September 1, 2024
A historical mansion in Healdsburg, Calif., near Santa Rosa, built in 1883 with some of that era’s famous gold rush money, served as a private residence through two world wars and long after until the estate was turned into a bed and breakfast in the 1980s. A more recent change in owners triggered another remodeling and …
September 1, 2024
Keeping cool in Houston, Texas, is practically a year-round endeavor, as temps can hit the 90s F even in the spring. One way the new owners of the Houston Dynamo Football Club addressed fan comfort in their stadium redo was by converting its seats from plastic chairs to mesh fabric from Serge Ferrari. Shell Energy …
September 1, 2024
Textile waste is a massive problem throughout the world. The European Union (EU) estimates it generates 12.6 million tons of textile waste a year and that only 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new products. The situation is not any better in the U.S., which produces more than 17 million tons of textile …
September 1, 2024
Employers face many challenges stemming from the diverse needs and expectations of their workforce’s four distinct generations. Rising health care costs, living expenses, and evolving needs mandate reevaluating traditional employee benefits offerings. By catering to each generation’s specific needs and preferences, employers can foster a culture of support and engagement that transcends age barriers and …
September 1, 2024
The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) and the Institut für Bodensysteme (Institute for Soil Systems, or TFI) have developed a concept that reduces the number of flame retardants in carpet yarns while maintaining the same high level of retardancy. The yarn is also fully recyclable. Researchers spun the material into fibers on …
September 1, 2024
As a part of the Bruges Triennial “Spaces of Possibility” art exhibition in Bruges, Belgium, this summer, design studio SO – IL incollaboration with Mariana Popescu, Ph.D., of TU Delft, showcased a 3D-knit immersive tunnel sculpture that took three months to produce. It was inspired by the city’s bobbin lacemaking legacy but reimagined on a …
August 1, 2024
Upon approaching the Dayton Metro Library West Branch, viewers notice the building’s soaring rooflines, which echo the historic Wright Company Factory (within view in the background) where the Wright Brothers developed their commercially viable airplanes. One can imagine hearing the sounds from the past with the test fields spread wide behind the library. Two triangular …
August 1, 2024
Amphitheater acoustics Outdoor amphitheaters often are beacons for arts aficionados who enjoy listening to music or watching artistic performances in the great outdoors. While an amphitheater’s proper placement is paramount, the architectural designs of the building and roofing structure play huge roles in the acoustical impact of the space. Working alongside architectural firm Stantec and …
August 1, 2024
In 2023 DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, Mo., found that installing a permanent, climate-controlled tent could add a 400-capacity event center to its offerings without the time frames and expense that would have been needed for constructing a whole new bricks-and-mortar building. The tent structure was designed and installed by Traube Tent Co. Inc. based out …
August 1, 2024
Value Vinyls Inc., a specialty textiles and fabrics provider based in Grand Prairie, Texas, announced the promotion of Marc Shellshear to president. Shellshear brings over 30 years of extensive experience in operations, sales and marketing across multiple industries including specialty textiles, fabric and shade structure manufacturing, construction and distribution. In his previous role as general …
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 …
September 1, 2024
A historical mansion in Healdsburg, Calif., near Santa Rosa, built in 1883 with some of that era’s famous gold rush money, served as a private residence through two world wars and long after until the estate was turned into a bed and breakfast in the 1980s. A more recent change in owners triggered another remodeling and …
September 1, 2024
Keeping cool in Houston, Texas, is practically a year-round endeavor, as temps can hit the 90s F even in the spring. One way the new owners of the Houston Dynamo Football Club addressed fan comfort in their stadium redo was by converting its seats from plastic chairs to mesh fabric from Serge Ferrari. Shell Energy …
September 1, 2024
Textile waste is a massive problem throughout the world. The European Union (EU) estimates it generates 12.6 million tons of textile waste a year and that only 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new products. The situation is not any better in the U.S., which produces more than 17 million tons of textile …
August 1, 2024
Upon approaching the Dayton Metro Library West Branch, viewers notice the building’s soaring rooflines, which echo the historic Wright Company Factory (within view in the background) where the Wright Brothers developed their commercially viable airplanes. One can imagine hearing the sounds from the past with the test fields spread wide behind the library. Two triangular …
August 1, 2024
Amphitheater acoustics Outdoor amphitheaters often are beacons for arts aficionados who enjoy listening to music or watching artistic performances in the great outdoors. While an amphitheater’s proper placement is paramount, the architectural designs of the building and roofing structure play huge roles in the acoustical impact of the space. Working alongside architectural firm Stantec and …
July 1, 2024
Many architects are using every trick in the book to help reduce reliance on traditional energy sources, including applying photovoltaic (PV) technology to their buildings along with improved efficiencies in HVAC and building envelope insulation. However, not every designer feels comfortable slapping PV arrays on their beautiful buildings—covering every south-facing roof surface with the shiny …
July 1, 2024
Extreme weather that whips up strong winds, releases torrents of rainfall and causes floods, droughts and other hazards is becoming more common, and businesses in the shade industry have had to adapt. They have introduced new structures, fabrics, finishes and cleaning products to help consumers keep their canopies, shade sails, awnings and other shade structures …
June 1, 2024
Anyone who has spent time on a racing sailboat (and New Zealanders are noted for putting up challengers to the America’s Cup sailing competition, with four wins out of five attempts) knows that a tightly furled sail does not flap uncontrollably. A recent addition to a private home in Queenstown provides comfortable protection from sun …
June 1, 2024
The first image that springs to mind when inflatables are mentioned is likely bouncy houses or holiday decorations tethered on people’s lawns—unsurprising, since these are typically their most visible manifestations. But the forms inflatables assume and the purposes they can serve are astoundingly varied. Consider the negative pressure tents from Stretch Marquee and Fabric Structures …
June 1, 2024
Founded as Bailie’s Furniture Company in 1858, Carolina CoverTech of North Augusta, S.C., is thriving in its third—and most transformative—era, due to the leadership of CEO Rian True. His early efforts in reshaping the company’s approach to manufacturing laid the foundation for a strategic vision that endures today, bolstered by True’s continuous pursuit of new …
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 …
October 14, 2021
Herculite Products Inc., an innovator and manufacturer of high performance and custom fabrics, has announced that Paul Flaherty and Marco Angelone have received leadership promotions. Flaherty has been promoted to the newly created position of chief strategy officer. In the new role, he will be responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s long …
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