Extending a helping hand to give back

April 1, 2025  |  Features

For many companies in the industry, helping others has nothing to do with free publicity and everything to do with caring about their communities and making a worthwhile difference in the lives of both the recipients and the companies’ staff.
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2025 Specialty Fabrics Showcase

April 1, 2025  |  Features, Specialty Fabrics Showcase

Awnings, marine upholstery, furniture, banners and signs, and more: Regardless of the end product, the fabric your business needs may have to perform in harsh conditions while still looking good and fitting into a client’s budget. For our annual showcase, more than 25 companies shared their newest…
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Textile professional Donielle Lorelli shares career tips

March 1, 2025  |  Features, Perspective

If serendipity is the spot where preparation meets opportunity, then Donielle Lorelli knows how to leverage these opportunities for success.
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With myriad shapes and materials, tents continue to evolve

March 1, 2025  |  Features

While traditional tent styles are always popular with consumers, there also are numerous requests for new and different event venues. As a result, tent and event rental companies are constantly on the lookout for the “next big thing” to offer clients.
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Where fit meets function in women’s protective gear

March 1, 2025  |  Features

A May 2024 survey by the Women’s Engineering Society revealed that more than 25% of women found personal protective equipment (PPE) and apparel uncomfortable or ill-fitting.
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Brian Richardson credits staff for L & A Tent’s success

February 1, 2025  |  Features, Perspective

In the tent rental industry, there is no ‘tomorrow,’” Brian Richardson, president and CEO of L & A Tent & Event Rentals, Hamilton, N.J., likes to say. Once the event date arrives, rain or not, the event must go on—today.
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3D printing in textiles: The future is (almost) now

February 1, 2025  |  Features

While companies in arenas ranging from jewelry to aerospace are now familiar with using 3D printing to fabricate parts and other objects, “3D printing textiles is a newer concept,” says Jack Forman, doctoral student at the Center for Bits and Atoms of the Tangible Media Group, Massachusetts Inst…
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Cultivating the next generation of leadership

February 1, 2025  |  Features

Like everything else COVID-19 hit, the pandemic delivered a blow to workplace leadership development, says Oren Margolis, founder of Pinetree & Palm Consulting. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., the firm specializes in coaching founders, executives and high achievers to optimize performance …
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Dedication is key for Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas

January 1, 2025  |  Features, Perspective

Most kids don’t dream of running an awning and canvas company when they grow up. Neither did James Dillport, chairman of the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association, but in 2017, he stumbled onto an opportunity to help lead Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas (MLAC) in Sherwood, Ark. After taking a…
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Indoor shade trends: Regulations, automation and more

January 1, 2025  |  Features

New regulations are affecting shade products, but that’s not the only thing going on in this market. Changes in motorization, the way products are used for light control, available color options and demand for sustainability are all happening too.
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