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Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Andrea Lampson and her husband Mark
January 1st, 1970
Interview by Sigrid Tornquist What advice would you and Mark give to someone who is looking to purchase a small manufacturing business? We looked at hundreds of companies before buying this one, and identified two main things to look for in a business and two main things to have in place as you take over. […]
Snapshot: A walk to the party
January 1st, 1970
By Sigrid Tornquist After an 11-year hiatus, the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum located on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston, Mass., opened in June 2013—with the help of the Dorchester Awning Co. The company manufactured and installed four 100-foot-long ramps that lead from the bridge to the floating museum, each one designed to […]
Driving innovation
January 1st, 1970
>By Holly O’Dell The U.S. military and its research and manufacturing partners are exploring new capabilities in uniforms that once were reserved for science fiction. “With the proliferation of electronic devices, electronic textiles will play an ever-increasing role,” says Dr. Eugene Wilusz of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. “Items such […]
Future plans
January 1st, 1970
By Sigrid Tornquist “I think that for textile finishes we will find that nanometer-thin coatings will become more relevant. They do not change the textile character (flexibility, haptics, etc.) and are very durable (e.g. wash-fastness). Such coatings can strongly adhere to literally any substrate material. These coatings will be produced on industrial scales as an […]
Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Alex Kouzmanoff, vice president of Aztec Tents
January 1st, 1970
Interview by Sigrid Tornquist Your Tidewater Sailcloth tents have been hugely successful. How have you marketed the product? We’ve gone about marketing the Tidewater Sailcloth tents in a couple of ways that seem to have been productive. One is by creating a website solely for users of that product. We did this as a marketing […]
Snapshot: After party
January 1st, 1970
By Sigrid Tornquist Every year since 2004, Aztec Tents has provided custom tenting for HBO’s Primetime Emmy Awards after party. The event space is transformed into an elegant and intimate venue, under the creative design of Billy Butchkavitz. For the 2012 event, the centerpiece of the event was a massive 40-foot sculpture, inspired by South […]
Intrinsically antimicrobial
January 1st, 1970
By Sigrid Tornquist Antimicrobial textile advances include reducing bacteria on the fabrics healthcare workers and patients come into contact with every day: hospital bedding and privacy curtains, and lab coats and scrubs. At the earliest stages, these advancements essentially involved two ways to achieve antimicrobial benefits—by coating fabrics topically or incorporating a coated fiber or […]
Making the grade
January 1st, 1970
By Sigrid Tornquist “Historically, there were no medical grade standards for fiber production in the textile industry,” says Brenda Gilchrist, vice president operations, RxFiber LLC. “We are in the process of pulling together the leading biomaterial experts to discuss what medical grade fiber is and to begin setting standards for the industry. What does medical […]
Before you get started
January 1st, 1970
“Test the fabric with an independent third party. This is especially relevant with cheaper fabrics. Often, overseas suppliers will call their fabrics potable when they are only food grade. This can cause significant issues once your products are rolled out. Also, every single item that will go into the product, such as fittings, hoses and […]
Protect the poutine!
January 1st, 1970
Cantine Chez Ben, a legendary café in Granby, Quebec, Canada, has been satisfying Canadians’ love of poutine (french fries with gravy and cheese) for more than 60 years. With an eye on expanding business, its third generation owners decided to provide a cover for its outdoor terrace. But not just any canopy would do; it […]