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2024 Specialty Fabrics Showcase

April 1st, 2024

Awnings, tents, marine upholstery, furniture, banners and signs: Regardless of the end product, the fabric may need to perform in harsh conditions while still looking good, keeping the planet green and fitting into a client’s budget. For our annual showcase, we asked companies to send us information about their newest specialty textiles. We’ve organized the […]

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Textiles that support energy conservation fill a growing need.

November 1st, 2021

It is estimated that about 6–10 percent of the cost of manufacturing is from energy consumption during manufacture. While the price of raw materials is primarily a fixed cost, to reduce the overall cost of manufacturing, textile businesses can reduce expenses by focussing on manageable and variable costs such as energy use. Photo: © Robert […]

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Sustainable practices in today’s textile industry

February 1st, 2020

 by Marie O’Mahony The story of sustainability in the textile industry has grown and changed, particularly in the last decade. The concept of “circularity” is now driving sustainability across the materials sector. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and […]

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Sustainable infrastructure and construction textiles

June 1st, 2019

Infrastructure and construction textiles succeed with a focus on sustainable alternatives. By Seshadri Ramkumar and Marie O’Mahony  The Shed in New York City is an arts center for performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. The building is designed to physically transform to support artists’ most ambitious ideas. Photo: Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Today’s advanced […]

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Tracking supplier compliance for sustainable textile companies

May 1st, 2018

The issue of compliance can be complicated for textile companies, which have to comply with various regulatory and voluntary company standards for product safety and restriction of substances. In the United States, for example, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) contains provisions that aim to improve the safety of children’s products. The European Union […]

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