Cultivating future creators

The Fabric Graphics Association (FGA) and Fabric Structures Association (FSA), divisions of IFAI, sponsor annual student design challenges to encourage college and university students of design and architecture to create projects that feature textiles as a major component. Winners receive a prize pack valued at $6,000, including a trip to IFAI Expo to present their projects. Applications for 2016 submissions will open in September.

Printed, practical and appealing

June 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Markets

Fabric graphics projects enhance public spaces thanks to their aesthetic, acoustic and eco-friendly properties. When 114 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, 2015, they partook in a visual feast of fast-moving plays, dazzling electronic displays and big-screen graphics. TV vi…
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Shades of urban renewal

June 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features

Urban renewal is a trend whose time has come and stayed—and shade components are playing a starring role. It wasn’t long ago that downtowns seemed more like ghost towns in many urban areas. The promise of larger lawns, less traffic and easily accessible malls drew people to the suburbs instead o…
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A round of shade

May 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies

Aresidential remodeling job transformed a Tucson, Ariz., home and back yard into a relaxing private oasis—minus the gently wafting shade of palm trees or any shade at all. The homeowners contacted Phoenix-based SHADE Industries® to devise an elegant solution to a glaring problem. The SHADE Indust…
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An awning of a different color

April 2, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies

Carrying the load: Framed awnings and tensile awnings must meet different engineering and code standards. Erik Jarvie, structural engineer and sales manager for TensionStructures (a division of Eide Industries Inc., Cerritos, Calif.) lays it out straight on the curvy business of tensile awnings: “…
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Behind the curves

April 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features

Tensile structures add exciting new dimensions —and distinct engineering challenges— to the commercial shade products market. It could be said, like the mythical Greek lion-goat-snake beast the chimera, that the tensile awning is a creature of blended ancestors. Not long ago, structures with ten…
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Tensile awnings, by design

March 16, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies

Designing and fabricating tensile awnings calls for a special skill set. Craig Flanagan, long-time owner of Shade to Order P/L, Gateshead, NSW, Australia, knows a thing or two about producing tensile awnings and canopies. He has some recommendations for those interested in the market. “In a small …
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The value of collaboration

March 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies, Management

Turning today’s students into tomorrow’s engaged and educated industry professionals. While textile students are the future designers and manufacturers for the textile industry, students in areas such as architecture and product and graphic design are our future textile specifiers. Multi-discipl…
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Habit forming

January 1, 2015  |  Awnings & Canopies, Business, Features

The secret to a sideline in cleaning and repair is convincing customers to do it regularly. Cleaning and repair of fabric products is a bit like pie-making: It’s an extremely useful skill, and there’s a sizable market for it, but it’s not everyone’s strong suit. Today’s high-performance fa…
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IFAI Expo 2014 report: Add graphics, add value

November 18, 2014  |  Awnings & Canopies

Part of this year’s Awning Symposium at IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo, hosted by the Fabric Graphics Association (FGA), was a panel presentation entitled: “Add Graphics: Increase Value and Customize Products.” Discussion focused on how to bring graphics into businesses of all sizes, …
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Kinetic architecture

October 1, 2014  |  Awnings & Canopies, Markets

Retractable fabric systems are poised to transform outdoor spaces. So you thought retractable fabric structures were a late 20th century phenomenon sheltering sports stadia, outdoor shopping malls, and en plein air cafes? Think again. Forms of retractable fabric roof systems date to Roman times. The…
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