Closing the gaps in the textile supply chain
January 1st, 2021
A new area of focus for Value Vinyls is its Visiontex USA fabrics. The Visiontex outdoor mesh fabric range includes Visiontex View 85 (pictured here), Visiontex Plus 94 and Visiontex Ultra 99. The fabrics are designed for window, patio and other outdoor screening applications. Photo: Value Vinyls Inc. With many moving parts, the textile supply […]
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics announces multiphase expansion plan
December 21st, 2020
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, Burlington, N.C., has announced the latest milestones in a multiphase global expansion plan, representing a $65 million investment to create additional capacity and support sustainability initiatives, according to a company press release. The first phase, initiated at the end of 2019, includes new and upgraded equipment to support the continuing growth […]
Initiatives in textile recycling
November 1st, 2020
Circular systems could monetize textile waste while helping to save the planet. by Debra Cobb The textile sustainability landscape is changing. While textile manufacturers, brands and retailers tout their use of recycled or sustainable fibers, mountains of textile waste continue to pile up in the world’s landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in […]
Glen Raven announces new chief marketing officer
August 13th, 2019
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, makers of Sunbrella®, announced the hiring of Steve Pawl as its first chief marketing officer. Pawl has a track record of developing growth strategies and strengthening brands for global companies including Husqvarna Group, Fruit of the Loom, Newell Brands and Pfizer. He will direct the global brand strategy, positioning and activation […]
Glen Raven installs solar array
February 1st, 2018
Glen Raven installs a large solar array as part of its commitment to sustainability For textile manufacturers that operate energy-intensive machinery, solar-generated energy provides a way to save on energy bills and reduce carbon footprint. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, best known as the makers of Sunbrella® fabrics, recently debuted a 3,076-panel solar array at […]
Fighting pink stain
November 1st, 2017
The work “pink” brings to mind a little girl dressed as a princess, cotton candy at the county fair and plastic lawn flamingos. But for those in the marine industry, the word takes on a sinister connotation as a stain caused by streptoverticillium reticulum. It’s a far greater menace than a never-washed red garment laundered […]
Multifunctional fabrics and material innovations
October 1st, 2017
What spurs innovation? Does the kernel of a new idea spring forth fully formed from the brow of a genius, or does it gestate over a long, arduous path involving sweat and heavy lifting? Maybe a bit of both, if you dig into the histories of new materials or processes. Often you will find that […]
Outdoor graphics: bold statements and sustainability
September 27th, 2017
During their joint presentation “Outdoor Graphics—Design to Installation” at IFAI Expo 2017, Valerie Cuchna, material resource liaison at Fabric Images Inc., and Mike VonWachenfeldt, technical service manager at Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, addressed the benefits of using outdoor graphics and offered tips to keep the graphics protected from weather elements. “Outdoor graphics can create an […]
Developing friendlier fabrics
January 1st, 2017
As sustainability is increasingly important to growing numbers of consumers, fabric manufacturers are broadening their eco-friendly offerings, giving specialty fabricators plenty of green options. As a famous frog once lamented, it’s not easy being green. The same can be said for companies wanting to “green” up their product offerings and manufacturing processes, since doing so […]