs—all of that was tied to petroleum. It just put them into a tailspin. They’re just now starting to recover a little.”

On the other hand, fabric and membrane manufacturers and fabricators are finding new opportunities within agriculture. Products that help address the fuel-cost problem are increasingly welcome in the agriculture and food and flower distribution industries. And as stricter regulations and public demand nudge farming toward more sustainable practices, products that can aid in these efforts are also gaining popularity.

Fabrics help with heating and cooling

Southwestern Sales Co. of Rogers, Ark., has manufactured fabric curtains for the poultry industry since 1977. Over the years the company has also expanded into tarps and covers. But recently, customer demand has led the company to design products that help poultry, hog and dairy farmers save energy.

“The cost of fuel was going up, and our customers were telling us it was getting harder and harder to break even,” says Gerald Barrett, Southwestern’s sales and marketing manager. “They have to maintain certain environmental parameters inside the facility, or they have issues with the health of the animals.”

One of the biggest issues was the amount of heat loss through the sidewalls of the building. Southwestern started manufacturing insulated curtains, offered in a couple of basic varieties tailored for the needs of farmers in different regions.

In the southern U.S., winter days can be brutally cold—but then, two or three days later, the weather can turn mild. So these farmers gravitate toward flexible woven polyethylene with a bubble-wrap-like air layer sandwiched between the layers. This type of curtain folds up easily when the curtain is raised on warm days.

Up north, once it’s cold, it stays cold for months. Farmers dealing with these conditions prefer vinyl curtains with one or more bubble layers. They don’t fold as compactly or easily, but they’re sturdier and heavier.

Southwestern manufactures similar insulated fabric panels for the end doors of the houses. The doors are large enough to drive a truck through, and although they’re often kept closed for as long as six months at a time, they tend to crack and gap over time.

“We designed a panel with zippers in it along the door frame,” says Barrett. “They tack this up, and then when they need to use the door, they unzip the center panel and roll it up out of the way.”

Barrett says with the insulated curtains and end door panels, farmers are finding that not only do they save on fuel in the winter, they save in the summertime, too.

“In the summertime, the challenge is to cool the animals inside the house,” he says. “With insulated curtains in the summer, they’re finding that it takes longer for the houses to heat back up. They have to run their fans less, and they have to use less water in their cooling systems.”

Poultry house ventilation fans are another spot where fabric products can help save energy. Ventilation is a life-or-death matter in animal confinement, so houses are built with enough fans to handle a worst-case scenario. Most of the time, several of the fans lie dormant, closed only with leaky gravity louvers.

“We came up with a cover that could go on the outside of the fan,” says Barrett. “Most of these fans, for efficiency’s sake, have a cone like a jet engine. These covers have elastic material around the perimeter, and you just stretch it and put it over the cone. If for some reason the fan comes on in an emergency, the exhaust will just blow the cover off, and you’ll still have the air movement you need within the house.”

ClearSpan Fabric Structures has taken a different approach to animal confinement: making the whole building out of fabric.

“When you compare fabric buildings with noninsulated metal buildings, they tend to stay more than 10 degrees cooler in the summer,” Goldsher says. “Fabric doesn’t store the heat, so as soon as the sun goes down the cover gets cool. But steel gets hot and stays hot. In the winter, because our buildings let sunlight in, they start to warm up during the day and are about 10 degrees warmer than a noninsulated metal building.”

ClearSpan generally avoids adding insulation panels to fabric buildings because the panels block the natural light. Although the fabric buildings are not quite as energy efficient as insulated metal buildings, Goldsher says there are other reasons farmers choose them: portability, lower price (the fabric sheds are roughly half the cost of an equivalent wooden or steel structure), permit or property tax reasons, or the health of the animals.

“One of the the unique selling propositions, no matter what the use of the fabric structure, is that no artificial light is needed during the day,” he says. “But for agriculture, the natural light actually improves animal health. Sheep, goats, cows, chickens—they excel under that natural light. The environment inside is more free of bacteria, the feed-to-weight-gain ratio is better, mortality is lower, and the animals are just happier.”

Biodegradable materials assist agronomic cycle

Organic farmers strive to grow their crops in as sustainable a manner as possible. But because plastic mulching is the most efficient way to block weeds without the use of herbicides, they often end up having to buy petroleum-based mulch films. What’s worse, the films are single-use, and have to be pulled up from the fields at the end of the season—which usually involves machinery and still more petroleum use.

Novamont, a company based in Novara, Italy, has come up with a solution to this thorny problem. In the late 1990s, it brought to the market a resin called Mater-Bi®, a bioplastic made primarily of vegetable starch and vegetable oil. The most common use of the resin is the manufacture of biodegradable grocery bags. But more recently, Novamont has started making Mater-Bi mulch films.

“This is a way of closing the loop,” says marketing director Andrea Versari. “At the end of the agronomical cycle, this film does not need to be collected because it is biodegradable. It can be released in the soil because it transforms, in the presence of carbon dioxide and water, into humus.”

The film can be a tough sell because it’s substantially more expensive than polyethylene films manufactured for weed prevention. That’s why Versari stresses the importance of strict standards and clear terminology.

“Sometimes in the market, we see so-called degradable materials that are, for example, polyethylene with additives,” he says. “They claim to be biodegradable, but in their case, it’s simple fragmentation. The plastic just falls apart into tiny pieces of plastic—it never composts or goes away. These products are, of course, very cheap. But they are not the same thing.”

In general, bioplastics tend to do better in the EU because of stricter standards for waste disposal. But this is one instance where Versari suspects Americans may adopt the technology more enthusiastically. It has to do with operational efficiency: the time farmers save by not having to pull up the film.

“In Europe, the farms are very small, and generally the family are the only workers,” he explains. “So they are using their own time, and it’s part of their lifestyle. But with larger farms, as in the United States, the difference is easier to explain because they are using workers to collect the film. That’s money out of their pocket.”

Fabric structures prevent pollution

Composting is a core principle of sustainable farms and cities. But if done incorrectly, it can also be a source of pollution.

“Let’s say a municipality is accepting food scraps, leaves, brush and other garbage that they want to compost,” says ClearSpan’s Barry Goldsher. “If they are composting outside, all it takes is a heavy rainstorm to make a godawful mess. Often all of the feedstuffs for the process will end up in the groundwater.”

As a result, new federal and state regulations are popping up, requiring composting operations to be covered. Once again, it’s a job for fabric.

“A fabric structure is desirable because it’s low in cost, and it’s very tall and open, so it’s easy to ventilate,” Goldsher says. “The process of composting creates an awful lot of ammonia and corrosive gases, and fabric resists it better than any other product out there. If it were steel roofing and siding, it would rust quickly. And again, you have the benefit of natural daytime lighting.”

Gases are an even more acute problem for livestock operations. The concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that are the source of most U.S. pork are notorious for foul odors—the kind that sicken people and make nearby homes impossible to sell. That’s why John Baumgartner, president of Baumgartner Environics Inc., Olivia, Minn., decided to develop a new kind of lagoon cover called Bio-Cap®.

Manure lagoons are anaerobic systems. When organic matter breaks down anaerobically—without air—there are basically two types of bacteria at work: acetogens and methanogens. Acetogens break down long-chain fatty acids into short-chain volatile fatty acids. Many of these compounds are intensely odorous. Methanogens break down the short-chain volatile fatty acids into compounds that don’t smell, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen gas and methane.

“I like to describe the acetogens as being the big brother,” says Baumgartner. “They’re a little stronger, a little faster, a little tougher. The methanogens are like the little brother. They try hard, but they just can’t keep up. So often there is a tremendous amount of odor released from these systems because they are out of balance. The Bio-Cap cover helps remedy this by providing a nice environment for the methanogens. They form a biofilm in the cover, which floats on the surface of the lagoon. When the volatile organic compounds diffuse from the lower depths of the lagoon, the methanogens intercept these bugs and metabolize them, greatly reducing the odor emissions.”

Bio-Cap is a permeable polypropylene nonwoven geotextile, needlepunched with a closed-cell foam for flotation. Its permeability solves another of the livestock industry’s persistent problems: not only is it approximately one-third the price of a traditional HDPE cover, it requires less upkeep.

“If you put on an impermeable cover, like an HDPE cover, you need to manage the gas, because it’s not going to go anywhere,” he explains. “So you’ve got to collect that gas and do something with it, or you will destroy the system. Well, the Bio-Cap lets rainfall come right into the lagoon, right through the cover, and it lets the non-odorous gases escape into the atmosphere.”

When it comes to removing odors from chicken houses, the strategy is different. The rule of thumb is that about 90 to 95 percent of the odor is carried on the dust particles, because volatile organic compounds are attracted to the particles. Another Baumgartner product, Bio-Curtain®, endeavors to reduce the stink.

Bio-Curtain is a particle control system that treats exhaust air with an electrostatic particle ionization system. The dust particles in the air take on a charge and are attracted to the grounded surface of a fabric curtain on their way out of the building.

The fabric in question is a porous UV-treated polypropylene, similar to shadecloth. It’s hung in a corrosion-resistant metal frame. Many farmers prefer to hang the system on the outside of the barn, because it hides the banks of fans and helps reduce public perception of a smell. (“Sometimes people smell with their eyes,” Baumgartner notes.) But Baumgartner himself likes to mount the system inside the barn for maximum environmental improvement.

“Where possible, I recommend doing it inside the barn because of the production gains, and because it just makes more sense,” he says. “You get better performance because the air is moving a little more slowly inside, so we increase the amount of dust we can get out. Research has shown that less dust leads to an improvement in livestock production and efficiency of feed conversion and reducing mortalities. If we improve the air inside the building, it’s got to be better for the animals and the workers.”

Jamie Swedberg is a freelance writer based near Athens, Ga.

Grab—and keep—media attention by following a few simple guidelines.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

By Janice Kleinschmidt

When flu season hit and H1N1 vaccines grabbed top-of-the-news, above-the-fold status, Mahaffey Fabric Structures stepped up to help and gained valuable name recognition. The Memphis, Tenn.-based company set up a tent outside a children’s hospital for the influx of patients. First used as a waiting area and then as a treatment center, the tent provided Mahaffey with a lot of positive (and free) publicity.

“We got a lot of coverage in the local newspaper and local TV news channels,” says Beth Wilson, marketing manager. “Our involvement in community events puts us a step ahead, and helps us to gain more leverage with different news media.” A tent for a radio station toy drive also earned Mahaffey free publicity for an entire week on the radio.

While paid advertising allows businesses controlled, targeted and measurable value, free publicity isn’t just for companies without an advertising budget. Germany-based BASF maintains a 10-member media relations group at its Ludwigshafen headquarters to deal with media on an international basis, but also has “media relations units responsible for specific operation divisions or that act at the country/regional level,” says Gareth Rees, senior manager of corporate media relations. Distribution lists for press releases contain several hundred media.

A full magazine

With a staff of 70, Eventscape Inc. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, maintains a four-person marketing department that works with the CEO and project directors in promoting the company. “I think we are all aware of projects coming up that are pressworthy,” says Elaine Allen-Milne, marketing communications manager. She reviews the editorial calendars of various publications to see where topics and Eventscape structures merge.

“[Magazines] are always working several months ahead, so I have to look forward and plan to fit into the editorial,” Allen-Milne says. “It’s a matter of being aware of what’s going to sell for each magazine.” In other words, it’s important to understand the publication and its market.

Bringing the discussion even closer to home, IFAI publications such as Specialty Fabrics Review are constantly on the lookout for sources to fit topics, even for stories that will be published six months down the line.

“We hold a planning meeting before we assign each issue and invite people from all over IFAI—division managers, membership, marketing and research, advertising and conferences—to give us their ideas on hot topics and possible sources for each feature article,” says senior editor Galynn Nordstrom. “We add that to the information we’ve collected ourselves on a particular topic, do some additional research to narrow the focus as needed, and then select people to interview whom we think would have the most current and useful information on that topic or in that field.

“What we most need—and value—is someone who is both knowledgeable and experienced in the topic and very willing to share that knowledge (and opinion) with us and our readers.”

If you don’t find your niche in those upcoming feature articles (or even if you do), don’t overlook the rest of the publication.

“We’re often hunting for information for sections of the magazine like ‘Swatches’ or ‘Problem Solvers,’ new products and our calendar of events,” Nordstrom says. “One key thing that companies with news about new products or new projects can do to increase their chances with an editor is to include large, high-resolution images for publication.” (See How to get your photos published)

PR is personal

While personal contact with members of the media should be your first line of offense, much can be gained by regularly sending press releases (to the right people, of course) and newsletters with information about new products, procedures and accomplishments to clients and media.

Of course, disseminating information is only half of the process. When an editor or writer calls for more information, you need to be prepared—but not too prepared.

“I’m least likely to use sources who are so scripted that they won’t answer the questions, insist on their right to review the story (not only their quotes) before publication or clearly know little about the topic,” says Katherine Carlson, a freelance writer in St. Paul, Minn. “Sources can answer the questions you ask and provide you the message they want to get across if they are skilled and open.

“Sources also can tell stories,” she continues. “For one [Review story], a source from Miller Weldmaster described not only a new ‘road show’ trailer for demonstrating its equipment to customers, but also gave amusing anecdotes about the salesman driving all over his area and his adventures on the road. The road show was news. The guy sampling local cuisine, homey accommodations and varied receptions from employees at businesses he visited made it interesting news.”

Remember, too, that editors and writers conduct a lot of research prior to selecting sources and to learn more about companies. Much of that research is done online. The best websites include company history and profile, detailed information about products and services, contact names and titles, corporate policies and strategies (i.e., commitment to sustainability), a ‘media center’ with news releases and downloadable images, a site map and a search function.

An excellent example of rich online content for journalists can be found at www.basf.com. In addition to general company and product information, BASF’s website includes a News & Media Relations center. Press releases (with photographs), speeches and television interviews are archived here, as are podcasts. BASF even reaches out beyond company-specific information with podcasts related to “chemistry in our lives,” i.e., how sparklers work and how to brew nonalcoholic beer. The site also features downloads of high-resolution press photos, computer animation and fact sheets. “We are eager to use all tools that improve our service offering to journalists,” Rees says.

Once you get included in a published story, capitalize on it. Order reprints for marketing kits. Ask the publication for permission to ‘reprint’ the article on your website or provide a link to the article on their website. In your newsletter, mention articles in which you are featured. And take that relationship you’ve established with an editor to the next level: Keep the lines of communication open so you can take advantage of future opportunities to get free publicity.

Strategies for free press

You should continually check the editorial calendars of publications in your industry, or community, to see what topics they plan to cover. Offer yourself as a resource where appropriate. Remember that magazines work far in advance of publication, so reach out early.

Send targeted press releases when you introduce a new product or service or for other newsworthy achievements, such as winning an important award. Keep your press release short and to the point, but be sure to explain what is newsworthy about your announcement, and why it will be important to the publication’s readers (and not just to you). Provide contact information and indicate if photographs are available (an embedded image is nice to show off a new product or project, but be aware that editors have definite opinions about ‘grip and grin’ photos). Avoid hyperbole and superfluous quotes from the CEO.

Make your website journalist friendly. Include news releases, white papers, company background information, product information (including images of products and projects) and contact information. Try to go beyond listing a generic “info@XXXXX” contact and list real names and direct e-mail addresses for the media. Don’t put barriers between your company and free publicity.

Answer or return calls from editors and writers as quickly as possible. They may be facing a deadline, and “I can talk to you in a couple of weeks” probably isn’t going to cut it. Remember that you probably are one of many sources they will call upon, and they may no longer need or be able to use your input if you call too late into the interviewing and writing process—no matter how good your information is. If you don’t have time for an interview immediately, ask the writer to schedule one when you are available. If that’s not possible, see if there’s someone else in your company you can appoint to respond.

Be ready to meet the press when you travel, too; trade shows, whether you are exhibiting or just attending, are another good opportunity to reach local and national media. Make sure you and your representatives are prepared to discuss your company’s latest developments, not just with people who might be interested in purchasing your products and services, but with people who might be interested in publicizing them. Have written materials on hand; if possible, also have CDs of high-resolution images for print publications.

From a local news station to an international publication or interactive website, there are people waiting to tell a good story to your potential customers. Publicity can be just as powerful a promotional tool as marketing and advertising if you do your research and make regular efforts to get the word out.

Janice Kleinschmidt is a freelance writer and editor based in Palm Springs, Calif.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Compiled by Juli Case

When we’re cleaning our tents, which are made out of vinyl laminate, we sometimes notice something odd. The tents are dirty with this brown-looking film that takes a lot of work to get off with a brush, but if one of the guys walks across it with his boots on, it cleans the fabric perfectly, leaving ‘clean’ boot prints on the fabric. Why is that?

There are probably a number of contributing factors causing what you’ve observed. For one thing, the soles of boots are usually made of rubber or some other nonskid type of material. The same characteristic that makes the material nonskid means that it will grip the fabric better than a smooth surface. It’s the same reason that squeegees used for cleaning are made of a similar material. Another factor to consider is that while a brush has a lot of bristles, the surface area of each is pretty small. The surface area of the bottom of a boot is much larger, and it has that much more contact with the fabric. In addition, the weight of the adult wearing that boot is likely more than the force that can be applied to a brush, making the nonskid surface area (already larger) more efficient. Finally, depending on the environment in your area, it could be that there is a pollutant in the area that has a chemical affinity to the boot sole material.

Juli Case is IFAI’s information and technical services manager.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Based on a joint resolution adopted by its 14 member institutes, the Oeko-Tex® Association has revised and expanded applicable test criteria, limits and by-laws of the product certification process for Oeko-Tex Standard 100, effective January 1, 2010. As of December 2009, the Oeko-Tex certificate contains a note advising that the “certified articles meet the requirements of Annex XVII of the REACh regulation (including the use of prohibited azo dyes, nickel, etc.) and also fulfill U.S. specifications regarding the total content of lead in children’s products (CPSIA; not applicable to glass materials).”

The following new provisions will go into effect after a three-month transition period:

• > Synthetic fibers, yarns and plastic parts will be tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon substances (PAH) in all four Oeko-Tex product classes.
• > Because diisobutylphtalate (DIBP) is likely to be added to the list of REACh substances “of very high concern,” the softener will also be excluded from use as part of the Oeko-Tex certification process.
• > Based on explicit mention in EU Directive 2009/425/EC in connection with products such as printed textiles, gloves and textile floor coverings, the Oeko-Tex Association has also added dioctyltin (DOT) to the list of prohibited tin-organic substances. A limit of 1.0 mg/kg applies to baby articles (product class 1), and 2.0 mg/kg for articles in other product classes.
• > The transition process for total lead content in metallic materials will be extended.

To support and optimize operational quality assurance for participating companies on a worldwide basis, Oeko-Tex will provide its licensees with a quality assurance package, starting in April 2010. In line with company audits, as they are already being conducted in some countries, Oeko-Tex auditors will be better able to coordinate existing product ranges with local firms on the certification process. Production methods, auxiliaries, input materials and ingredients, as well as future developments, will be included. Company visits will also provide the opportunity to provide individual advice to respective businesses.

For new certifications, company audits will be conducted promptly. For long-time participants, audits will be conducted within the next four years, unless the participants request earlier visits.

A complete overview of current Oeko-Tex Standard 100 test criteria is available at www.oeko-tex.com/limitvalues. Detailed information about individual test parameters and Oeko-Tex by-laws is also available at the member institutes: www.oeko-tex.com/institutes.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) encourages creativity in textile and product design by offering cash and prizes to top student designers. The Concept 2 Consumer® Student Design Competition for 2010—themed “Summer Bling!”—garnered 70 entries from 16 schools.

The Summer Bling! Competition gives students the challenge of creating a fabric or product design for pool and beachwear, based on the summer color palettes from Pantone® View Colour Planner Summer 2010 ‘Magic.’ Each design collection incorporated “bling”—three-dimensional surface embellishments ranging from beading and embroidery to knotting and smocking.

Ten finalists will be announced on March 12, 2010, and will be eligible for first-place cash awards of U.S. $1,000. Second-place prizes are U.S. $500 in both the fabric and product design categories.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

An updated national consensus standard for high-visibility safety apparel from the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) now provides criteria and test requirements for garments marked as flame- or water-resistant, and includes service-life guidelines.

The American National Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear (ANSI/ISEA 107-2010) is the authoritative document for the design, performance specifications and use of high-visibility apparel, including millions of vests, jackets, coveralls, trousers, rainwear and headwear worn by workers in thousands of road construction, emergency response, forestry and other industrial and business settings. Although this revision does not change the long-standing requirements, it does address important issues for the wearer related to flame resistance and use during rainfall.

“In the past decade, the acceptance and use of high-visibility garments have become commonplace in working environments where any kind of vehicular movement is present,” said Jim Teigen, chairman of the ISEA High-Visibility Products Group. “Due to this widespread use, garments have evolved to address other needs of workers, such as flame-resistant properties. The inclusion of flame-resistance criteria as an optional feature is in direct response to end-user requests.”

The update also calls attention to the service-life guidelines that have been established by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). “It is important that the end-user be aware of a high-visibility garment’s capability to offer continued protection,” Teigen noted.

The 43-page ANSI/ISEA 107-2010 standard may be purchased from ISEA. For information, visit www.safetyequipment.org.

Custom digital graphics create value-added opportunities for customers and new economies for manufacturers.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

By Barb Ernster

Personalized, customized, made-to-order, tailor-made—everyone wants their brand to stand out in the crowd. Upselling to that need is easier with digital capabilities that are becoming more accessible and affordable. Fabric companies weighing these new possibilities against hesitant customers with tighter budgets are finding some measure of success.

Add-ons all over

Since TCT&A Industries in Urbana, Ill., purchased a digital printer five years ago, its ability to upsell graphics on awnings, curtain walls, tents and other fabric products has been easier. Across all product lines, TCT&A has experienced new revenues with graphics, and company president, Byron Yonce, MFC, has no regrets. “That’s really helped us expand our ability to meet the customer’s needs,” says Yonce. “It’s exciting. I love the print market.”

Some of the requests are customer driven and others are company driven. TCT&A is getting an increasing number of requests for corporate logos and other graphics on large curtain walls that are used to divide space in manufacturing or production facilities and warehouses. The branding can dress up an otherwise plain curtain, says Yonce, adding an aesthetic appeal that isn’t seen on the outside, but looks good for employees, visitors and corporate tours.

The company is driving add-on business in other areas such as its tent rental division, where logos and branding graphics make sense for events. Ninety-five percent of its revenue from instant shade pop-up tents is because of its ability to personalize them with digital graphics, says Yonce, and the company has been able to offer better branding options for awning customers.

“We’ve been able to print awnings when we’ve not been able to find a certain color to match the corporate color,” says Yonce. “I can direct print on 3M™ films and apply it to fabric. Some of the new films have allowed us to find more cost-effective ways to do the graphics so we don’t have to do full print jobs to meet their needs. There are lots of different ways to meet the customers’ needs, and we don’t have to outsource.”

A new customer mind-set

As one of the first companies to incorporate the Sunbrella® Graphics System, G & J Awning & Canvas in Sauk Rapids, Minn., has been upselling customized graphics on awnings and boat lift covers for years. In the current cash-strapped economy, owner Gary Buermann, MFC, says customers still want the graphics, but they’ve scaled back to a simpler look versus four-color images and fancy scripts.

“Right now everybody is in a holding pattern, waiting to see what will happen. We’ll slowly climb out of it, but it’s likely that the consumer is going to have a completely different mind-set than what he had going into it, a more conservative mind-set,” says Buermann. “Rather than flash, you’re going to have to upsell to that mind-set by offering better quality or better functionality that customers can see will pay off because it will last longer or perform better.”

The customers at Arizona Awnings & Window Shade Systems Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz., are also scaling back to more basic designs, but they still want branding, notes general manager Jim O’Leary. “Everyone is becoming more focused on branding today. They want everything from their business cards through logo to the awning signage to deliver the same message,” he says. “Where’s the best place to put your signage, in your window or up on the awning? They can reach a much larger audience when putting the signage on the awning.”

Arizona Awnings does most of its graphics in-house using pressure-sensitive vinyl or hand-painted acrylics, and subcontracts out for digital or silkscreen graphics. “Ninety-nine percent of my customer base doesn’t want to pay the high-end price, although they love the look,” says O’Leary. “In today’s economy it comes down to a dollars and cents decision. What’s most important is their name or logo on the awning for the best price possible.”

More would-be prospects

There is potential to upsell graphics to many more markets, but a lot of companies are reluctant to jump in, says Rich Thompson, president of AdGraphics Inc., a service bureau for wholesale graphics in Pompano Beach, Fla. While some of the “niceties” have gone away with tighter budgets, branding is still important and you can sell add-on graphics without going overboard. “There are plenty of people with marketing and advertising dollars, and they want to see their brand and logo stand out in a crowd,” says Thompson.

One such customer, a beach café along a boardwalk in a tourist area of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., wanted four-color images of its food items on the awning to grab the attention of hungry passersby. AdGraphics printed the graphics for the awning manufacturer, Azure Awnings in West Palm Beach, Fla. “The graphics get all the attention, but that’s the least cost,” says Thompson.

Upselling graphics is the next stage for boats and boat covers, he adds, but the industry is made up of a lot of mom and pop companies that see it as just one more thing to give them a headache. “Unless the customers push for it, a lot of companies don’t want to push it,” he says. “We have a lot of boats and covers on the market and some of the companies that have started down this road are hitting home runs. When they show their customers and get them excited, it’s an easy upsell.”

High quality, low volume

New products on the market are opening up digital possibilities for awning companies with lower volumes. Last fall, Herculite Products Inc. in Emigsville, Pa., introduced a new printable PVC awning fabric that looks like a woven cloth and is fire resistant, waterproof and heat sealable. Herculite® Natura™ allows awning companies to offer multicolor digital graphics in a one-off situation. Natura Digital White was added to the product line in January 2010.

“They can print a custom stripe that their customer may want, and they can print on as little as 10 yards of material. That would bring more revenue to them because they can customize one awning,” says Mike Gatti, business manager for Weblon Products.

It shortens the turnaround time and lowers production costs, which increases margins and overall market share for awning companies, adds Dan Dix, national sales manager, graphic products distribution for Herculite. “That’s the whole concept behind getting into the digital market; previously, the higher the quantity of prints, the better the price per piece. Now with digital technology, awning companies can print one at a time and be competitive. There are interesting possibilities for the Natura product in the digital banner market as well.”

Fisher Textiles introduced a digitally printable awning fabric this year made of a polyester base that’s coated to meet water-repellent and fire-retardant ratings for indoor and outdoor use. “We’re getting requests for an awning fabric that meets spray ratings and FR requirements that they can digitally print on with solvent inks or UV, and they want it to be 10 feet wide,” says Scott Fisher, vice president of sales and marketing. “The digital printers are being approached by awning manufacturers for this specialty product and are looking for a textile that will meet their needs.” Fisher says this new fabric will offer a solution to them and help the mom and pop awning companies get into the digital printing market with a one-off capability.

This is of great interest to Nikki Taheri of Parsa Sign Inc., Bayonne, N.J. The company designs, fabricates and installs signs and awnings, but economic conditions and reluctant customers have hampered Taheri from getting into wide-format digital graphics. “It’s hard to convince the customer to go with that kind of printing job because the prices are higher than hand painting stencils and decals,” says Taheri.

Having the opportunity to offer customized digital graphics in a one-off situation ‘would be great’ for her low-volume business. “I certainly would like to move in that direction. We all have to update ourselves because the quality will be better in the long term,” she says. “Right now it’s tough, but I think the future will be digital printing on banners and awnings.”

Expanding the tent niche

Upselling logos and graphics onto tents is still a niche, but it is a growing part of the digital print market, says Jeff Sparks, Herculite’s business manager for tent and structure fabrics. The market has evolved from printing on banner fabric to printing directly onto the tent fabric. “We put a top coat on the fabric to make it print better, and that’s how we have met the challenge of printing directly onto the tent. Digital technology has opened that up,” he says. “You can now digitally print on most sections of the tent, gables, tops and sidewalls. The latest thing is to actually print on the sidewalls to make it look like a stone wall. It’s pretty amazing what they can do with printing onto a tent. In fact, this is a growing market, and most of the large tent manufacturers have purchased digital printers to be able to offer this custom service to their corporate customers.”

AdGraphics is producing a lot of graphics for tent companies and corporate customers. For example, the company has printed brick and other 'faux' patterns on tent walls for corporate events and even printed faux brick on plastic covers to hide cellular service antennas on a building’s rooftop. The company has worked this kind of magic before, printing a pine tree pattern to make a 100-foot cell tower 'disappear' in a state park. Who would have thought it?

It’s hard to predict where customers might want to go with digital graphics. Sometimes it’s just a matter of jumping in and saying, “Do you want that customized?”

Barb Ernster is a freelance writer based in Fridley, Minn.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Compiled by Juli Case

We do installations of clear curtains for restaurants who want to extend the use of their outdoor patios in rainy or cooler weather. One city we install in is requiring that we use clear vinyl that meets ASTM E84. Does such a thing exist?

It’s not unusual to find a clear vinyl that is flame retardant, but it’s more common for a specification such as NFPA 701 or even CSFM Title 19 to be referenced. ASTM E84 is a test method that assesses building components and is different than other tests in that it measures smoke index. Most of the vinyl companies we contacted could quote other test methods, but not ASTM E84. The exception was Adams Plastics, who did indicate that they had clear vinyl that met ASTM E84 specifications.

SOURCE Adams Plastics

Juli Case is IFAI’s information and technical services manager.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Compiled by Juli Case

Where can I get flexible solar panels?

Photovoltaic technology has been around for years, but offered in rigid solar panels that were rather bulky and not very compatible with fabric products. New innovations have made flexible photovoltaics possible, allowing them to be incorporated into products such as fabric sunshades or umbrellas. There are a number of suppliers, although you should be aware that you’ll need to combine or mount the photovoltaic onto another fabric.

SOURCE Konarka Technologies Inc.

SOURCE Plextronics Inc.

SOURCE PowerFilm Inc.

SOURCE UNI-SOLAR

Juli Case is IFAI’s information and technical services manager.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Compiled by Juli Case

Where can I get Detroit car books? I’m looking to buy a collection.

Companies that do automotive upholstery are familiar with Detroit Car Books; they’re sample books that show the fabrics used in OEM automotive interiors for a particular year. You can purchase them through suppliers that specialize in automotive fabrics. For example, we found them at Detroit Body Products. If you’re looking for a whole collection of them, though, your best bet is to look for listings of automotive upholstery shops that are closing and may have them to sell; publications such as the Upholstery Journal or the Upholsterer would be helpful for that. Another option is to keep an eye on online auction sites such as eBay.

SOURCE Detroit Body Products

SOURCE Upholstery Journal

SOURCE Upholster!

Juli Case is IFAI’s information and technical services manager.

Digitally printed fabrics provide a world of opportunities for home interior applications.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

By Holly O’Dell

Mass production may have been the hallmark of American retail and design, but consumers are ditching what they see as ‘cookie-cutter’ products and using interior designers to help them create one-of-a-kind furnishings and accessories for their homes. In turn, these designers seek unique solutions for their clients.

Many of them, however, either don’t consider or don’t know about digitally printing on fabric—an option that can provide many opportunities for the end user, from homeowners to interior designers and artists.

“This is an artist’s dream to be able to design something original, and then have it produced in a form they can use at home,” says Jeanelle Dech, president of Adaptive Textiles in West Chester, Pa. “This opportunity has never been there before without being backed by a large company or contracted for a big swatch.”

Paul Lilienthal, president of Pictura Graphics in Minneapolis, Minn., says end users are looking for a unique style in home interiors. “They can use something they have designed, a photographic image that they like or a specialty look that doesn’t come from a stock wall covering,” Lilienthal says.

The immediacy of digital printing is what’s appealing for creating custom furniture or drapery pieces. “Digitally printed fabrics are much more on-demand,” says Joseph Terramagra, sales and marketing representative, western region, for Mimaki USA, based in Suwanee, Ga. Setup time is shorter than screening and any changes can be made quickly. The print shops and end product manufacturers benefit, too. “If you’re digitally printing for a client,” Terramagra says, “you don’t have to stock rolls of fabric that no one is going to use.”

How to proceed

End product manufacturers and print shops that want to further develop their skills and offerings for the home interiors market have a vast array of fabrics to consider. Susanne Jansson, owner of Better Mousetrap in Long Island City, N.Y., has created everything from draperies to upholstery for her clients. “We use contract-market fabrics that have excellent durability, such as faux leather, suede and silks with a material base of polyester,” says Jansson, who adds that today’s synthetic fibers are light years ahead of the poly products of the 1980s.

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group Inc., Aurora, Ill., has developed a line of 100-percent polyester fabrics engineered specifically for dye sublimation printing. The collection’s 14 styles include muslin, linen, upholstery and twill. “These textiles look and feel like cotton and are made with spun yarns instead of filament yarns,” says Michael Richardson, director of sales and marketing, print media. “That gives them more of a natural fiber look even though they’re synthetic.”

Still other end users—not to mention print shops and end product manufacturers—prefer to use natural fabrics, including cotton, linen and silk, which are ideal for window treatments and throw pillows, and grasscloth, a popular choice for wall coverings.

Even leather is starting to make headway in the digital printing market. Start-up company Digital Leather in Sarasota, Fla., is getting in on the action. “We are bringing the world of digital printing into the analog world of leather,” says Digital Leather’s Chris Cudzilo. “Anything you can design or capture digitally you can put on leather now.”

In the middle of the tanning process, an image is printed on a smart imaging film and laminated to the leather. The product is then finished just like traditional leather. “Once the image is on the leather, it becomes the leather,” Cudzilo says. “You can’t scuff it or scratch it.”

Overcoming obstacles

While it’s true that people are spending less in the current economy, those who have cash are willing to invest in a product that brings creativity and adds value to the home, but fabricators need to be prepared to deal with direct-to-fabric digital printing limitations, too—for example with depth of color. “An inkjet printer is not usually as vibrant as some customers might be used to,” Dech says.

Matching colors can be an issue, says Pat Walker, managing director of 4walls.com, a wall covering designer and manufacturer in Cleveland, Ohio. “Inkjet simulates colors, and while this is simple, it is sometimes hard to explain to demanding clients. They sometimes think that digital printing is a magic wand with no limitations whatsoever.”

“We work with our customers to find the right materials with the right characteristics for the application, and to coach them on value engineering when appropriate,” Walker says. “We are very involved in the entire process, where we help them find a fabric ground that is appropriate for their job,” Dech says.

Getting the word out

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the industry is getting interior designers on board with the concept of digitally printed fabrics. Ten years ago, the technology was the barrier, but that is no longer the case,” says Patti Williams, a consulting partner with Hanover, Mass.-based IT Strategies, which advises companies in the digital printing industry. “Interior designers are used to buying already created products, so the limitations today are more market driven. How do you meet these people? How do they find you?”

Williams suggests starting with existing connections and establishing new ones to branch out. “If they want to go after this business, they need to think of the kinds of customers they can sell their expertise to,” she says. “Connections need to be made among office designers, interior designers and retail.”

Print shops and end product manufacturers can make those connections through current customers—for example, if they are providing fabric signage for a client, they can let them know about their capabilities to produce digitally printed fabrics for interiors. Designer-driven trade shows can be resources for new business, and old-fashioned word of mouth is still a powerful marketing tool.

Additionally, promoting the green angle can offer another entry point into the market. “Print shops can sell digitally printed fabrics as a more sustainable product than screen-printed output,” Williams advises. “You have to put together a reason why people want to buy, and today seems to be about green.”

Digitally printable fabrics for the home interiors market can open new doors for print shops and end product manufacturers. Digital Leather’s Cudzilo envisions that 30- to 50-year-olds will comprise the target market for home interior opportunities. “They are the ones in the workforce. They are the ones that are going to have discretionary income in the future,” he says. “They don’t want to walk into their neighbor’s house and see the same piece of furniture that they have. We need to deliver a customized product as cost effectively as possible.”

It’s an outlook that can serve the industry well as it defines ways to tap into the home interiors market.

Holly O’Dell is a Minnesota-based freelance writer.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

A comprehensive line of cut yardage fabrics available for use on Pearson upholstered pieces or in other applications is now available: 54 new fabrics, half of which are exclusive Pearson designs, and half of which are made of natural fibers. The newest fabrics are characterized by sumptuous damasks, chenilles, velvets, finely detailed embroidered designs and graphic prints, such as this hand-blocked linen bird print with brilliantly colored and highly detailed illustrations. The new website features the entire Pearson Textiles line, allowing users to easily sort by color, pattern or type of material.

SOURCE Pearson Textiles

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

The TRIAC BT hot air indoor welding tool is an economical alternative for indoor fabric welding, designed specifically for indoor tarpaulin and billboard welding. Lightweight, comfortable, ergonomic handle and intuitive controls meet the highest standards for functionality, design and convenience. Unit is packaged in a kit featuring a carrying case, manual pressure roller and a replacement heating element.

SOURCE Leister Process Technologies

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Darlington Fabrics has introduced warp knit stretch fabrics with fire retardancy; the fabrics are made of polyester and spandex and are available in a range of weights and widths. Manufacturers no longer need to send fabric out for post-treating and testing. Flame-retardant applications include dramatic arts, display materials, military, flags, industrial protection and safety uses.

SOURCE Darlington Fabrics

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

SDL Atlas has launched a completely redesigned website that offers visitors a comprehensive look at the company’s textile testing equipment, laboratory products, consumables and service offerings for the fabric, apparel, yarn and fiber industries. Search capabilities allow users to find products based on a list of categories, applications or standards; as well as a listing of related consumables for each product, with ordering and contact information.

SOURCE SDL Atlas

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

The Sublideck Surface Decoration System is a new range of specialty heat presses engineered for dimensional digital decoration. Patented process combines infrared heat and vacuum pressure to mold images onto two- and three-dimensional substrates and surfaces, from automotive parts, sporting gear and fashion products to architectural details and household appliances. Sublideck 2D lets users decorate simple shaped products, curves and dimensional items; Sublideck 3D uses the same combination of vacuum pressure and heat in a larger top membrane to wrap transfer film completely around complex shapes or surfaces.

SOURCE Octi-Tech Ltd.

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

The Ultra Lifestyle Collection of durable, luxurious simulated leather fabrics is designed for marine and outdoor use, engineered to meet the growing demands for strength and environmental responsibility. The fabrics are free of plasticizers, heavy metals, stabilizers,VOCs and formaldehyde; 99 percent of the solvents used in production are captured and recycled. An anti-mildew agent allows the fabrics to remain soft and beautiful over time; all the flame-retardant fabrics are also formulated to resist fading and spotting over extended periods of time. Available in a wide variety of colors, in 54-inch widths.

SOURCE TriVantage

Specialty Fabrics Review | March 2010

Problem: Ordinary, solid fabrics limit the possibilities for dramatic effects.

Solution: With Burn-out Knits from Dazian Fabrics, stunning see-through effects can be achieved by manipulating front and rear lighting to highlight either the pattern and the reflective shadows, or the see-through element and the background. A wide-width fabric, it can be stretched to be used on frames, as tent walls, ceiling swags or for tension structures. Available in four patterns.

SOURCE Dazian Fabrics