Corporate social responsibility: giving back to your community

January 1, 2018  |  Editorial

Tents on cars. Tents on rafts. Smartfoam helmets. Cool firefighting. Emergency balloon networks. Real shade sailing; working partnerships with architects; creating a welcoming workplace. Novel substrates for smart fabrics; clever cash flow strategies; mountaintop Geofoam. New products. Industry even…
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Balloon network provides internet

January 1, 2018  |  Projects

For many, internet access is common and logging in is second nature. But more than half of the world’s population is still without access. Google is committed to remedy this and has developed Project Loon, a network of balloons that can provide internet coverage to people in rural and remote locat…
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New substrates for smart fabrics

January 1, 2018  |  Advanced Textiles, Markets

Manufacturers of smart fabrics are looking for new, novel textile substrates. A key takeaway from the Smart Fabrics Program and E-Textiles Workshop at the 2017 IFAI Expo was the symbiotic relationship between smart technologies and the development of suitable textile substrates to facilitate the des…
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The tent roof for cars

January 1, 2018  |  Projects

MINI Cooper owners with the spirit of the open road can carry their tent with them and erect it right on top of the car. Designed by AUTOHOME®, an Italian specialist in automobile roof tents, the Air Top™ Roof Tent works with the MINI Countryman and other models. The beauty of the design is that …
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Luxurious boat flooring

January 1, 2018  |  Products

Infinity Woven Products LLC has introduced new designs to its Pattern Series collections of Luxury Woven Vinyl™ (LWV) flooring to the marine aftermarket. Manufactured and supplied in America, the newest designs are Current, Flax and Abacá, all created on state-of-the-art jacquard looms which mani…
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Protective packaging

January 1, 2018  |  Products

Cortec® has introduced EcoWeave®, a highly durable tarp-like film that protects expensive, heavy raw metal materials and finished products against corrosion. Made from the same type of woven polyolefin film used to wrap lumber, EcoWeave is tough yet lightweight and versatile. It offers a combinati…
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Helmets that detect concussions

January 1, 2018  |  Projects

More and more evidence is coming to light about the devastating effects of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries suffered during contact sports like football. Sometimes an athlete doesn’t even know he or she had a concussion and continues playing, possibly making injuries worse. To help p…
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Working with architects

January 1, 2018  |  Features

Key to the success of a productive partnership: exploration, preparation, communication and education, with a firm grasp of details and a final vision for the project. Fabrics and architecture have been partners for millennia and have worked together to create some of the most iconic, useful and bea…
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Cooling vest for firefighters

January 1, 2018  |  Projects

Heat exhaustion, cramps and heat stroke are very real dangers to firefighters. Not only are they in a hot environment, but often protective gear traps heat and inhibits the body’s natural ability to cool itself through sweat and moisture evaporation from the skin. Teijin Limited, Tokyo, Japan, has…
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Marine tension shade options

January 1, 2018  |  Features

Marine fabricators help boat owners expand shading options with stretched fabric. It could easily be argued that the pleasures of boating are best appreciated on a deck rather than in a cabin. But protection from sun exposure requires more than that provided by a wide-brimmed hat. With that kind of …
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