TEXTILES.ORG
Growth path
January 1, 2022 | Features, Perspective
Like many textile entrepreneurs, Amy Bircher got her start in the industry
in a family business—even as she blazed her own path.
Hoover Architectural Products blends fabric, metal
October 29, 2021 | Features, Perspective
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” contains a lot of truth, but there’s also a risk of stagnation if a company doesn’t adapt to changing times. When the global financial crisis erupted in 2008, Matt Carroll knew it was time for his family’s fabric-awning business to stretch its capabilitie…
Glenn Russell & Wayne Heflin: Strength in Simplicity
October 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
In 1984, Wayne Heflin and Glenn Russell met in a hallway of a U.S. handbag manufacturer. A seasoned professional within the fashion industry, Russell was the company’s financial controller. Heflin, a Vietnam veteran who entered the leather goods and fashion arena after his service ended, had recen…
Jeff Newkirk: The next step
August 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
Jeff Newkirk, MFC, started sailing at such a young age, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t entranced with sailboats, the glide across open water and the call of the open wind.
Donato Fraioli continues ASATI’s tradition of innovation
June 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
The news headlines were alarming. Just before Christmas 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that a case of deadly mad cow disease had been reported in Washington state. Halfway across the country, animal disease scientists working in Ames, Iowa, faced a double whammy. Not only were t…
Karl Deardorff’s smart moves with SLO Sail and Canvas
May 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
At age 19, Karl Deardorff bought a sewing machine from Leo Robbins, his first sailing instructor. “I wanted to be able to fix and alter my own sails,” he says. The machine went with Deardorff to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where he was also on the sailing team.
Scott Sutherland: Ready for anything
April 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
In the summer of 2020, Scott Sutherland was elated with record-shattering sales, but he was also in a situation he had never imagined: out of aluminum, out of fabric, out of nearly every component used to make tents.
Monica Stockburger: Tailored solutions
February 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
Southcentral Alaska is filled with spectacular natural beauty, hardworking people and an array of fishing boats and other vessels that are often in need of repair. The latter fact creates an opportunity for Monica and Mike Stockburger, owners of the marine fabricator business Salty Cushions in Homer…
Matthew Dickerson: Daring to succeed
January 1, 2021 | Features, Perspective
A 6-by-4-inch yellow paint chip sits in a shadow box on the office wall of Matthew Dickerson, president and CEO of Tenshon, a shade sail manufacturer in Mesa, Ariz. More than a conversation starter, it symbolizes one of the most profound moments—and failures—of Dickerson’s career.
Carolyn Hajek on staying small and strong
November 1, 2020 | Features, Perspective
Pride City Awning & Canvas founder Carolyn Hajek has built her business on trust and loyalty. by Laurie F. Junker The successful formula for Pride City Awning & Canvas is the application of a simple principle—treat customers, suppliers and employees with honesty, fairness and loyalty…