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Vollebak jacket changes color depending on type of light
June 1st, 2024
Vollebak took its Solar Charged Jacket to another level by adding two fluorescent layers to three phosphorescent ones. The new Firefly Jacket changes color based on light, from orange to copper to “kryptonite” green—and fluorescent yellow when under a blacklight. It requires no lag time to charge. Images: Vollebak/Sun Lee Vollebak materials scientists have developed […]
Spider silk created from artificial gland
June 1st, 2024
The microfluidic device for the creation of artificial spider silk. The protein solution is placed at one end and then pulled toward the other end by means of negative pressure. As the solution flows through the microfluidic channels, it is exposed to precise changes in the chemical and physical environment and the solution’s components self-assemble into […]
Continuous light with solar-powered lanterns
June 1st, 2024
Each Solight lantern has a handle that can be used to hang the lantern to charge in the sun or provide a space with more lighting. Images: Solight Design Inc. Solight Design Inc. makes solar-powered inflatable lanterns, providing campers and backpackers with hours of continuous light without batteries. Each lantern is made of recyclable PET […]
New material debuts in dry bags
June 1st, 2024
Watershed Drybags has developed a new proprietary material, Kryptothane™ Plus, for its outdoor gear dry bags. The product shown here is the Chattooga in new color royal purple. Image: Watershed Drybags After two years of development and a third year of testing, Watershed Drybags of Asheville, N.C., has released dry bags made of a new […]
Smart gloves help researchers study strokes
June 1st, 2024
University of British Columbia electrical and computer engineering professor Peyman Servati, Ph.D., demonstrating the smart glove. Image: UBC Media Relations/Lou Bosshart A smart glove undergoing testing with stroke survivors could also one day have applications in robotics, sign language translation, animation and augmented reality. University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers developed the MarsWear smart glove that […]
Baseball complex is repeat business for Signature Structures
June 1st, 2024
Spring means the start of baseball season, and in March, Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Mass., opened its new indoor baseball and softball practice facility, thanks to work done by Signature Structures LLC of Easton, Pa. The company partnered with Dellbrook/JKS as general contractor and ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge. This is the second facility Signature Structures […]
Printed, flexible electionics for e-textiles
June 1st, 2024
Printed Electronics Ltd.‘s graphene flagship demonstrator, which is a sports shirt using graphene dry electrodes for ECG monitoring. It was displayed at the 2024 Large-Area, Organic & Printed Electronics Convention. Image: Marie O’Mahony Can printed electronics (PE) and flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) offer to e-textiles a means to overcome the design, manufacturing and sustainability challenges […]
Dealing with difficult customers
June 1st, 2024
Image: Dreamstime.com/© Cagkan Sayin Every business at some point is forced to deal with difficult customers. Perhaps they are unhappy with the level of service, the product or a member of your team. Or maybe their expectations are just unrealistic. Understanding how to navigate challenging interactions, however, can turn a negative situation into a positive […]
The glamping boom is good business for tent manufacturers
June 1st, 2024
Tenting in Luxury’s waterfront en suite tents along the inlet of the fjord at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge’s five-star glamping resort on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. Tents are constructed from 12-ounce Sunforger treated canvas. During the pandemic, many people sought to spend more time in nature. That trend hasn’t subsided, but they also want connectivity and […]
2024 State of the Textile Industry
June 1st, 2024
Each year, Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) surveys the readers of all of its publications, members and nonmembers both, to take the pulse of the current state of our industry. The survey asks questions on business sizes, revenue projections and recent sales context, top concerns, future plans, and a bit about the many different markets that […]