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Shade fabrics take center stage in outdoor entertainment
June 1st, 2025
Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Pvilion created portable solar fabric panels and battery kits to power some of the lighting and equipment on Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres world tour. The 10,000-square-foot construction was made of 70 black PVC panels integrated with solar cells. Image: Pvilion From reimagined performance spaces and circus tents to portable solar panels and […]
Where fit meets function in women’s protective gear
March 1st, 2025
The new Kevlar® EXO™ aramid fiber used in body armor vests that DuPont has been working on for over a decade is 40% stronger than legacy Kevlar aramid fiber, which means the protective gear can be made lighter weight. Image: DuPont An April 2024 survey by the Women’s Engineering Society revealed that more than 35% of […]
Blue and green roofs use many kinds of geosynthetics
February 1st, 2025
Microsoft offices in Vancouver, B.C., Canada’s downtown Gastown. The ZinCo-designed semi-intensive green roof features various trees, grasses, perennials and sedums in its rooftop amenity space. Image: ZinCo In the global push to lower buildings’ carbon footprint and energy and water use, some look to blue and green roof construction. These roofs can help combat urban […]
Hemp, hemp, hooray
January 1st, 2025
A 30% hemp and 70% cotton sliver produced from a card in the spinning process. Image: Bear Fiber Inc. Industrial hemp has the power to revolutionize the manufacturing industry. It can be used for a variety of applications in everything from farming to textiles. However, the U.S. hemp industry is nascent, the crop having been […]
Turkish textile innovations
November 1st, 2024
Murat Agagündüz demonstrates the internal construction of a new Pluvia washer, designed to revolutionize the washing process in both pre- and post-dyeing operations. The washers are suitable for all fabrics and yarns, conserving water and energy while increasing production. Image: Ross Horton Turkey, which changed its name to the Republic of Türkiye in 2022, has […]
Textiles that float return astronauts, research and more safely to Earth
September 1st, 2024
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft floats down to its landing spot at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, in New Mexico in 2022. As the issue went to press, Starliner, on its certification flight and first with astronauts, remained at the International Space Station. Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls When it comes to the study of Earth and […]
The glamping boom is good business for tent manufacturers
June 1st, 2024
Tenting in Luxury’s waterfront en suite tents along the inlet of the fjord at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge’s five-star glamping resort on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. Tents are constructed from 12-ounce Sunforger treated canvas. During the pandemic, many people sought to spend more time in nature. That trend hasn’t subsided, but they also want connectivity and […]
Expanding into new markets (without losing your shirt)
January 1st, 2024
Employees at AR Tech working on multilayered insulative fabric assemblies for a space launch vehicle. Image: AR Tech In today’s volatile economic climate—with higher interest rates and difficulty hiring workers—the decision on how, when or even whether a company should expand into a new market can be incredibly challenging. However, within this industry, where most […]
Watching out for greenwashing in your supply chain
November 1st, 2023
Renegade Plastics’ fabric serves as the background to show pellets made from recycled fabric and loose grommets made from those pellets. Image: Renegade Plastics In a world where consumers are concerned about sustainability, being environmentally conscious and seeking ethically sourced products, textile manufacturers need to ensure that companies throughout their supply chain aren’t engaging in […]
Aerospace textiles: To the moon and back … and beyond
October 1st, 2023
Jan. 21, 2022, the waning gibbous moon is pictured above the Earth's horizon as the International Space Station orbited 272 miles above the Atlantic Ocean in between the tips of South America and South Africa. Photo: NASA Explorers may not yet have achieved Buzz Lightyear’s ability to go “to infinity and beyond,” but with innovative […]