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A wheel good idea
May 1st, 2015
The CEO of the Takata Corp. of Japan testified before a U.S. Congressional enquiry about approximately 12 million American automobiles with defective airbags featuring inflators that can explode, shooting out metal and plastic pieces. Five people have died, with multiple injuries reported worldwide because of exploding Takata airbags. This raises concerns for firefighters and first […]
Forethought: Face forward
May 1st, 2015
As I was reading through the 1965 copies of Canvas Products Review for this month’s “Future History," an article in the November issue celebrating the magazine’s 50th anniversary caught my attention: a recap of a report from the very first issue of The National Tent and Awning Manufacturers REVIEW about the Fourth Annual Convention in […]
Storefront suggests shape of art to come
May 1st, 2015
The Storefront for Art and Architecture in New York, N.Y., launched its 2015 season by hosting a unique showcase that asks artists to reveal something about the genesis of their art. The first BLUEPRINT exhibit in 1999 brought together the work of young, ambitious artists, introducing them through their “blueprints” for their futures. For its […]
Generations at work
May 1st, 2015
We’re not from different planets, though sometimes it seems so. There are ways to work together effectively. When you interview that candidate, do you invite the parents? Forty- and 50-something jaws might drop, but executive recruiter Eric Herrenkohl says two of his big-company clients want to talk to Mom and Dad at the interview as […]
Flammability codes—the basics
May 1st, 2015
Knowing what to ask and why can help fabricators sort out the complexities of FR codes and standards. Complying with flammability and fire resistance codes can be challenging for fabricators in meeting specific market and product requirements. Although the responsibility for flame retardance certifications falls largely to fabric suppliers, fabricators of everything from massive stadium […]
A round of shade
May 1st, 2015
Aresidential remodeling job transformed a Tucson, Ariz., home and back yard into a relaxing private oasis—minus the gently wafting shade of palm trees or any shade at all. The homeowners contacted Phoenix-based SHADE Industries® to devise an elegant solution to a glaring problem. The SHADE Industries “sails” team looked at the yard’s round patio design […]
Specialty Fabrics Showcase Part 2
May 1st, 2015
Fire resistance, printability, sustainability, water resistance and versatility. As indicated in the State of the Industry report provided in the February and March issues of the Review, the global specialty fabrics market is growing, encouraging fabric manufacturers to continue their development of problem-solving products that perform. With the increasing overlap of textile usage in diverse […]
From surviving to thriving
May 1st, 2015
Dan Hooks propels his organization to new heights by maximizing regional opportunities and building a management team. "Surviving the latest recession taught us several lessons about the financial health of our company and what we needed to change in order to go from surviving to thriving,” says Dan Hooks, CEO of Party Reflections Inc., Charlotte, […]
Thinking outside the rectangle
May 1st, 2015
Tent manufacturers, rental companies and event planners are stretching their boundaries with new tent shapes and flexible materials. Consider, if you will, the Pythagoreans, who dissected a sphere as early as 600 B.C. Latecomers like Plato and Buckminster Fuller took the ball and ran with it, so to speak. But in 2015, Platonic polyhedral/geodesic domes […]
Industrial mesh lightens up
May 1st, 2015
Industrial product design often centers on utility, simplicity and mass-production rather than flow, drape or mood. London-based industrial and product designer Catherine Stolarski combines both aesthetics in “Loop,” a pendant lamp with a curving shade made of a single folded piece of 3-D fabric mesh material. The look is soft, a cross between a pillow […]