Dealing with difficult customers

June 1, 2024  |  Business, Markets

Every business at some point is forced to deal with difficult customers. Perhaps they are unhappy with the level of service, the product or a member of your team. Or maybe their expectations are just unrealistic. Understanding how to navigate challenging interactions, however, can turn a negative si…
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The glamping boom is good business for tent manufacturers

June 1, 2024  |  Markets, Product Trends

During the pandemic, many people sought to spend more time in nature. That trend hasn’t subsided, but they also want connectivity and more creature comforts. That’s good news for the glamping industry and, by extension, fabric and tent manufacturers. Research and Markets projects the glamping ma…
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AI’s potential in saving manufacturers time and money

May 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained global prominence since serious discussions on this subject surfaced at the 2017 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Following the 1990s’ information technology (IT) revolution, we now have arrived at the point of harnessing the power of machine inte…
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Sleep apnea textiles balance comfort and technology

May 1, 2024  |  Industry in Focus, Markets

Approximately 39 million U.S. adults have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nearly 936 million adults around the world are estimated to have mild to severe OSA. When left untreated, sleep apnea can result in severe health complications. And while innovative continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)…
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Industry advocacy efforts keep textile business in the U.S.

May 1, 2024  |  Markets, Product Trends

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and other government agencies use many products made from specialty fabrics. They include military uniforms, straps, netting, tents and vehicle covers. High-quality fabrics are necessary so these products will be safe, perform well and have a long life. U.S. text…
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Looking back, looking ahead: Textile industry trends

April 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

A political, economic, social, technology (PEST) analysis on the smart and advanced textile industry for 2023 would likely show that “P” dominated, as politics has affected all sectors. But that is not to diminish the important developments that have taken place in the industry, in some cases be…
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Succession planning for transitioning your family business

April 1, 2024  |  Business, Markets

I began working with business families in the late 1990s with RSM McGladrey in its family business consulting practice. I was working on my doctoral degree and hoped to gain experience working with leadership development in the “real” world. Then, as my journey continued, I worked with business …
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Geosynthetics companies navigate the infrastructure law

April 1, 2024  |  Features, Markets, Product Trends

The $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was passed more than two years ago to invest in America’s crumbling infrastructure, providing funding to rebuild roads and bridges, replace lead pipes, help provide high-speed internet across the country, and deliver cleane…
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Smart fabrics testing and standards under development

March 1, 2024  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

Smart textiles that use specialized polymers, chemical additives or electronics to react with their environment are changing textile technology in the 21st century. E-textiles or “wearables” have been particularly promising due to their ability to monitor and communicate data to provide sensory …
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Textiles and PFAS: Managing the legal risks

March 1, 2024  |  Industry in Focus, Markets

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of several thousand fluorinated organic compounds. Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, PFAS have been widely used in everything from consumer products such as textiles to industrial applications such as firefighting foams.
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