A 2023 OFPANZ Awards for Excellence Winner

April 1, 2024  |  Projects

After having a previous outdoor canvas dining canopy for 40 years, folks at the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club in Tutukaka, New Zealand, decided that it was time for a change. The club called on Baytex, of Mount Maunganui, for a solution. That canopy upgrade turned into a 2023 Awards for Excellence…
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Floating sculpture brings color to Columbus skyline

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

A 229-foot-long floating fiber sculpture by sculptor Janet Echelman is now a permanent installation in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
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Newest employee benefit: bitcoin

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

In an effort to attract employees who are interested in innovative technologies and who are long-term thinkers, custom-apparel company BlueCotton of Bowling Green, Ky., has added bitcoin to its benefits package at no cost to workers. Employees are fully vested in the plan after five years.
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Cellulose textile innovation award nominees

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

Organizations working in cellulose-based textiles have sustainability in their sights, and several are up for the Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2024 award, scheduled to be voted on and announced at the Cellulose Fibres Conference in Cologne, Germany, in mid-March, after this issue goes to p…
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Inflatable LIFE space habitat completes burst pressure test

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

Another milestone in the eventual replacement of the International Space Station (ISS) went off with a bang as Orbital Reef’s full-scale inflatable habitat exceeded its required specifications during an ultimate burst pressure test in December, rescheduled from October.
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UGG shoes feature sugarcane and repurposed wool

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

UGG®, a division of Deckers Brands, released two new shoes in the Regenerate by UGG™ collection, which are created with materials sourced from farms practicing regenerative agriculture.
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New smart textile fiber developed with recycled cotton

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) have created a conductive composite fiber for smart textiles made from recycled cotton cellulose and the synthetic polymer polyaniline. 
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Wool enriches soil and plant health

April 1, 2024  |  Swatches

Derived from 100% raw wool, eco-friendly Wool Pellets from Croydon, Utah-based Wild Valley Farms lessen soil compaction, aid in water retention and leach nutrients into the soil as they decompose overabout six months.
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Keri Ames grows Yachtsman’s Canvas, trains fabricators

April 1, 2024  |  Features, Perspective

Keri Ames' career path in the marine fabric world is full of statements that begin with “never did I ever.” Never did she ever think she’d take her family’s sailing hobby to the next level, run a marine canvas business or teach courses through Yachtsman’s Canvas Marine Canvas Training.
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Agricultural textiles adapt to climate change

April 1, 2024  |  Features

As climate change and its cascading consequences draw ever more attention from industries across the board, agricultural textiles suppliers and manufacturers are also taking note, devising ways to help mitigate its impact. 
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