Archives

Outdoor shade and screens ride the storms out

June 1st, 2024

J. Miller Canvas worked with EPT Design on a 2,160 square-foot shade sail installation at the pre-K through eighth grade Pegasus School in Huntington Beach, Calif. Image: J. Miller Canvas LLC Extreme weather that whips up strong winds, releases torrents of rainfall and causes floods, droughts and other hazards is becoming more common, and businesses […]

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Growing shade

March 1st, 2022

The saying “sunshine is the best medicine” can be traced to public health pioneer Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), who observed the healing benefits of fresh air and direct sunlight in her patients. Since then, taking in the sun’s rays has been prescribed for a myriad of ailments, from skin rashes to depression and sleep disorders. But […]

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Pandemic demand drives shade market

February 1st, 2021

While 2020 started as a disaster, pandemic-related business picked up substantially as the year went on. Fabric manufacturers such as Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC were among companies providing shade products, like the Sunbrella® fabric for these shade structures in Miami, Fla., as restaurants moved to outdoor dining. Photo: Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC. For […]

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HDPE shade fabrics offer form and function for shade structures

October 4th, 2019

Shade has been a requirement for human beings since ancient times, but very little technological development related to shade occurred until the last 30 to 40 years, said Andrew Nasarczyk, senior manager—research and development, GALE Pacific Ltd., Braeside, Victoria, Australia. Nasarczyk explained the design and development of world-class knitted shade fabrics in an educational session […]

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Fire retardancy in shade structures: requirements and solutions

October 4th, 2019

David Dean, director of research and development at Glen Raven/Sunbrella, led the campfire session, “Fire Retardancy in Shade Structures: Requirements and Solutions” during Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla., According to Dean, in the U.S. there are currently no federally-mandated fire retardancy (FR) regulations for shade structures. The few regulations that have been passed include those […]

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Shade market basics that deliver

October 15th, 2018

The shade market keeps growing, according to Marc Shellshear, general manager of Value Vinyls Inc., and customers are more concerned than ever about preventing skin cancer. Shellshear was among the first presenters October 15 at IFAI’s 2018 Pre-Expo Conference in Dallas, Texas. Shellshear explained that there are three types of HDPE fabrics for shadecloth: tape/tape, […]

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Nigel Richings combines a hands-on, solution-minded approach with a vision for excellence to keep Undercover Canvas and Awnings growing

August 1st, 2018

You can either look at challenges and decide you can make things work and get on with it, or you can worry and then panic,” says Nigel Richings, founder and owner of Undercover Canvas and Awnings Inc. in Wildey, Barbados. “It’s one side of the coin or the other. I just don’t get scared. I […]

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Sturdy shade fabric

August 1st, 2017

Trivantage® is offering SolaMesh® fabric, an innovative new fabric using polymer technology, recommended for shade sails and other shade structures. Tested in the world’s harshest environments, the shade sail fabric is made from highly stable HDPE monofilament and tape, providing best-in-class strength, value and longevity. Available in 16 colors, it offers a 10-year warranty. Trivantage, […]

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