January 1, 2025
Calling it “a complete overhaul” doesn’t even begin to describe the transformation of the Bally’s riverboat casino in Kansas City, Mo., done by Structurflex of Merriam, Kan., with the FlexFacades cladding system. There’s nothing “old-timey riverboat” about the current look, although there is a nod to the water with some abstract waterproof fiberglass “nautical fins” …
January 1, 2025
Tropical J’s, a Hawaii-based awning and canopy manufacturer, had completed an awning for the rear of the Straub’s Medical Center during COVID. That project so impressed the CEO of the center that when it came time for another shade project, he asked his facilities manager to reach out to them again. Straub Medical Center is …
January 1, 2025
Trade shows are all about connecting with customers new and old, and an engaging display using lightweight, vertical assets in eye-catching colors can make that happen. Bright and colorful booths with distinctive features attract foot traffic, and lighting and projection create an experience. Pop-up displays that maximize available space are on trend, and their light …
January 1, 2025
Moss Inc., a graphics and tension fabric structures provider headquartered in Franklin Park, Ill., announced the promotion of Elissa Decker to the position of vice president of global procurement and textile development. In her new role, Decker will provide leadership and direct oversight of the Moss global procurement organization. Her responsibilities will encompass the rationalizing …
January 1, 2025
The Workforce Development Council, a member group of the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), has launched its new website as a resource for building the textile industry workforce. The Council is working to find solutions to one of the biggest challenges our members in the textiles industry are facing—finding and keeping skilled employees. This group works to …
December 10, 2024
The clients for this project asked for a shade sail to cover their north-west facing courtyard. The solution from SunCraft NZ, Ltd., won an Award of Excellence in the Commercial Awnings & Canopies category of the 2024 Advanced Textiles Association International Achievement Awards. It was important for the clients to have a solution that provided …
December 1, 2024
In August, Hollywood Park, adjacent to the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., hosted the HARD Summer music festival, a two-day celebration of genres including electronic, techno, house, and drum and bass. The venue included four outdoor stages in the parking lots around the stadium, drawing more than 80,000 attendees each day. Unfortunately, the festival also …
December 1, 2024
When you think of robotics, architecture probably is not what first comes to mind. But design company line+, of Hangzhou, China, partnered with robotics systems company RoboticPlus.AI to create a dynamic building like no other. The public building, Lotus by the Xiangjiang River in Changsha, in Hunan, China, has a central observation hall that raises …
December 1, 2024
Step 1: Take inspiration from the technology in noise-canceling headphones. Step 2: Apply it to textiles. Step 3: Create acoustic silk that could become cubicle or thin wall panels that reduce noise in large spaces. That’s what’s been done by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The fabric, which is about as thin …
December 1, 2024
Ernesto Neto, a contemporary artist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, recently exhibited his largest sculpture to date at the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon, Portugal—Nosso Barco Tambor Terra (Our Boat Drum Earth). Nosso Barco Tambor Terra is an immersive installation made from canvas, sails, rope and cotton that represents transatlantic voyages …
November 1, 2022
Along-awaited waterfront ferry terminal is up and running on Seaplane Lagoon, Alameda, Calif. Against a backdrop of the decommissioned USS Hornet aircraft carrier and the Alameda Naval Air Museum, the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal provides regular weekday commuter services from Alameda, Oakland and other areas east and across the Bay from San Francisco. While helping …
October 1, 2022
Shigeru Ban’s corporate campus in Biel/Bienne for the Swiss watch company Swatch Omega Group is a study in contrast. Expanding on a motif the international architect first developed for the Centre Pompidou-Metz, France, Ban created a massive load-bearing timber diagrid shell that encloses and forms the main building. As with the Metz project, the Swatch …
September 1, 2022
Overland Park, Kan., is the second largest city in its state, as well as within the Kansas City metro area. The city’s website claims it is “America’s largest inhabited park,” and it feels like it if you stand in any open field and look northeast toward downtown Kansas City where the green-glass iconic towers of …
August 1, 2022
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indigenous community in Scottsdale, Ariz., has a dedicated space that is surrounded by a high-end commercial plaza on its land. Located at the crossroads of two major roads, the shopping complex is composed of numerous brick-faced masses that have tribal art affixed to the curved walls. One corner of the complex …
July 1, 2022
Vicinity Centres at Chadstone, located in Melbourne, Australia, is considered by some as the Fashion Capital of Down Under. Chadstone’s high-end fashion shopping precinct includes retail, commercial and leisure zones and recently was grafted to a new five-star hotel, the Hotel Chadstone Melbourne MGallery by Sofitel, via a fabric tensile canopy dubbed “The Link.” “The …
June 1, 2022
Fans of the San Diego Symphony have been singing praises for the new outdoor performance venue featuring The Rady Shell, inaugurated August 6, 2021, with a full-orchestra concert and a packed audience. As any musician will tell you, acoustics at outdoor performances are often a disappointing aural experience due to wind, intrusive noises and other …
May 1, 2022
More than ever before, architects are being called upon to dramatically improve the performance of their buildings, and fabric can help with this mandate. The key to implementing this is to reduce the embodied carbon in buildings. It’s a given that 40 percent of global resources goes to the built environment, so our construction industry …
January 1, 2022
With commissioned work coming to a halt last year because of the pandemic, artist Liam Hopkins set out to design his own project—a venue that would inspire and evolve. The result is Lazerian Space, a combination art gallery and cafe on King Street in Manchester, England. Inside the space, guests lounge and nosh within one …
December 1, 2021
While the Grand Palais, Paris’ historic exhibition hall and museum complex, is closed for a multi-year restoration project, a membrane-wrapped temporary venue installed on the Champ de Mars in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower is taking its place. Designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte of Wilmotte & Associates, the temporary structure dubbed “Grand Palais Ephémère” …
October 1, 2021
In the autumn of 2020, while Michigan was experiencing a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, the governor and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services put in place a three-week ban on indoor dining in restaurants. To keep their doors open, many Detroit restaurants turned to tents, heaters and other ways to extend their …
December 20, 2021
The Industrial Fabrics Association International is now accepting proposals for presentations at IFAI Expo 2022. IFAI Expo will take place Oct. 12-14, 2022, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., with education Oct. 11-14. IFAI is accepting proposals for 50-minute classroom sessions in several categories: Advanced Textiles Shade & Weather Protection Specialty Fabrics Marine …
July 7, 2021
Messe Stuttgart announced that its new U.S.-based show Sun Shading Expo North America will not be held in 2021 as a separate trade show but will instead contribute its expertise in internal and external sun shading systems at IFAI Expo 2021 in the form of expert talks, open discussions and more. IFAI Expo 2021 will still take place …
May 10, 2021
Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021. IFAI Expo celebrates the 100th anniversary of the show this November, and you won’t want to miss it! After a long hiatus of in-person events, this year’s show is the perfect place to reconnect with your industry. Register now to get the Early Bird rate! Early Bird rates end …
December 1, 2020
With today’s digital printing options, there’s no reason for an awning client to be limited to colors and patterns in a book or traditional customization methods, according to Andrew Medley, regional sales manager for Trivantage. “Digital printing offers unlimited capabilities, and it is a solution to providing the customer exactly what they want—personalized messaging, the …
December 1, 2020
During IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, Jeff Sponseller, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Miller Weldmaster, led a campfire session titled “How to Select the Correct Welding Technology for Your Business.” “Essentially a good weld means that the fabric will tear before the weld does,” says Sponseller. Many types of different materials can be …
December 1, 2020
Wildfires, hurricanes, a pandemic and civil unrest have wreaked plenty of chaos on the commercial insurance market in 2020. Steve Christenson, with Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, offered guidance to business owners Nov. 9 at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020. “The business insurance market has been going through several changes this year,” says Christenson, with U.S. …
December 1, 2020
In the 2020 IFAI Virtual Expo presentation, “The Inside Scoop on Shade, Lighting and Acoustics,” Cynthia Thompson, MFA, president and founder of Transformit in Gorham, Maine, wowed conference participants with a slideshow of her company’s projects that highlight the stunning possibilities of interior fabric architecture. Thompson said many different markets can make use of permanent …
December 1, 2020
Thinking about selling your business—either to an outside party or the next generation? Then it’s time to start considering how your equipment and processes fit into your succession plan. Jonathan Palmer, the second-generation owner and CEO of equipment supplier Autometrix, and Autometrix director of global sales Truy Pham, led an educational session at IFAI Virtual …
November 16, 2020
In a session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, “Smart Textiles Standardization, Active Illumination,” Dr. Jan Beringer, senior scientific expert Hohenstein Group, explained the new standard for active illumination that will soon be implemented in European Union countries. Organizations worked together to develop the standards. It is notable, he said that both textile and electronics industries …
November 16, 2020
A presentation at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, titled, “Rapid Prototyping and Textile Product Development” urged attendees to use “sticks and glue … whatever method you have to get your idea out there.” The presenter, Dr. Andre West, director of the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University, may not have meant …
January 1, 2025
Calling it “a complete overhaul” doesn’t even begin to describe the transformation of the Bally’s riverboat casino in Kansas City, Mo., done by Structurflex of Merriam, Kan., with the FlexFacades cladding system. There’s nothing “old-timey riverboat” about the current look, although there is a nod to the water with some abstract waterproof fiberglass “nautical fins” …
January 1, 2025
Tropical J’s, a Hawaii-based awning and canopy manufacturer, had completed an awning for the rear of the Straub’s Medical Center during COVID. That project so impressed the CEO of the center that when it came time for another shade project, he asked his facilities manager to reach out to them again. Straub Medical Center is …
December 1, 2024
In August, Hollywood Park, adjacent to the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., hosted the HARD Summer music festival, a two-day celebration of genres including electronic, techno, house, and drum and bass. The venue included four outdoor stages in the parking lots around the stadium, drawing more than 80,000 attendees each day. Unfortunately, the festival also …
December 1, 2024
When you think of robotics, architecture probably is not what first comes to mind. But design company line+, of Hangzhou, China, partnered with robotics systems company RoboticPlus.AI to create a dynamic building like no other. The public building, Lotus by the Xiangjiang River in Changsha, in Hunan, China, has a central observation hall that raises …
December 1, 2024
Step 1: Take inspiration from the technology in noise-canceling headphones. Step 2: Apply it to textiles. Step 3: Create acoustic silk that could become cubicle or thin wall panels that reduce noise in large spaces. That’s what’s been done by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The fabric, which is about as thin …
November 1, 2024
Like many cities, Tempe, Ariz., is coping with a number of urban challenges. A local newspaper regularly reports on a long list of critical issues, such as the need for more outdoor dining spaces, how to enhance the pedestrian experience (by mandating “8-foot free and clear space on sidewalks”) and (especially in Arizona) the need …
November 1, 2024
Relaxing in outdoor seating is a favorite part of eating at the Frisco Barroom, a restaurant located in the St. Louis, Mo., area that has both a 50-seat back patio and a shaded rooftop deck that accommodates 42. The sun protection on that upper perch was an improvement made a few years after the eatery …
November 1, 2024
Sustainability, art, better durability and new printing technology are among the trends shaping the exterior fabric graphics market. Companies involved in all facets of this area continue to innovate, meet market demands and introduce new and better features for fabric products and the equipment that produces them. Developing a more sustainable fabric For global fabrics …
October 1, 2024
The Times Square Edition hotel, a new building in New York City, was designed to have a ninth-floor terrace and is set back in keeping with the other properties on Times Square. The Witkoff Group, which developed the property, wanted to create an all-season amenity especially well-suited for the renowned New Year’s Eve parties surrounding …
October 1, 2024
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the amount of renewable capacity added to energy systems around the world grew by 50% in 2023, reaching almost 510 gigawatts (GW), with solar/photovoltaic accounting for three-quarters of additions worldwide. The IEA forecasts that U.S. solar power generation will grow 75% from 163 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in …
September 17, 2024
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the regulation of them continue to be one of the top issues facing the textiles industry. Although federal reporting rules have been delayed until next year, there are still a number of state and federal regulations to manage. To help companies in the industry navigate those challenges, Advanced Textiles …
May 1, 2023
Former Industrial Fabrics Association International (now ATA) Chairman Kevin Yonce passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on April 29, 2023. Yonce was born January 24, 1970, in Urbana, Ill. He was a lifelong resident of Champaign-Urbana and a 1988 graduate of Urbana High School. Yonce is survived by his mother, Wanda, brother …
April 18, 2023
The “20th Anniversary Celebration of Membrane Structure Innovation and Development and the 11th National Membrane Structure Technology Exchange Conference” hosted by the Spatial Structure Sub-association of China Steel Construction Association and undertaken by Beijing University of Technology was successfully held this spring in Beijing, China. Nearly 400 delegates from all over the country participated. A …
June 22, 2022
The U.S. Department of Labor will provide a funding opportunity for $11.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to support the delivery of training and education to help workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards. Administered by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the grants will target disadvantaged, underserved, low-income, and other hard-to-reach, …
January 10, 2022
Oeko-Tex Association has released its annual updates to test criteria, limit values and requirements. In addition, its new Impact Calculator is now available for STeP by Oeko-Tex customers. The industry-specific tool will provide carbon and water footprint data essential to meeting climate goals. Later in 2022, Oeko-Tex will also introduce a new certification for corporate …
December 21, 2021
Industry veteran Steve Fredrickson is joining Rainier Industries as the National Sales Director for Rainier Shade. Frederickson has more than 25 years of experience in the textile industry, with several different companies. Most recently, he was sales director at Sattler Corp. “I started working with Rainier Industries in 1997; loved my time here and am …
December 20, 2021
The Industrial Fabrics Association International is now accepting proposals for presentations at IFAI Expo 2022. IFAI Expo will take place Oct. 12-14, 2022, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., with education Oct. 11-14. IFAI is accepting proposals for 50-minute classroom sessions in several categories: Advanced Textiles Shade & Weather Protection Specialty Fabrics Marine …
December 17, 2021
Pantone, the global color authority and provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions for the design community, has introduced a new blue shade, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, a dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone as the Pantone Color of the Year selection for 2022. Blending the faithfulness and constancy …
December 1, 2021
Messe Stuttgart is postponing R+T, a leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading systems, which was scheduled to take place in February 2022. “R+T is the most international event in Stuttgart. Three quarters of the exhibitors at the last edition of the world’s leading trade fair in 2018 came from abroad,” says …
October 21, 2021
According to the report “Global Textile Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Raw Material (Wool, Chemical, Silk), by Product (Natural Fibers, Polyester), by Application (Household, Technical), by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2021-2028” by ResearchAndMarkets.com, the global textile market size is anticipated to reach USD 1412.5 billion by 2028. The market is expected to …
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