Agricultural textiles adapt to climate change
April 1st, 2024
Beef cattle underneath a Shade Haven mobile shade structure. The company’s products are deployed in the field to keep cows, llamas, sheep and goats out of direct heat. Comfortable livestock just eat better, which is important to the health of a farm as well as its animals. Image: Shade Haven As climate change and its […]
Fabric structures provide crucial support in disasters
March 1st, 2024
This 55-foot-by-103-foot clearspan structure from Warner Shelter Systems Limited (WSSL) served as the mess hall and headquarters for Canada’s Department of National Defence. WSSL also manufactures pole tents and both types have been deployed for disaster-response purposes and utilized as command posts and mess halls and for storage and warehousing. Image: Warner Shelter Systems Limited […]
Small sustainability actions can make a big difference
February 1st, 2024
Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® fabrics are designed to withstand all manner of environmental impacts while remaining attractive and functional. The durable fabrics offer a high degree of sun protection and are fade resistant and easy to care for, keeping them on the job longer. Image: Glen Raven Inc. With sustainability uppermost in nearly everyone’s mind, textile […]
Transparency tech: solutions for materials tracking
January 1st, 2024
Preparing a cotton sample. “Any volume of fiber can be tagged,” says MeiLin Wan of Applied DNA Sciences. “For example, if 20 million pounds of cotton need to be tagged at a particular gin or spinner, we can provide the automated CertainT® tagging system to achieve this. We have tagged hundreds of millions of pounds […]
Selling your business
December 1st, 2023
If selling a residence can be an angst-filled undertaking, how much more unsettling is the thought of selling a business, especially one you’ve poured heart, soul, money and reputation into? But as potentially nerve-wracking as the prospect may be, there are measures shop owners can take to lessen the stress and achieve their desired outcome. […]
Marine fabricators’ shade innovations
November 1st, 2023
Because of supply chain shortages affecting the availability of carbon fiber poles, MarineRennavators decided to make its own, shown here. Utilizing new 3D printer technology, the company created a carbon fiber sleeve system that allows it to manufacture different diameter poles with corresponding sleeve systems. Image: MarineRennavators LLC Changing consumer trends, evolving boat designs, and […]
Chemical recycling may offer a solution to textile waste
October 1st, 2023
Among the bio-based chemicals in Circa Group’s portfolio is Cyrene™, a novel solvent that is being used by Textile Change, a company that has developed technology for the recycling of textile waste. Shown here is a Textile Change pilot plant that will be using Cyrene as well as other solvents during its trial run. Photo: […]
Allergen-reducing textiles
August 31st, 2023
The AllerEase Maximum Mattress Protector by American Textile is constructed with polyester/nylon fabric and thermoplastic polyurethane lamination. Its tightly woven design and small pore size (under 10 microns) blocks 99.9% of allergens from passing through into the mattress. Photo: American Textile Company Inc. The COVID pandemic was hard on everyone, but for allergy sufferers, it […]
PFAS regulations prompt innovation
July 1st, 2023
Shown here is a water-resistant fabric, one of many offered in the new Milliken Outdoor Fabrics line of non-PFAS DWR performance fabrics designed to stand up to every weather element. Photo: Milliken & Co. As the momentum to eliminate per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) picks up speed, growing numbers of product manufacturers and suppliers […]
Dyeing for change: Companies create pollution solutions
May 1st, 2023
Focused on plant, plant waste and bacterial-based dyestuff, Sodhani Biotech provides textile mills worldwide with a vast selection of commercially available and sustainable dyes. The company uses a biological process to fix pigment onto textiles. The plant-based dyes are suitable for cotton, wool, silk, polyester, nylon and other fibers. Compared to manufacturing synthetic dyes, the […]