Gettin’ stringy with it

January 1, 1970  |  News

By William C. Smith The fiber industry keeps changing, especially for the producers of the lower-volume specialty fibers. Others have received the rights to produce, and many are available from several companies under various names. These are the most common ones. For a more extensive list, visit In…
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What equipment do you need?

January 1, 1970  |  News

By Janice Kleinschmidt Michael Richardson, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group You need a sewing machine for making a 1-inch hemmed, double-stitched border around the edge and the ability to insert grommets in the corners and possibly the top and bottom, depending on width. Elissa Decker, Moss Inc. Our …
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Lasting impressions

January 1, 1970  |  News

Fabric and coating technology has definitely increased outdoor durability—but it’s not durable indefinitely. By Janice Kleinschmidt “Outdoor durability and product lifespan can range drastically, depending on output, ink, fabric, application, finishing and the physical environment.…
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Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Andrea Lampson and her husband Mark

January 1, 1970  |  News

Interview by Sigrid Tornquist What advice would you and Mark give to someone who is looking to purchase a small manufacturing business? We looked at hundreds of companies before buying this one, and identified two main things to look for in a business and two main things to have in place as you take…
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Snapshot: A walk to the party

January 1, 1970  |  News

By Sigrid Tornquist After an 11-year hiatus, the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum located on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston, Mass., opened in June 2013—with the help of the Dorchester Awning Co. The company manufactured and installed four 100-foot-long ramps that lead from the bridge to…
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Driving innovation

January 1, 1970  |  News

>By Holly O’Dell The U.S. military and its research and manufacturing partners are exploring new capabilities in uniforms that once were reserved for science fiction. “With the proliferation of electronic devices, electronic textiles will play an ever-increasing role,” says Dr. …
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Future plans

January 1, 1970  |  News

By Sigrid Tornquist “I think that for textile finishes we will find that nanometer-thin coatings will become more relevant. They do not change the textile character (flexibility, haptics, etc.) and are very durable (e.g. wash-fastness). Such coatings can strongly adhere to literally any substr…
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Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Alex Kouzmanoff, vice president of Aztec Tents

January 1, 1970  |  News

Interview by Sigrid Tornquist Your Tidewater Sailcloth tents have been hugely successful. How have you marketed the product? We’ve gone about marketing the Tidewater Sailcloth tents in a couple of ways that seem to have been productive. One is by creating a website solely for users of that pro…
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Snapshot: After party

January 1, 1970  |  News

By Sigrid Tornquist Every year since 2004, Aztec Tents has provided custom tenting for HBO’s Primetime Emmy Awards after party. The event space is transformed into an elegant and intimate venue, under the creative design of Billy Butchkavitz. For the 2012 event, the centerpiece of the event wa…
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Intrinsically antimicrobial

January 1, 1970  |  News

By Sigrid Tornquist Antimicrobial textile advances include reducing bacteria on the fabrics healthcare workers and patients come into contact with every day: hospital bedding and privacy curtains, and lab coats and scrubs. At the earliest stages, these advancements essentially involved two ways to a…
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