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IFAI Expo 2015: Image Gallery
October 9th, 2015
IFAI Expo 2015 was held in sunny Anaheim, Calif., Oct. 6–9. The week was filled with networking events, education classes, keynote speakers, equipment workshops and much more. These are some images from the week's activities. For more about this year's Expo, read the IFAI Expo 2015 Wrap Up. See you next year in Charlotte, N.C.! […]
IFAI wraps up a successful 2015 Expo
October 9th, 2015
The Industrial Fabrics Association International's (IFAI) textile trade event, IFAI Expo 2015, took place Oct. 6-9, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. The annual event is the largest display of specialty fabrics and technical textiles in the Americas. The show floor buzzed with excitement as more than 5,500 registrants and 376 exhibitors filled the space in the […]
Funding and financing
October 9th, 2015
How to acquire capital for your business. Where do funds come from? There are four main sources, according to Lynda Andrian of Southern California Leasing: FDIC-insured banks, Wall Street, private equity firms and marketplace lending (also known as “crowdfunding” for businesses). Types of financing include debt financing, equity financing, equipment financing, SBA loans, accounts receivable […]
The top 10 shade sail mistakes to avoid
October 9th, 2015
The top 10 mistakes to avoid when installing shade sails were presented today at the shade sail demonstration at IFAI Expo 2015. Design 10. Don't use long, skinny shapes. Shorter sides should be at least one-half the length of the longest side 9. Don’t use two triangles to fit a square or rectangular space. Triangles […]
The benefits of textile testing
October 9th, 2015
In a presentation titled “Testing 101,” Dr. Emiel DenHartog, associate professor at North Carolina University, and Dr. Maureen McGillivray, professor of apparel merchandising and design at Central Michigan University, covered the basics of textile testing, explaining its benefits while offering tips for selecting a method. McGillivray has experienced an increased demand for testing during her […]
Should you be exporting?
October 9th, 2015
There is a great deal of free help available if the answer is yes. “The manufacturing landscape in America is changing,” said Mary Lynn Landgraf, Senior International Trade Specialist with the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA). “Otexa offers programs and strategies to help businesses in this industry stay competitive. We compile data, design strategies, […]
Customized testing of advanced textiles products
October 9th, 2015
Advanced textiles are available to consumers with an impressive and ever-increasing array of performance attributes. Examples include wicking, compression, heat-reflecting and energy-harvesting properties. While standard tests exist to confirm and demonstrate the nature and magnitude of some properties, they may not capture the performance features that distinguish a product from its competition. Additionally, the standard […]
The foreign exchange
October 9th, 2015
If IFAI decided to give out a Most PowerPoint Slides Award, there’s no doubt the association would bestow it upon Mary Lynn Landgraf, senior international trade specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Textiles and Apparel. Her IFAI Expo Advanced Textiles presentation titled “New Approaches to Selling to the Military” comprised a whopping […]
FGA announces Student Design Challenge recipients
October 8th, 2015
The Fabric Graphics Association (FGA), a division of IFAI, announced the recipients of the 2015 Fabric Graphics Student Design Challenge today at IFAI Expo 2015, which runs through Oct. 9 in Anaheim, Calif. Isabella Amstrup, Sarah Hass and Sarah McMahon of Philadelphia University were awarded first place for their project titled “Antimicrobial Artwork.” They received […]
Personal branding using social media
October 8th, 2015
How to achieve positive visibility and establish yourself as a leader. The use of social media to publicize your business (and yourself) is an invaluable tool in achieving visibility to your audience, but it’s vital to be a “thoughtful” leader and establish yourself as a professional who provides content that is both good and consistent, […]