TEXTILES.ORG
Wide-format digital printing transforms space and public perceptions
June 1st, 2016
The magic of wide-format digital printing transforms space and public perceptions, turning fabric into gold. As we’ve seen in “If walls could talk," décor is one of the most popular applications for digitally printed fabric graphics today, and will likely be one of the fastest-growing markets in the future. But what is it, specifically, about […]
Nouveau cargo
February 1st, 2016
Carving out new niches in a stable industry What could possibly be new in the cargo control and packaging industry? Aren’t containers, pallets and trucks the same as they’ve always been? Isn’t the goal always to secure items to transport them from point A to point B? The basics may be the same, but the […]
A continuing thread
January 1st, 2016
Fabricators' needs evolve constantly, and so do the sewing threads they use. Thread is becoming more high-tech by the day—but not necessarily in the ways you might expect. Yes, it’s being made with new synthetic fibers (although the vast majority of thread sold in the world is still cotton-poly or some subset thereof). But the […]
Hazardous duty
December 1st, 2015
How fabric technology is protecting rescuers against ever-more-dangerous situations. On the hot summer day in 2013 when 19 experienced firefighters lost their lives, the Yarnell Hill fire, northwest of Phoenix, Ariz., spanned 8,400 acres. The trees were dry, the humidity was low and the wind suddenly turned, cutting off escape and creating an inferno. The […]
Breaking from tradition
October 1st, 2015
Game-changing shifts in the flexible substrate printing market prove the rules are changing in the growing graphics industry. It’s not news that fabric graphics are booming. Thanks to continuing advances in technology, printing on flexible substrates has experienced reliable growth for years. More than any other single factor, the existence of fabric graphics has shaped […]
Printing possibilities
October 1st, 2015
More technology There are two main parameters that shops look at when they’re investing in printers: print quality and speed. Both have been improving markedly. In recent months, Rainier Industries has been upgrading to Durst Rhotex’s P10/P12 series of direct-to-fabric printers. Scott Powell, marketing director, is a fan of the new tech. “The P stands […]
In the commercial upholstery market, is small beautiful?
September 7th, 2015
Smaller shops may not always have the staff, but they’re local and they’re flexible, advantages that are still valuable in the business. With commercial furniture and upholstery becoming increasingly large-scale and increasingly technical in nature, is there still a niche for smaller shops? The answer is yes—if only by the skin of their teeth. Robert […]
Room for inspiration
August 1st, 2015
The commercial upholstery market is becoming increasingly performance oriented, with noticeable growth in health care, hospitality and sports. New fabrics and coatings are in demand, and in development. When most people think of commercial upholstery, they think of offices . While that`s a big part of the market, it`s by no means where the most […]
Healthy prospects
July 1st, 2015
Nonwoven PLA could thrive in the health care market. PLA, or polylactic acid, is a relatively recent innovation, but it is already the most commonly used bioplastic today. It’s a polyester, but with a key difference: instead of being made from petrochemicals, it’s plant-sourced. The process, developed by Minnetonka, Minn.-based Cargill Inc. in the late […]
Saturation point
January 1st, 2015
PPE manufacturers are running at capacity to help in the fight against Ebola. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), or Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a potentially fatal disease that was first identified in 1976. Since then, outbreaks have happened every couple of years, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, none of these outbreaks has been as serious as the […]