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Press Release
IFAI Expo 2018 Delivers Valuable and Engaging Event!
November 13, 2018
Industrial Fabrics Association International Expo (IFAI Expo) offered a wide variety of exhibitors, events and education and was attended by more than 4,850 verified participants! DALLAS, TX— The 98th IFAI Expo attracted more than 4,350 verified registered participants from IFAI Expo and 500 scanned leads from CAMX to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for …
Industry News
SDL Atlas partners with Odak Kimya
November 12, 2018
SDL Atlas has named Odak Kimya Ltd. as its exclusive representative for Turkey. Founded in 1998, Odak Kimya Ltd. has a long-established history in the Turkish market representing premiere color measurement systems. SDL Atlas is committed to providing customers confidence in standard-based testing. With offices and experts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong …
Industry News
Textile chemicals market growth
November 9, 2018
“Textile Chemicals Market by Fiber, Product Type, Application, and Region—Global Forecast to 2023,” a report by ResearchAndMarkets.com, looks at the growth of the global textile chemicals market. Estimated at $26 billion in 2018, the market is projected to reach $31.64 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 4.0 percent. The market is witnessing growth due …
Industry News
Transformit wins merit award
November 8, 2018
Montaje Apartments Luminaire, a collaboration of the tension-fabric design studio, Transformit, and the multidisciplinary design firm, Planeta Design Group, received a CODAawards Merit Award in the competition’s residential category. Installed in the lobby of the newly opened Montaje apartments at Assembly Row, Somerville, Mass., the sculptural luminaire uses semi-opaque and mesh tension fabrics to create …
Industry News
E-textile markets mature
November 7, 2018
An updated report from IDTechEx, “E-Textiles 2018-2028: Technologies, Markets and Players,” provides an overview of the electronic textiles ecosystem and its developing maturity. With research over the last five years, IDTechEx analysts have compiled details about the entire value chain, revenue data by product type, comments on future market development and forecasts from 2018–2028. The …
Industry News
SBA provides $18 million for export growth
November 6, 2018
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that $18 million in funding has been awarded to 47 state international trade agencies through SBA’s competitive State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), to support export growth among U.S. small businesses. The 2018 STEP awards will allow states to assist small businesses with the information and tools they need …
Industry News
Schoeller celebrates 150 years
November 5, 2018
Schoeller Textil AG, a global textile solutions brand specializing in the development and production of innovative technical fabrics and smart textile finishing technologies, is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Schoeller began as Switzerland’s first worsted yarn spinning mill in 1868 and has since achieved worldwide recognition for its technical textiles and dedication to sustainability. For its …
Awards
MMPA honors IFAI magazines in three categories
November 2, 2018
Specialty Fabrics Review has been awarded the first-place Gold Award for Overall Excellence by the Minnesota Media and Publishing Association (MMPA). Galynn Nordstrom, senior editor of Review, accepted the award November 1 at MMPA’s annual gala that recognizes publishing excellence. Todd Berger, senior editor of Geosynthetics, accepted a second-place Silver Award in the directories category …
Projects
Soft and flexible fabric generates electricity
November 1, 2018
What if your favorite shirt could also power your digital watch? Researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology have created a woven fabric that generates electricity when stretched or exposed to pressure. Working in cooperation with the Swedish School of Textiles in Borås and the research institute Swerea IVF, researchers Anja Lund and Christian Müller …
Advanced Textiles
Early adopters affect product development
November 1, 2018
IoClothes describes itself as “A Community Fusing Tech & Textiles™” that exists to support those who innovate in the smart textile industry by providing information and helping them to establish the right connections to move forward. Managing director Ben Cooper says, “About 30–40 percent of the [textile] industry has a warm-to-hot interest in innovation—new processes, …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Business
Fringe benefits benefit employers and employees
November 1, 2018
Whether it’s a result of a booming economy, tighter immigration laws or an educational system gone astray, finding qualified job applicants has become increasingly more difficult for those in the specialty fabrics industry. How can small businesses compete for badly needed, qualified workers? Thanks to our unique tax laws, every business can afford to offer …
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. …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Expo News
2018 Outstanding Volunteer Awards presented at IFAI Expo
October 18, 2018
At the annual meeting during IFAI Expo 2018 in Dallas, Texas, IFAI presented this year’s Outstanding Volunteer Awards, to people who generously gave of their time by serving on different boards, task forces and committees, judging competitions and providing education and leadership to others in the industry. The Outstanding Volunteer Award program was developed in …
Expo News
Mary Hennessy: IFAI’s newest Honored Life Member
October 18, 2018
On Wednesday, Oct. 17, at IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo in Dallas, Texas, association leaders announced that Mary Hennessy had been given Honored Life Member status for her many years of service to IFAI and, most notably, for her leadership as president and CEO of the association for the six years before her retirement …
Expo News
2018 Fabric Structures Student Design Competition Winners Announced
October 18, 2018
The Fabric Structures Association (FSA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), recently announced the recipients of the 2018 Fabric Structures Student Design Competition awards. The winners were announced at IFAI Expo 2018, held Oct. 15-18 in Dallas, Texas. First Place Rafael Dias Simoes, Kevin Barthelmebs and Fabien Burgeat from ENSAVT University won …
Expo News
2018 Advanced Textiles Student Design Competition Winners Announced
October 18, 2018
Advanced Textile Products and the Narrow Fabrics Institute, divisions of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), recently selected the winners of the 2018 Advanced Textiles Student Design Competition. The awards were announced during IFAI Expo 2018, held in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 15-18. First Place First-place honors went to J. Walter Lee, Stephanie Wang and Caroline …
Expo News
Small shops: Tips for shortening your lead times
October 17, 2018
Torey Heinz, of Teagles Consulting, has a background in small manufacturing jobs shops. This gives him a good sense of how poor workflow and other issues can affect a small shop’s lead times. Shortening lead time is important, Teagle told participants at his Oct. 17 Expo session, because shorter lead times mean increased sales and …
Expo News
Shade sails clinic
October 17, 2018
On October 17 at IFAI Expo 2018 in Dallas, Texas, Brydon Roe from Shade Sails Canada Inc., Revelstoke, British Columbia, led a shade sails campfire session where he shared his business’s top dos and don’ts for installing shade sails. When it comes to shade sail fabric options, Roe recommended polyester, Commercial95 (or a mid-grade shade …
Expo News
The right technology can save you money
October 17, 2018
Trying to figure out which technology can save a business money can be confusing given all the options available. In his Oct. 17 Expo session, “Using Technology to Improve the Bottom Line,” Mark Stiver, manager of ecommerce, strategy and analytics for Trivantage, gave a high-level view of the primary types of technology available to specialty …
Expo News
Testing basics provide key communication points on textile products
October 17, 2018
When you plan to sell a textile product, there are numerous reasons to test it before taking it to market. Many of those testing results tell you what you can ultimately communicate to others about your product, and what they can expect of your product. Dr. Emiel DenHartog, North Carolina State University, College of Textiles, …
Expo News
IFAI Expo 2018: Show Stopper winners on the floor
October 17, 2018
All the best from Texas: Wednesday morning, Oct. 17, at IFAI Expo led off with lists of winners for the year, including the most popular products on the show floor. The seventh annual Show Stopper competition was designed to showcase the best of the best in the industry, from fabrics, equipment and chemicals to services …
Expo News
The way forward with geosynthetics in the US Army Corps of Engineers is focus of plenary at GeoDallas
October 17, 2018
Jeb Tingle, senior research engineer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Miss., delivered the plenary address at GeoDallas on Oct. 17 on “Advancing the Nation’s Infrastructure: The USACE Role.” “There’s a big role for research and innovation,” Tingle said. “Doing business as usual won’t give …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Feature
A commitment to growth: Don Alhanati uses automation and lean manufacturing to ensure market diversity and growth for CustomFab USA
November 1, 2018
One of the keys to our success is our investment in advanced automated equipment,” says Don Alhanati, founder and president of CustomFab USA in Garden Grove, Calif. “That, and the fact that we have a creative staff. We are always looking at ways to do things smarter.” Alhanati had worked 12 years at a manufacturing …
Feature
Seeing is believing: make sure your website and social media strategies are smart, engaging, informative, and visually appealing
November 1, 2018
Perhaps your company relies on good old-fashioned word-of-mouth publicity and steers clear of social media. Maybe your marketing efforts emphasize trade shows and real-world connections, quite successfully, rather than online communications. But you did just update your website … five years ago. Things have changed. Now your customers all have a phone in their hands, …
Feature
Growth in the inflatables market is coming from safety and protection
November 1, 2018
Everybody knows about inflatables. They’re the bouncy houses rented for kids’ birthday parties, or the big blow-up gorilla that the local car dealership uses to attract customers. The real growth in the use of inflatable technology, however, is in much more serious (and practical) applications—even if they aren’t nearly as visible to most of us. …
Feature
Managing urban water issues with geosynthetics
November 1, 2018
As more land is lost to urban sprawl, and managing stormwater and wastewater runoff from hard-surface pavements has become a growing necessity, green infrastructure strategies are front and center in the minds of city planners, engineers and others focused on environmental and quality-of-life issues. Green infrastructure (GI) is a sustainable, low-cost and environmentally friendly approach …
Feature
To sew or to seal: expanding the toolbox
October 1, 2018
To sew or to seal is a question that some fabricators have answered by gearing their offerings toward products that utilize either the former or the latter, but not both. While this kind of specialization can be a viable and lucrative strategy, expanding the toolbox to incorporate both sewing and sealing can often prove even …
Feature
Performance finishes for performance textiles
October 1, 2018
Perhaps the people who develop textile finishings by coating or laminating could best be described as the unsung problem solvers—superheroes, even—of the textile performance world. Do they wear capes? Maybe they should—textile capes finished with performance-enhancing treatments. Problem solving is the basis of their work, as they treat textiles to enhance performance, in response to …
Feature
Riding the pendulum of industry change: Awnings by Bigley and Hogshire
October 1, 2018
“We have to be diverse and knowledgeable about the various types of products people are making in the industry,” says Taylor Bigley, co-owner and president of Awnings by Bigley & Hogshire, Hampton Roads, Va. “What’s in demand changes—the pendulum swings each way—and we have to react to it.” The roots of Awnings by Bigley & …
Feature
Strategies for how and when to grow your company
October 1, 2018
They’re called “growing pains” for a reason. You’ve put in the blood, sweat and tears (and a few bucks) necessary to make your business a success. You’ve made your customers happy, and they’ve told their friends. There’s never been enough time in the day, but now … it’s getting tough to manage it all. It’s …
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 …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Advanced Textiles
Early adopters affect product development
November 1, 2018
IoClothes describes itself as “A Community Fusing Tech & Textiles™” that exists to support those who innovate in the smart textile industry by providing information and helping them to establish the right connections to move forward. Managing director Ben Cooper says, “About 30–40 percent of the [textile] industry has a warm-to-hot interest in innovation—new processes, …
Markets
Members only content
A faster path to market through industry dialogue and profitable partnerships
November 1, 2018
If innovation is a key to growth and profitability because of the differentiation it can offer in our broadly commoditized industrial fabrics industry—one that for decades has been under strong pricing pressure from low-cost imports—then R&D is an essential component of a company’s toolbox for financial success. My experience, however, coincides with the observation of …
Markets
Members only content
Basic training principles for new and long-time tent installers
October 1, 2018
Labor is a problem everywhere, with tent rental companies experiencing constant turnover and the need to train new installers. Desperate to fill out their crews, tent renters will often send new employees on the road for installations right off the bat, with training coming on the job from long-time employees. But just because a crew …
Advanced Textiles
Incorporating new materials into composites
October 1, 2018
In material science, strength alone is often found to have its limitations; a combination of hard and soft, rigid and flexible is an area of increasing interest for a wide range of applications from construction, to sports equipment, to protective apparel. Composites bring together two or more materials to provide one that has novel features, …
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, …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Industry News
SDL Atlas partners with Odak Kimya
November 12, 2018
SDL Atlas has named Odak Kimya Ltd. as its exclusive representative for Turkey. Founded in 1998, Odak Kimya Ltd. has a long-established history in the Turkish market representing premiere color measurement systems. SDL Atlas is committed to providing customers confidence in standard-based testing. With offices and experts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong …
Industry News
Textile chemicals market growth
November 9, 2018
“Textile Chemicals Market by Fiber, Product Type, Application, and Region—Global Forecast to 2023,” a report by ResearchAndMarkets.com, looks at the growth of the global textile chemicals market. Estimated at $26 billion in 2018, the market is projected to reach $31.64 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 4.0 percent. The market is witnessing growth due …
Industry News
Transformit wins merit award
November 8, 2018
Montaje Apartments Luminaire, a collaboration of the tension-fabric design studio, Transformit, and the multidisciplinary design firm, Planeta Design Group, received a CODAawards Merit Award in the competition’s residential category. Installed in the lobby of the newly opened Montaje apartments at Assembly Row, Somerville, Mass., the sculptural luminaire uses semi-opaque and mesh tension fabrics to create …
Industry News
E-textile markets mature
November 7, 2018
An updated report from IDTechEx, “E-Textiles 2018-2028: Technologies, Markets and Players,” provides an overview of the electronic textiles ecosystem and its developing maturity. With research over the last five years, IDTechEx analysts have compiled details about the entire value chain, revenue data by product type, comments on future market development and forecasts from 2018–2028. The …
Industry News
SBA provides $18 million for export growth
November 6, 2018
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that $18 million in funding has been awarded to 47 state international trade agencies through SBA’s competitive State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), to support export growth among U.S. small businesses. The 2018 STEP awards will allow states to assist small businesses with the information and tools they need …
Industry News
Schoeller celebrates 150 years
November 5, 2018
Schoeller Textil AG, a global textile solutions brand specializing in the development and production of innovative technical fabrics and smart textile finishing technologies, is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Schoeller began as Switzerland’s first worsted yarn spinning mill in 1868 and has since achieved worldwide recognition for its technical textiles and dedication to sustainability. For its …
Awards
MMPA honors IFAI magazines in three categories
November 2, 2018
Specialty Fabrics Review has been awarded the first-place Gold Award for Overall Excellence by the Minnesota Media and Publishing Association (MMPA). Galynn Nordstrom, senior editor of Review, accepted the award November 1 at MMPA’s annual gala that recognizes publishing excellence. Todd Berger, senior editor of Geosynthetics, accepted a second-place Silver Award in the directories category …
Industry News
Fisher Textiles wins three awards
November 1, 2018
The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association recognized three of Fisher Textiles’ fabric medias in the categories of Apparel, Banner and Flag for the Association’s 2018 Product of the Year competition. This year’s competition included 68 categories and a record setting field of 255 submissions. Fisher’s winning fabric medias include ET 3200 Hoodie, GF 4019 Nirvana B.O.B.® …
Industry News
Coated fabrics market growth
October 31, 2018
The ResearchAndMarkets.com report “Engineered Coated Fabrics Market by End-Use Industry Type, by Coating Type, by Substrate Type, by Coating Process Type, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018–2023” is now available. The report details the growth rate of the global engineered coated fabrics market, which is expected to reach US $891.5 …
Industry News
New leadership for Military Division made official at IFAI Expo
October 30, 2018
On October 17, 2018, during IFAI’s Expo 2018 in Dallas, Texas, the Military Division held its annual open meeting to announce board transitions and the ongoing programs and initiatives of the division. Leaving his term as chair of the board, Nick Rivera of MMI Textiles is stepping into the role of immediate past chair. Former …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Products
New and flexible fabrics
October 1, 2018
Sound barrier EPT’s XTRM Ply SoundSafe™ is uniquely designed to act as an acoustic barrier, reducing noise transmission through floors, walls and ceilings. It is a smooth, reinforced high-density Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) recommended as an acoustic wrap for machinery, equipment and ductwork. A typical application consists of applying the product over studs, joists or …
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 …
Sponsored Content
The 2018 Specialty Fabrics Review Online Buyer’s Guide is now available.
Projects
Soft and flexible fabric generates electricity
November 1, 2018
What if your favorite shirt could also power your digital watch? Researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology have created a woven fabric that generates electricity when stretched or exposed to pressure. Working in cooperation with the Swedish School of Textiles in Borås and the research institute Swerea IVF, researchers Anja Lund and Christian Müller …
Projects
Light-filtering awnings enhance a view
November 1, 2018
It’s all about the view when your apartment is located in the town of Teramo on the slopes of Italy’s Gran Sasso, the highest mountain in the Apennines range. Panoramic ceiling-to-floor windows installed in each room take advantage of the landscape. There’s only one problem: All that spectacular scenery and light also comes with the …
Projects
Tropical greenhouse housed under ETFE dome
November 1, 2018
Imagine entering a tropical utopia where the weather is always a perfect 82 degrees and a beautiful setting of flowers, lush greenery, ponds, waterfalls, butterflies, birds and other creatures awaits. This environment isn’t just a dream. Plans are in development to build the world’s largest tropical greenhouse under a single dome in the Pas-de-Calais area …
Projects
Ultra-sustainable electric car uses biological materials
November 1, 2018
The mantra, “reduce, reuse, recycle” has been taken to a new level by students at Netherlands Eindhoven University of Technology. They developed an ultra-sustainable electric car that gets a remarkable 744 miles to the gallon. The students considered the environmental impact of every aspect of the automobile, including production, consumption and recycling, in order to …
Projects
Patch offers gear-repair on the go
November 1, 2018
It happens when you least expect it. That new down vest or cozy sleeping bag catches on something and suddenly it’s ripped. Repairs can be costly and time consuming. The common “duct tape” patch doesn’t quite cut it. That was the thinking of Kelli Jones, an active outdoorswoman who wanted to find a better and …
Projects
Airline upcycles old uniforms
November 1, 2018
Last May, when Delta Airlines introduced new uniforms created by fashion designer Zac Posen for its 64,000 employees, the company had to decide what to do with the old clothing—more than one million pieces of uniforms adding up to 350,000 pounds. Delta found a unique way to give the old uniforms new life: it partnered …
Projects
Curtains for 3-D holograms at the Museum of Applied Art Cologne
October 1, 2018
The annual IMM Cologne International Interiors Show, held each January, offers a first peek at the trends in interior design for the coming year. More than 1,300 exhibitors from around the world display an exciting and diverse variety of furniture and designs. At the 2018 show, Stylepark AG, the Frankfurt-based online platform for architectural products, …
Projects
Going solar with Tommy Hilfiger
October 1, 2018
Most people have had this experience: You are out in public and suddenly realize your smart phone battery desperately needs recharging, but there is nowhere to plug it in. Pvilion, a Brooklyn-based designer and manufacturer of flexible PV solar structures, and designer Tommy Hilfiger have collaborated to develop a solar-powered tote and clutch that provides …
Projects
Transparent, self-adhesive textile shades windows
October 1, 2018
As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention—or in this case, it’s the father. Specifically, Philippe Lampe, owner of Lampe Textiles in Tielt, Belgium, was looking for a way to provide his son some privacy in his college room. Lampe’s son wanted curtains for his window, but he wasn’t allowed to attach anything …
Projects
Fabrics create comfortable shelters
October 1, 2018
A group of designers at Bora Architects, a Portland, Ore., firm, had an interesting idea they wanted to explore. The group considered the way in which modern American life, with all its comforts, creates a barrier to the natural world. Increasingly, the buildings we inhabit no longer reflect the regional climates in which they exist, as …
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The Greater Good
MMI Textiles builds a better community, and workplace, one volunteer event at a time
November 1, 2018
Integrity, service and teamwork are at the center of everything MMI Textiles does, extending beyond working with customers and hiring employees to supporting its community. “Giving back not only goes with our core values, but it also provides an opportunity to work as a team to affect and impact the lives of others less fortunate. …
The Greater Good
Safety Components puts its business acumen to work for charity
October 1, 2018
Following the events of 9/11, Joey Underwood, senior vice president of Safety Components in Greenville, S.C., witnessed several neighborhood efforts to raise money for families of the fallen firefighters in New York City. “I remember driving past a bake sale and thinking, ‘We’re in that business—we should do something, too,” he says. Safety Components develops …
The Greater Good
Aurora Specialty Textiles Group invests in American manufacturing
September 1, 2018
When it became obvious to Aurora Specialty Textiles Group (ASTG) that its 132-year-old facility in Aurora, Ill., was no longer adequate, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the company had given serious consideration to moving operations overseas. But that was not the case. “There might have been a split-second mention of Mexico, but only because …
The Greater Good
O’Sullivan Films’ creek cleanup is the centerpiece of its community work
August 1, 2018
When employees at O’Sullivan Films work to improve the world around them, they don’t have to go any further than their headquarters in Winchester, Va. Winchester, part of the Shenandoah Valley located 75 miles west of Washington, D.C., is home to Abrams Creek, a stream that runs through O’Sullivan’s campus, which includes offices and a …
The Greater Good
Haartz Corporation’s community involvement goes deep
July 1, 2018
Many mission statements of companies claim that part of their corporate responsibility is to support the communities where their employees work and live. Often, this means making a donation to a worthy cause. But at the Haartz Corporation, a world leader in convertible toppings and interior surface …
The Greater Good
Service Thread believes that business success and community success go hand in hand
June 1, 2018
When it comes to serving the community, no need is too great or too small for Service Thread, a Laurinburg, N.C.-based designer and developer of engineered yarns and sewing threads. “We usually try to participate in everything,” says Hope Dohogn, human resources manager. “It’s very rare that we would say no.” Whether that need is …
The Greater Good
Ascend Performance Materials supports its employees and communities
May 1, 2018
After a tornado outbreak swept through northern Alabama in 2011, Ascend Performance Materials LLC sprang into action. The Houston, Texas-based company provided housing for employees from their Decatur facility who lost everything, and volunteers from the company helped with cleanup and rebuilding efforts. Out of that tragedy, it founded the Ascend Cares Foundation to support …
The Greater Good
Supporting marine conservation one product at a time
April 1, 2018
Every year more than eight million tons of plastic go into the oceans. Animals are threatened by harsh oil spills, garbage and other debris that invades their habitats; the trash is killing off entire ecosystems and species. This is why www.MarineVinylFabric.com is changing the way businesses can help change the world. David Goldman, founder and …
The Greater Good
Globe Manufacturing Company helps volunteer fire departments stay safe
March 1, 2018
Many fire departments across the U.S. are under-funded and volunteer-based. This lack of funding often means many firefighters lack the needed on-scene safety equipment. In response, the world’s leading manufacturer of protective clothing for firefighters is putting its expertise and resources to good use. Globe Manufacturing Company LLC, Pittsfield, N.H., recently awarded 13 volunteer-run fire …
The Greater Good
Glen Raven installs solar array
February 1, 2018
Glen Raven installs a large solar array as part of its commitment to sustainability For textile manufacturers that operate energy-intensive machinery, solar-generated energy provides a way to save on energy bills and reduce carbon footprint. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, best known as the makers of Sunbrella® fabrics, recently debuted a 3,076-panel solar array at …
