Industry News

SILVADUR Antimicrobials from Dow Microbial Control earns bluesign certification

September 24, 2018

SILVADUR™ Antimicrobials, patented antimicrobial technology for textiles and apparel from Dow Microbial Control, a global business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, has been certified by the bluesign® system. The certification signifies the safety of the technology to brands and manufacturers. Managed by the Swiss-based company bluesign Technologies AG, the system oversees the global textile …

Industry News

Eastman and ExactFlat collaborate

September 21, 2018

Eastman Machine Company, provider of cutting machine technologies, and ExactFlat, a provider of 3-D to 2-D digital patterning software, are collaborating to increase the efficiency of preparing and cutting patterns with digitally printed graphics. ExactFlat 3-D to 2-D digital patterning software creates flat patterns with graphics perfectly aligned. Once 2-D patterns are created, they can …

Industry News

Asheboro Elastics set for growth

September 20, 2018

Asheboro Elastics Corp. (AEC), a producer of knitted and woven narrow fabrics for the apparel and bedding industries, has retained Equity Partners to find new money, either debt or equity, or a strategic partner, to complement the company’s growth strategy. AEC has been working strategically over the last three years to position itself for growth …

Industry News

IFAI announces new Textile Career Center

September 19, 2018

The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced a new online career resource: the Textile Career Center. This new initiative will offer IFAI members, and the industry at large, an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource for online employment connections. For job seekers, the Textile Career Center will serve as a tool to find and apply …

Industry News

Arc’Teryx debuts film

September 19, 2018

Arc’Teryx, North Vancover, Canada, has debuted “The Science Behind Gore,” one of four short films in the “Who We Are” video series that explores the brand’s heritage, ethos and DNA. The film explores the technology collaborations between Gore and Arc’Teryx that have pushed industry standards forward, as well as the people and processes that continue …

Industry News

Bolger and O’Hearn products on ZDHC list

September 18, 2018

With the recent collaboration between bluesign® and ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), several of the chemistries developed by Bolger & O’Hearn Specialty Chemicals are now listed on the official ZDHC list of sustainable, approved textile industry chemistries. ZDHC is a global sustainability leader at the forefront of phasing out hazardous substances from the supply …

Industry News

AATCC wins Apex Award

September 18, 2018

AATCC has won an Apex award for its September/October 2017 feature article by Kilara Le in the AATCC Review. The annual Apex Awards are sponsored by Communications Concepts Inc. More than 1,400 entries were submitted for the 2018 contest with 556 Awards of Excellence and 100 Grand Awards presented recognizing exceptional and outstanding work. “Microfiber …

Industry News

Beckman joins Losberger DeBoer

September 17, 2018

Losberger DeBoer, Frederick, Md., has named Justin Beckman West Coast sales representative. He joins Losberger DeBoer with almost 20 years of event and tent experience. Starting as a stagehand, Becker migrated to the event rental world in college. After attending Colorado State University, he owned and operated a tent and event company in the Sioux …

Industry News

Joe Belli retires from Eide Industries

September 14, 2018

After a remarkable career of 37 years with Eide Industries Inc., based in Cerritos, Calif., Joe Belli has announced his retirement, effective September 6, 2018. Belli became part of the Eide team in 1981, ending as president of the company. From the start, he invested his time and abundant energy into building Eide Industries into …

Industry News

Postponed: 2018 Southern Textile Research Conference

September 14, 2018

Due to hurricane Florence, the 2018 Southern Textile Research Conference has been postponed. The conference was scheduled to take place September 16–18, 2018, at Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C. For more information, visit http://thestrc.org.

Business Members only content

Tax law changes make adding equipment and vehicles more affordable

September 1, 2018

Last December’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) not only slashed tax rates, it also enacted rules that allow businesses to treat as an expense and immediately write off more—including 100 percent temporary expensing for certain assets. This means adding needed equipment, vehicles or even a new shop building is now a lot more affordable. …

Business

Stop sexual harassment in your workplace

July 1, 2018

Far too often, the process of making bad and/or unethical choices begins with a simple, almost thoughtless decision. How do I know this? Well, I’ve seen it happen far too often. Harassment is not a sexy subject, and ethics are more than words. “The times they are a changing,” and that’s more than just song …

Business Members only content

Tracking supplier compliance for sustainable textile companies

May 1, 2018

The issue of compliance can be complicated for textile companies, which have to comply with various regulatory and voluntary company standards for product safety and restriction of substances. In the United States, for example, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) contains provisions that aim to improve the safety of children’s products. The European Union …

Business

California Community College Makerspaces offer work-based learning for students

April 10, 2018

The CCC Maker Initiative, administered by Sierra College (www.sierracollege.edu), is offering internships and work-based learning experiences for students through 24 California Community College makerspaces, where students gain technical, entrepreneurial and work-ready skills sought by employers. California Community Colleges participating in the CCC Maker (cccmaker.com) initiative to build makerspace communities are preparing students for careers through …

Business Members only content

Outside expertise: how to find affordable, professional help when you need it

March 1, 2018

While most owners of small- and medium-size businesses know the details of their companies intimately, there are often highly technical matters of law, accounting, management and marketing that are best handled by outside experts. Attorneys, accountants, and management and marketing advisers have specialized knowledge about niche areas that few business owners can hope to duplicate. …

Business Members only content

Savvy cash management helps your bottom line

January 1, 2018

Cash flow—the amount of money flowing into and out of your shop—is an easy concept to understand, yet not always well managed. Not every owner is aware of the impact skillful cash management has on net income, probably because the importance of managing revenue is far easier to recognize in some types of businesses than …

Business Members only content

New IRS accounting method changes

October 1, 2017

The tax returns of many businesses in the specialty fabrics industry have been—and will most likely continue to be—extra thick. Thanks to newly issued “repair regulations,” tax return filings for last year included more work on “Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method” than usual. Fortunately, the IRS recently made it easier for small …

Business Members only content

Smart documentation is key to selling your business

September 1, 2017

No matter where in the world we run our businesses, we aspire to be successful, profitable and happy. We have either started the business from nothing, purchased an existing enterprise or taken the reins of the family business. Often, we begin with limited skills, have minimal formal industry training and largely “learn by our mistakes.” …

Business Members only content

How to attract and hire exceptional employees

August 1, 2017

In the buyer’s market of recent years, it was probably easy for you to attract top-notch job candidates. Not so much today. With new job creation being healthier than expected in 2016, and further increases so far this year, finding and hiring the best candidates for your shop will no longer be a slam dunk. …

Business

Understand your customers’ personalities for better sales

July 1, 2017

Elemental keys to staying in sync and making the sale. The first thing you need to know is that your customers are different—from each other, and from you. You may feel that you already know that, but I can tell you that many business owners and professionals have lamented to me that the client they …

Feature

Nonwovens in the automotive industry

September 1, 2018

“I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics.”  When Dustin Hoffman’s character Benjamin Braddock heard those words in the iconic movie The Graduate in 1967, the use of plastics—or polymer-based materials—was on the rise. (This, although plastics had been around for almost 100 years; the first synthetic polymer was invented …

Feature

Moving military textiles into commercial markets

September 1, 2018

Located in Philadelphia, Pa., and founded in 1929, Ehmke Manufacturing Co. Inc. has made the military its primary target from the beginning, designing and fabricating a wide array of technical fabrics not just for all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, but for allies and the defense industry in general. Products directed to the market …

Feature

Harold Warner and Dynamic Air Shelters develop larger and tougher inflatable structures

September 1, 2018

“I love the word resilience,” says Harold Warner, majority owner and president of Dynamic Air Shelters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Whether you’re operating on a physical plane or a psychological plane, resilience enables you to deflect danger and harm. What our company has done is expand and elevate the state of inflatable resilience in response to …

Feature Members only content

Fabrics bring museum exhibits to life

August 1, 2018

Visitors to the new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Miss., are bound to be moved by the multiplicity of impressions, sounds, lights and graphic images that could only be presented with the aid of fabric. “This Little Light of Mine,” the name of the main exhibition at the Jackson museum, aims to immerse visitors …

Feature Members only content

Added value experiences keep the customers around

July 30, 2018

Delivering an added-value experience can help companies pull ahead of the pack, giving customers the incentive to return—while also elevating the business and the entire industry. It can be challenging to stand out from the scrum of companies clamoring for attention and business. More challenging still is inspiring the kind of loyalty that keeps customers …

Feature

Brenda Hagerty and Porcupine Canvas: sales and customer-focused marketing

July 1, 2018

“Cold calls are a thing of the past,” says Brenda Hagerty, co-owner and president of Porcupine Canvas Manufacturing Ltd. in Boucherville, Quebec, Canada. “Calling someone out of the blue to try to sell them something just doesn’t work in today’s industry. What clients want are our feet on the ground.” Hagerty’s history with Porcupine Canvas …

Feature Members only content

Enhancing workplace (and worker) performance: automation and technology, equipment ROI and the new workforce

July 1, 2018

Canvas Innovations in Holland, Mich., focuses on custom marine canvas and upholstery products, says owner Chris Ritsema. The company also has a smaller portion of the business dedicated to other textile-related products, such as porch enclosures, shade sails, awning recovery, furniture covers, golf cart enclosures and a wealth of other custom projects. “We continue to …

Feature Members only content

Stressed? Interactive textiles monitor humans and structures for potential damage

July 1, 2018

During the evening rush-hour traffic, the eight-lane 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis suddenly collapsed on August 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The bridge was a continuous truss design, and an overstressed gusset plate at a critical joint was later determined as the weak point that contributed to its …

Feature Members only content

Sign language: The fabric sign and banner market is hotter than ever

July 1, 2018

Ask average consumers what springs to mind when they hear the words “signs and banners,” and they’ll likely describe wayfinding placards and lengths of logo-imprinted fabric hanging from street poles. And although placards and pennants have their place in the sign and banner arena, this is a market segment with innovative and expanding applications in …

Markets Members only content

Recommended fabric cleaning products

September 1, 2018

It’s pretty simple. People buy boats because they want to have fun. The reality, however, is that work—the opposite of fun—is required to keep any watercraft in tip-top condition. Therein lies the rub. “A lot of boaters don’t want to do all the cleaning and maintenance,” says Marianne Iosso, vice president of Iosso® Products of …

Advanced Textiles

Textile-based robots

September 1, 2018

A Harvard collaboration develops soft, wearable robotics for hands. Soft, wearable robotics is an emerging field that looks at methods of enabling functional, powered support to assist human movements using lightweight, low-profile and flexible materials such as textiles. A diverse team of researchers in the Harvard Biodesign Lab at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired …

Markets Members only content

Prototypes and progress: The problems of today are the products of tomorrow

August 1, 2018

  Good companies allocate time, energy, money and resources to the art of product development. Why? Because the products of tomorrow can’t be developed without working through the problems of today. Whether you’re doing product research and development for your own products or you’ve been hired by a customer to conduct the work, there’s a …

Advanced Textiles

Textile-based bio materials mend bodies

July 30, 2018

Textile-based biomaterials, or biotextiles, have the longest history in the field of biomaterials. In ancient China and Egypt as far back as 2000 B.C., natural fibers such as linen, silk, bark, horsehair and dried guts were used as suture materials for wound closure. The introduction of steel wire and synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon …

Markets Members only content

Future architecture: Nicholas Goldsmith and the journey from mass to membrane

July 1, 2018

Nicholas “Nic” Goldsmith, FAIA, has been a major player for more than 40 years in the development of fabric architecture in North America and around the globe through his leadership of the innovative architectural/engineering firm FTL Design Engineering Studio, based in New York City. I’ve known Nic for more than 20 of those years, and …

Advanced Textiles

New technologies make textiles interactive and smarter

July 1, 2018

Textiles are well established as passive materials offering comfort and protection, as well as design and fashion choices. With strong interest in promoting textile manufacturing and enhancing the utility and performance of textiles, academia and government researchers have initiated efforts to enable them to be active as well. Textiles that can provide functional performance properties, …

Markets Members only content

How to use the H-2B program to hire legal temporary guest workers

June 1, 2018

For tent and event rental companies, the busy season not only brings the promise of more work, it also ups the need for more workers, a worry for businesses facing potential labor shortages. In response, some U.S. businesses turn to the H-2B program, hoping to fill their seasonal needs by employing legal temporary immigrant labor, …

Advanced Textiles

Redefining textiles

June 1, 2018

New materials and manufacturing processes give the word “textile” new meaning. Textile technology is undergoing a revolution, with innovative structures, raw materials and manufacturing platforms creating new fabrics that defy old-school definitions. Introductory textile science classes teach that textiles are materials that can be woven, knit, crocheted, knotted or felted from yarns spun from cellulose, …

Markets Members only content

Zipper tricks: tips and techniques

May 1, 2018

Providing an excellent end product is paramount to marine fabricators, and zippers play a vital role in the long-term functionality of everything from covers to cushions. But zippers can be tricky. Choosing the right one can be confusing, and working with zippers in difficult situations takes both expertise and patience. Important features For Rebecca Tarockoff, …

Advanced Textiles

Developing NASA’s next-generation spacesuit

May 1, 2018

Human space exploration is one of the most ambitious and exciting endeavors upon which we’ve ever embarked, and it has always been an integral part of the U.S. space program. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sent our first astronaut, Alan Shepard, on a suborbital flight in 1961, and eight years later landed a …

Industry News

SILVADUR Antimicrobials from Dow Microbial Control earns bluesign certification

September 24, 2018

SILVADUR™ Antimicrobials, patented antimicrobial technology for textiles and apparel from Dow Microbial Control, a global business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, has been certified by the bluesign® system. The certification signifies the safety of the technology to brands and manufacturers. Managed by the Swiss-based company bluesign Technologies AG, the system oversees the global textile …

Industry News

Eastman and ExactFlat collaborate

September 21, 2018

Eastman Machine Company, provider of cutting machine technologies, and ExactFlat, a provider of 3-D to 2-D digital patterning software, are collaborating to increase the efficiency of preparing and cutting patterns with digitally printed graphics. ExactFlat 3-D to 2-D digital patterning software creates flat patterns with graphics perfectly aligned. Once 2-D patterns are created, they can …

Industry News

Asheboro Elastics set for growth

September 20, 2018

Asheboro Elastics Corp. (AEC), a producer of knitted and woven narrow fabrics for the apparel and bedding industries, has retained Equity Partners to find new money, either debt or equity, or a strategic partner, to complement the company’s growth strategy. AEC has been working strategically over the last three years to position itself for growth …

Industry News

IFAI announces new Textile Career Center

September 19, 2018

The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced a new online career resource: the Textile Career Center. This new initiative will offer IFAI members, and the industry at large, an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource for online employment connections. For job seekers, the Textile Career Center will serve as a tool to find and apply …

Industry News

Arc’Teryx debuts film

September 19, 2018

Arc’Teryx, North Vancover, Canada, has debuted “The Science Behind Gore,” one of four short films in the “Who We Are” video series that explores the brand’s heritage, ethos and DNA. The film explores the technology collaborations between Gore and Arc’Teryx that have pushed industry standards forward, as well as the people and processes that continue …

Industry News

Bolger and O’Hearn products on ZDHC list

September 18, 2018

With the recent collaboration between bluesign® and ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), several of the chemistries developed by Bolger & O’Hearn Specialty Chemicals are now listed on the official ZDHC list of sustainable, approved textile industry chemistries. ZDHC is a global sustainability leader at the forefront of phasing out hazardous substances from the supply …

Industry News

AATCC wins Apex Award

September 18, 2018

AATCC has won an Apex award for its September/October 2017 feature article by Kilara Le in the AATCC Review. The annual Apex Awards are sponsored by Communications Concepts Inc. More than 1,400 entries were submitted for the 2018 contest with 556 Awards of Excellence and 100 Grand Awards presented recognizing exceptional and outstanding work. “Microfiber …

Industry News

Beckman joins Losberger DeBoer

September 17, 2018

Losberger DeBoer, Frederick, Md., has named Justin Beckman West Coast sales representative. He joins Losberger DeBoer with almost 20 years of event and tent experience. Starting as a stagehand, Becker migrated to the event rental world in college. After attending Colorado State University, he owned and operated a tent and event company in the Sioux …

Industry News

Joe Belli retires from Eide Industries

September 14, 2018

After a remarkable career of 37 years with Eide Industries Inc., based in Cerritos, Calif., Joe Belli has announced his retirement, effective September 6, 2018. Belli became part of the Eide team in 1981, ending as president of the company. From the start, he invested his time and abundant energy into building Eide Industries into …

Industry News

Postponed: 2018 Southern Textile Research Conference

September 14, 2018

Due to hurricane Florence, the 2018 Southern Textile Research Conference has been postponed. The conference was scheduled to take place September 16–18, 2018, at Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C. For more information, visit http://thestrc.org.

Products

Practical products with punchy effects

September 1, 2018

Versatile webbing Bally Ribbon Mills offers high-quality, high-performance webbing to meet the demands of recreational applications including the commercial and sport markets. The webbing is appropriate for a range of recreational applications including binding tape, chin straps, harnesses, packs, climbing webs, pet leashes, and parachute and balloon setups. Available in nylon, polyester, polypropylene, Kevlar®, Nomex®, …

Products

Faster printer

July 1, 2018

The Mutoh ValueJet 1948WX is recommended for everyday and high-production sublimation printing. With its staggered four-head design, it prints at speeds up to 2,199 sq ft./hr., with applications for trade show graphics, promotional items, flags, interior decor, apparel and more. Designed with advanced features such as a rear media feed lever for easy material handling, …

Products

Durable health care upholstery fabric

July 1, 2018

KnollTextiles’ Between the Lines collection offers performance, bleach-cleanable upholstery, privacy fabric and wallcovering for the health care and industrial markets. The collection includes coated upholstery fabrics such as Brigadoon 21, a phthalate-free vinyl upholstery fabric priced at less than forty dollars per yard. Ribbon Stripe is a certified Healthier Hospitals Initiative-compliant privacy fabric stocked with …

Products

High visibility striping

July 1, 2018

World Emblem’s high-visibility striping can be applied to work apparel, vests and many other clothing items to increase visibility and safety. Appropriate for construction workers, firefighters, police officers and others who need as much visibility as possible while working in low light or potentially hazardous conditions. Offered in 10 different trims and 48 standard placement …

Products

Ultra-light composite grid fabric

July 1, 2018

TeXtreme® has added ±45° Grid fabric to its Spread Tow line of ultra-light composites to further optimize solutions for new applications in advanced aerospace, industrial and sports product markets. Used alone or in combination with other TeXtreme products, the Grid fabric helps reduce the weight of products without sacrificing mechanical properties. The new grid fabric …

Products

Flame-resistant stretch fabric

July 1, 2018

Teijin Aramid’s Teijinconex Coolnex Stretch is a flame-resistant, durable stretch fabric that is also highly comfortable for workwear applications. The unique single-layer, high-performance textile combines FR protection with Solotex® stretch technology, which offers excellent fabric memory, elasticity and flexibility. Current workwear fabric using polyurethane is susceptible to reduced stretch and recovery over time, has poor …

Products

Slide-in-wire canopy

July 1, 2018

The patented Infinity Canopy is a dynamic and versatile slide-on-wire canopy. Its modular design allows it to adapt to any space, be configured in one or multiple colors, and change within minutes to create new designs and patterns—even on existing pergolas. It uses readily available parts and shade panels, which eliminates production time and simplifies …

Products

Wider IFR canvas

June 1, 2018

Gerriets IFR Super Canvas CS is a 40-foot-wide inherently flame-retardant (IFR) canvas woven from high-quality Trevira CS polyester. This means 40-foot-high seamless cycloramas, drops and projection surfaces are now available in a heavy-duty IFR material. The canvas allows even the largest theaters and opera houses to have seamless IFR soft goods with a long working life …

Products

Leaner welder

June 1, 2018

Amada Miyachi America’s updated LMWS Pulsed Fiber Laser Welding System is a highly configurable, compact unit designed for lean manufacturing. The system features a versatile high-power, high-speed laser available in 20-70 Watt (W) powers for welding metals and plastics. The LMWS is ideal for welding dissimilar metals, including copper to aluminum, aluminum to stainless and …

Products

Friendlier faux

June 1, 2018

Mitchell’s high-performance faux leather, Sta-Kleen Silicone, is designed especially for health care applications. The fabric is engineered to be environmentally friendly using a solvent-free manufacturing process and very little water. It is resistant to stains, chemical disinfectants, mildew, hydrolysis, UV and denim dye, and delivers superior cold crack performance. The fabric is VOC free and …

Projects

Art installation dances with the breeze

September 1, 2018

Downtown Phoenix’s Arizona Center is undergoing a major transformation. One of the objectives was to open up the inward-looking space to connect it to the surrounding neighborhood, creating a more interactive and spontaneous experience for the public. The one-million-square-foot multi-use project includes shopping, restaurants, entertainment, office space and residential units. Creating space within the center …

Projects

Spider silk builds strong bones

September 1, 2018

The process of mending broken bones can be long and difficult. Load-bearing bones sometimes require a metal plate for support, which can lead to other problems such as irritation and rigidity. Researchers at the University of Connecticut decided to turn to nature for a solution. Led by Professor Mei Wei, the team investigated silk fibroin, …

Projects

Smart wearable tracks sports performance

September 1, 2018

A new device puts a “coach” on the back of elite aspiring athletes, enabling them to track their performance and improve their game. PLAYR is a smart wearable vest designed by Benjamin Hubert of LAYER, an experience design agency, for Catapult, a sports analytics and tech company. Catapult works with more than 1,500 elite sports teams …

Projects

Tree stump sculptures made from fabric

September 1, 2018

The inspiration for artist Tamara Kostianovsky’s fabric sculptures comes from an unlikely place. As a young girl, she worked in a surgeon’s office where she encountered the human body in ways most of us never do, seeing the world beneath the skin—veins, ligaments, muscles and chunks of fat. The colors, texture and movement fascinated her. …

Projects

Breath/ng sculpture absorbs air pollution

September 1, 2018

Milan Design Week is the ultimate destination in the world of design. The city is transformed into a showcase for hundreds of artists, designers and brands to present their creative best. For this year’s show held in April, the organizers challenged the industry to incorporate innovation and sustainability into their offerings. Acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo …

Projects

Performance clothing for astronauts

September 1, 2018

Performance clothing made of fabrics with cooling technology is readily available today. But how would similar fabrics function in space? That’s what a team of researchers wants to know, and they are working to get answers on the International Space Station (ISS). There, German ESA astronaut Dr. Alexander Gerst conducted physiology experiments investigating the interaction …

Projects

Textile strips create a stunning window display

August 1, 2018

Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake’s Spring-Summer 2018 collection takes its inspiration from Iceland’s natural beauty. The collection is fresh, clean and bold with unique textures and shapes in bright blues, greens, whites and yellows. Miyake turned to We+, a Tokyo-based contemporary design studio, to create a window display for the collection at the Matsuya Ginza …

Projects

Pink pavilion floats in Belgium

August 1, 2018

The historic city of Bruges, Belgium, with its medieval architecture, network of canals and cobblestone streets, is also home to an excitingly modern architecture festival. The Triennale Brugge, which runs through September 2018, showcases designs by contemporary architects and artists from around the world. This year’s theme, Liquid City, challenged the designers to consider architecture …

Projects

A dome tent that breathes

August 1, 2018

Jotaro Yoshida, founder of the Japanese sporting goods company Locus Gear, found inspiration for his latest dome tent in a dream. While staying in a mountain hut, Yoshida dreamed that his grandfather visited him and told him to build a tent. That motivated him to develop the Djedi Dome tent—which took four years and included …

Projects

Adaptive cooling technology for clothing

August 1, 2018

We all have the ability to regulate our body temperatures by sweating through our skin. As the moisture we produce evaporates, the skin cools naturally. But our clothing hampers this process. Swiss Textile innovator HeiQ has solved this problem with cooling technology applied to textiles that complements the natural perspiration process. It works like a …