Members Only  
Health care textiles: Engineered for excellence

January 5, 2026  |  Features

The phrase “health care textiles” may first bring to mind medical devices and protective gear used in the operating room (which Specialty Fabrics Review last featured in October 2024), but they’re much more varied. Besides hospitals, health care textiles are in any type of outpatient clinic or…
Read More
Members Only  
WANTED: Young and ambitious employees

January 5, 2026  |  Features

Business leaders continually explore new ways to recruit and retain workers. This is especially true in the textile industry in regard to drawing in younger people who may not be knowledgeable about the industry and its employment offerings.
Read More
Highlights from Advanced Textiles Expo 2025 in Indianapolis

December 2, 2025  |  Expo Report, Features

Advanced Textiles Expo this year returned to the Midwest for the first time in more than a decade, coming back to a region with thousands of fabricators. That resulted in a lot of first-time attendees at the show as new faces filled the expo hall show floor at the Indiana Convention Center.
Read More
Death, taxes and canvas repairs

December 2, 2025  |  Features

Death and taxes may be certain, but for those who own boats, so is canvas damage. For many marine fabricators, the industry is becoming increasingly complex due to computerized patterning software, innovative high-tech materials and tools, and advanced methods for accomplishing just about anything. …
Read More
When loyalty hurts a family business more

December 2, 2025  |  Business, Features, Markets

“I can’t fire them—they’re family” can be a dangerous phrase in a family business. This deep-seated loyalty can create complications in the business if loyalty over performance is prioritized. Among the many excuses for not parting ways with family are: “It’s not a good time”; “Thi…
Read More
Made in the Shade Tent Rentals: From a side gig to festivals

November 1, 2025  |  Features, Perspective

Whether it’s a huge concert, street festival, corporate gala or other large event where a sea of tents suddenly materializes to house the festivities, Made in the Shade Tent Rentals (MITS), based in West Sacramento, Calif., specializes in this kind of practical magic.
Read More
Members Only  
Even military textile companies need diversification

November 1, 2025  |  Features

Having a customer with an almost $850 billion budget sounds like a potential boon for most companies—and it is. But if that purchaser is a company’s sole customer, that exposure comes with risk, even if the customer is the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
Read More
Members Only  
Soft robots aim to accomplish tough jobs

November 1, 2025  |  Features

While the topic of soft robotics is primarily exclusive to the academic and research world, it is still targeted at specific markets and applications. From the medical field and agriculture to search and rescue missions, soft robots may offer a solution.
Read More
Masson Inc. transforms ideas into innovative products

October 1, 2025  |  Features, Perspective

At first glance, the custom manufacturing solutions produced by Masson Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind., might seem simple. From coated webbing assemblies for the medical market to urethane-coated pet collars, the company’s products pair a modest outward design with practical purpose.
Read More
Members Only  
Innovators move the textile industry forward

October 1, 2025  |  Features

These are uncertain times, particularly for segments of the textile industry that import and export raw and finished products around the globe. Still, success in textiles often requires innovation and even risk. Those who are not willing or able to accept the risk that comes with innovation are more…
Read More