Branis seeks no-limits approach to problem-solving

April 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Marcel Branis takes a collective approach to developing products and improving processes. By Sigrid Tornquist “I love developing a new product or improving a product we already have,” says Marcel Branis, vice president, manufacturing for DHS Systems in Orangeburg, N.Y. “What will happen if we …
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The agricultural specialty fabrics market

March 1, 2010  |  Features, Projects

Fabric products help farmers put the green back in agriculture. By Jamie Swedberg The market for agricultural specialty fabrics in the United States is a paradox. On one hand, agriculture has suffered terribly over the last two years for reasons related to the current recession. Accordingly, sales o…
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Meet the press

March 1, 2010  |  Features, Marketing

Grab—and keep—media attention by following a few simple guidelines. By Janice Kleinschmidt When flu season hit and H1N1 vaccines grabbed top-of-the-news, above-the-fold status, Mahaffey Fabric Structures stepped up to help and gained valuable name recognition. The Memphis, Tenn.-based co…
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Upselling with graphics

March 1, 2010  |  Features, Graphics

Custom digital graphics create value-added opportunities for customers and new economies for manufacturers. By Barb Ernster Personalized, customized, made-to-order, tailor-made—everyone wants their brand to stand out in the crowd. Upselling to that need is easier with digital capabilities that…
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Fawcett values employee relations

March 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Craig Fawcett builds up a business by building up the staff. By Sigrid Tornquist “Skills can be taught, but you either have character or you don’t. When you find an employee with character and work ethic, those people are your golden people—people you’ll do anything to build up,” says Crai…
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Textile opportunities in advertising

February 26, 2010  |  Features, Graphics

Textiles provide options that let your customer’s advertisements stand out. By Gail Nickel-Kailing To quote Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” The 18-month period from mid-2008 to the end of 2009 was one of the most challenging times that many pri…
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Matching inks to fabrics

February 26, 2010  |  Features, Graphics

How to match inks to fabrics to ensure that your textile prints look beautiful and your colors won’t wash off. By Michael Labella Ever since the dawn of time, humans have been searching for colorants that would allow them to apply images to any type of surface, that would last forever and that…
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Finishing options for fabric projects

February 26, 2010  |  Features, Graphics

Knowing finishing equipment and procedures for fabric end products helps finish the sale. By Andrea Swensson As most professionals in the fabric graphics industry are aware, a project involving printable fabrics almost always extends beyond the printing procedure. Edges need to be hemmed, pockets ne…
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Kelly blends art and architecture to produce fabric sculptures

February 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Maureen Kelly draws on her tenacity and talent to create one-of-a-kind fabric sculptures. By Sigrid Tornquist “I never thought I couldn’t work in a space 200 feet tall,” says Maureen Kelly, owner of The Design Loft (TDL) in St. Louis, Mo. “I always thought there would be a way to construct t…
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2010 State of the industry

February 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Markets

A reset economy changes the business of specialty fabrics in the U.S. Like the U.S. automobile market, the depressed economy has reset the size, shape and growth of the specialty fabrics industry from top to bottom, throughout all market segments. As a result, there are fewer significant suppliers a…
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