Business Archives

Low-grade cotton better at oil pick-up

July 1, 2013 | Advanced Textiles, Business, Industry News

A pound of low-micronaire cotton, a cotton of lesser value in the fiber market, can pick up more than 30 pounds of crude oil, making it an effective absorbent for cleaning up spills. Researchers at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, published their findings in the journal Industrial & En…

Investing in new equipment for tax relief

July 1, 2013 | Industry News, Management

Large purchases have become easier and less expensive thanks to new tax breaks and financing options. By Mark E. Battersby Thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, managers, executives and owners who have hesitated or postponed making capital investments for their specialty fabrics busine…

Turning engineering into art: the heart of passionate design

July 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Features, Industry News, Management, Perspective

Nic Goldsmith uses his architectural vision to design innovative fabric structures. By Sigrid Tornquist “I think there are a lot of areas where fabric technology could be applied and it’s not,” says Nic Goldsmith, FAIA, LEED, AP, senior principal of FTL Design and Engineering Studio in New Yor…

Huntsman wins patent infringement case

July 1, 2013 | Industry News, Management

The Intermediate People’s Court in Shanghai, China, found that the Shanghai Colva Dyestuff Industry Co. Ltd. (Colva) infringed on a Chinese patent belonging to Huntsman Corporation’s Textile Effects Division in Singapore. Huntsman registered the patent (ZL00106403.7), which pertains to a…

The right gear now

July 1, 2013 | Features, Industry News, Management, Products

Embracing technological innovations and equipment advancements to stay ahead of the game. By Maura Keller Imagine it is 1973 and you’ve just received an order for custom canvas awnings. One glance around your small shop reveals all the necessary equipment needed to complete the job: handheld r…

Performance plus

July 1, 2013 | Features, Management, Products

Equipment suppliers are focusing on service, training and customization to add value. By Holly O’Dell Given the economic turbulence we’ve all endured over the last five years, many businesses have reported doing more with less, and not as a matter of choice. But this common refrain needn…

Flexible arrangement

July 1, 2013 | Features, Management, Products

Efficient production means choosing (and changing) the best equipment configurations. By Jill Lafferty Technological developments in the specialty fabrics industry allow end product manufacturers (EPMs) to print larger, faster and at higher quality; to create and save complicated patterns through co…

INDA, EDANA join forces

July 1, 2013 | Industry News, Marketing, Markets

Global nonwovens associations to promote free and fair trade. Two global nonwovens associations, EDANA (Brussels, Belgium) and INDA (Cary, N.C., U.S.A.) have announced that they are joining efforts to promote the free and fair trade of nonwovens globally, starting with an active role in the upcoming…

Breaking ground in Africa

July 1, 2013 | Marketing, Tents

A big, wide-open market equals growth opportunity for the tent business. By Barb Ernster Having grown up in Uganda until age seven, Nick Lavy, managing director at Röder UK Ltd., says, “There’s something about the lure of Africa that brings you back. It gets in your blood.” Fr…

European textile exports increasing—outside EU