36-foot Spectre Cat recovering

April 1, 2021  |  Marine, Markets

The client brought this 36-foot Spectre Cat to B’s Kustom Kreations of Jefferson City, Mo., because he was looking for custom upholstery work from a reputable shop, and B’s fit the bill, says owner Bryan Lute. “We specialize in custom automotive upholstery so we love opportunities to work on b…
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Hemp on the horizon

March 1, 2021  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

COVID-19 has upended a way of life that we may have taken for granted. With the economy suffering as a result, and with the need to create growth and employment, the manufacturing sector has its work cut out for it. Effective use of resources, reviving the manufacturing sector and enabling self-suff…
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Macon City Auditorium repair includes a roofing membrane system

March 1, 2021  |  Fabric Architecture, Markets

A few years shy of its 100th birthday, the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Ga., is getting a makeover, starting with a new roofing membrane system. The Classical-style structure, surrounded on three sides with limestone Doric columns, is on the National Register of Historic Places and has hosted the…
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Opportunities in fabric graphics

March 1, 2021  |  Graphics, Markets

The market for fabric graphics continues to evolve, with new challenges presented by everything from COVID-19 to the changing workplace. Innovative companies, though, can find opportunities as they work to position themselves for the post-pandemic rebound.
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New Eisenhower Memorial features metal mesh tapestry

February 1, 2021  |  Fabric Architecture, Markets

In May of 2020, the construction and installation of the memorial for General and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was finally finished. It was a process that took more than 15 years of internecine delays and objections put forth by pro- and anti-memorial groups and the descendants of Eisenhower …
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Napier Auto Upholstery restores a sentimental treasure

February 1, 2021  |  Markets, Upholstery

When a client brought the first vehicle he had ever owned—a 1955 Ford Consul Mk1—to Napier Auto Upholstery of Napier, New Zealand, the motor trimmer and upholstery specialists knew they had a sentimental treasure on their hands, as well as a research project. With the proper rebuild, the
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Shade around the world: custom canopy projects

January 1, 2021  |  Awnings & Canopies, Markets

Custom canopy projects can present unique challenges to their creators, but that’s a reason many designers, fabricators and installers enjoy them. These projects give them a chance to flex their creative muscles while solving problems.
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Big Span Structures completes parking garage façade with eye-catching details

January 1, 2021  |  Fabric Structures, Markets

Capital Crescent Trail users in Bethesda, Md., are enjoying an aesthetically pleasing facade of digitally printed blue sky and bird silhouettes, designed and installed by Big Span Structures as part of a parking garage expansion project. In addition to the eye-catching view in place of an otherwise …
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Commercial viability boosts the visibility of wearable technology

January 1, 2021  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

In the midst of the reworking of so many segments of the textile industry due to the pandemic, one market segment that has been able to stay focused on the basics of what it does is e-textiles, including conductive fibers and yarns. This technology is no longer just an interesting experiment but has…
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Textiles and 3D technology

December 1, 2020  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

The advent of 3D printing (3DP) has drawn considerable interest from academia, industry and amateur hobbyists as a novel method of producing objects layer-by-layer (LbL) via a bottom-up manufacturing approach. This method of “additive” manufacturing (used interchangeably with the term 3DP) build…
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