More than covered

February 1, 2017  |  Features

Demands increase for truck covers and tarps that offer weather protection and driver convenience. With millions of trucks being utilized across a wealth of industries, tarps and truck covers are big business for manufacturers and specialty fabric suppliers. As the industry continues to grow, some co…
A dumpster gets recycled

February 1, 2017  |  Projects

A unique classroom concept brings new life to typical city dumpsters by providing a mobile space for learning. The brainchild of New York-based architect John Locke and his Department of Urban Betterment, the Inflato Dumpster consists of a membrane made of lightweight materials and clear polyethylen…
A maze, suspended

February 1, 2017  |  Projects

Audacious. Abstract. Experimental. These are just some of the words one could use to describe the work of Numen/For Use, a design collective working in the fields of conceptual art, scenography, and industrial and spatial design. Designers Sven Jonke, Christoph Katzler and Nikola Radeljkovic formed …
Creatively Pleasing

February 1, 2017  |  Business, Management

Phyllis Mitchell is the owner of Phyllis Mitchell’s Island Style Marine Canvas & Upholstery in Kemah, Texas. Since its opening in July of 2013, the company has been specializing in the design and fabrication of all things sewn on a sail or powerboat. Here, Mitchell shares her thoughts about th…
Breathable and waterproof

February 1, 2017  |  Products

Polartec® has created new versions of Polartec NeoShell® specifically for the Teton Bros. TB 2.0 Jacket. The new waterproof NeoShell fabrics offer a combination of stretch, breathability and overall comfort. A more supple 70-by-160-denier mechanical stretch nylon woven NeoShell fabric balances dra…
Recurring revenue

February 1, 2017  |  Editorial, News

Twenty years ago, while working as an editor at my first publishing company, I was working with a group of other editors that were mostly 9–10 years younger than I was. (Generation X was the term used, the generation born after the baby boomers, often perceived to be disaffected and directionless.…
Part 1: State of the Industry 2017

February 1, 2017  |  Features, State of the Industry

Despite some slowing of global GDP in 2016, growth of the U.S. and Canadian specialty fabrics industry is slow but steady, and markets like fabric structures, tent rental and manufacturing, fabric graphics and marine fabrication are outpacing national averages. The pace is expected to continue, but …
Tax law changes

February 1, 2017  |  Business, Management

How the Trump Administration may affect businesses. Any change in Washington, D.C., brings the possibility—and the likelihood—of tax law changes. The election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States is no exception. In his campaign, President Trump highlighted several goals of…
Decorative fabrics

February 1, 2017  |  Products

Avenues is a Mondrian-inspired design that features a large-scale color block. Ideal for a modern home or commercial setting, Avenues is 54 inches wide and available in colors Daylight (neutral tones white, flax and gravel) and Midnight (darker tones black, blue and charcoal). Cirrus portrays an all…
The smart way to dress for winter

February 1, 2017  |  Projects

Skiers, runners and other winter athletes are at greater risk of contracting chest infections when exercising in the cold. Now there is a “smart” solution—a balaclava that warms oxygen before it’s inhaled. Developed by Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England, and German advanced kni…