The evolution of interactive textiles

September 1, 2010  |  Business, Features, Markets

Researchers are developing new ways for fabric to respond to human and environmental stimuli. By Jamie Swedberg Remember those color-changing T-shirts in the late 1980s? The fibers in the shirts were bonded with microcapsules of thermochromic pigment that changed hue when it was exposed to heat. The…
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Mark Philip commits to innovation and product diversification

September 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Mark Philip taps into his passion for the specialty fabrics industry to update and diversify product lines. By Sigrid Tornquist “The world will always need tradesmen,” says Mark Philip, director of John Herber Ltd., dba The Canvas Technology Centre, Kaiapoi, New Zealand. Although Philip is now i…
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Employment taxes under fire

September 1, 2010  |  Management

Although there is no way to avoid the NRP’s random employment tax audits, there are strategies to help businesses avoid potential trouble spots. By Mark E. Battersby The government’s own figures indicate that the payroll tax and self-employment tax gap (the difference between taxes owned…
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Discover the potential of natural fibers

August 1, 2010  |  Business, Features

It’s not as simple as “oil versus cotton,” but technological advances have sparked renewed interest in nonsynthetic textiles. By Janice Kleinschmidt If a white-clad John Travolta dancing disco could be called polyester’s shining moment, perhaps the British Petroleum (BP) oil …
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Foam gets technical

August 1, 2010  |  Advanced Textiles, Business, Features

New foam composites respond to the call for high performance in a variety of applications. By Barb Ernster Traditional polyurethane foam is still favored for cushioning and other applications that require a variety of specs for their physical attributes, but foam producers are working with different…
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How green is my economy?

August 1, 2010  |  Business, Features, Markets

Environmental hyperawareness is a luxury that Europe can ill afford, according to the region’s fiber industry experts. By Adrian Wilson European synthetic fiber manufacturers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the many legislative obstacles to trade that are placed in their path—p…
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Creating the future of textiles (part 1)

August 1, 2010  |  Business, Markets

Moisture-barrier properties in fabrics and sustainability concerns top one expert’s list of important industry developments. By Donna Visioli, Ph.D. Part I of a series by speakers at the Advanced Textiles Conference 2010. Part II covers developments in auxetic materials, Part III addresses ele…
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Michael Ciferri Jr. gets tough to enhance profits

August 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Michael Ciferri Jr. of Donovan Enterprises boosts truck cover and tarp sales despite the sluggish economy By Sigrid Tornquist “Don’t make excuses—in my family [as I was growing up] it wasn’t allowed,” says Michael Ciferri Jr., vice president of Donovan Enterprises in Stuart, Fla. “It doe…
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Dispatches from the wired world

August 1, 2010  |  Marketing

A checklist for making your e-mail more effective. By Richard Ensman By most accounts, e-mail has become the most prevalent form of business communication today. But because e-mail is so easy to prepare—a few clicks on the keyboard and a press of the “send” button—many e-mail…
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Bulletproofing your online business

July 1, 2010  |  Management

A cyber-security primer. By Joe Dysart Once the province of teenage boys spreading graffiti for kicks and notoriety, hacking today is done by organized, financially motivated gangs that need constant monitoring, according to researchers of a new in-depth study, “Security Threat Report: 2010,&r…
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