January 1, 2021
Pride City Awning & Canvas founder Carolyn Hajek has built her business on trust and loyalty. by Laurie F. Junker The successful formula for Pride City Awning & Canvas is the application of a simple principle—treat customers, suppliers and employees with honesty, fairness and loyalty. It’s an approach that has kept the Pueblo, Colo.-based manufacturer …
December 1, 2020
As more people embrace outdoor recreational activities during the pandemic, textiles and fabric products are in high demand. by Pamela Mills-Senn After months spent hunkered down at home because of the pandemic, people have become restive. They want to participate in life again, yet still follow social distancing guidelines. As a result, many people have …
November 1, 2020
A new book examines sustainability in materials design. By Marie O’Mahony Editor’s note: Marie O’Mahony will moderate a panel session led by author Ed van Hinte on Nov. 5 at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020. The session will provide an updated view on lightness in design and how the world might benefit from it. As the …
While some industry suppliers and end product manufacturers have found ways to remain afloat, the economic effects of the pandemic have proven devastating to many, and the future can only be described as uncertain. by Pamela Mills-Senn The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall economy, and on the specialty textiles industry specifically, is …
October 1, 2020
Technology and fabric advancements are fueling the development of smart textile and e-textile solutions for indoor environments. by Pamela Mills-Senn As the quest to add more functionality to interior spaces continues, smart fabrics and e-textiles are poised to make their own contributions, serving as platforms that can capture data, heat and cool, adjust lighting, entertain, …
Developments in geotextiles, renewable energy and recreation stem from Australia’s extreme environment. By Marie O’Mahony Australia’s geographic isolation puts the country and its technical textile industry in a novel position. The country is rich in natural resources, mining and exporting coal, iron ore, petroleum gas, zinc ore and other materials. The mining industry directly and …
September 1, 2020
The word pivot will go down as an industry buzzword for 2020, but in sailing, the equivalent term is tack or jibe. Dimension-Polyant (DP), a leader in the production of technical sailcloth, has “tacked” to meet the urgent demands of the PPE market, with a number of manufacturers tapping the company to provide films and …
Agility has emerged as the essential defining attribute of organizations able to respond to this crisis and chart a new, resilient course for the future. by Jeff Moravec Agility has always been something of a prerequisite for owning a company, and that skill set is clearly more valuable now than it ever has been. We …
by Jill C. Lafferty “You have to be an exceptional artist. You’ve got to be able to create a vision for your customer,” says Barry Adams, owner of Peachtree Awnings in Norcross, Ga., and Tennessee Awnings in La Vergne, Tenn. “Where the customer lacks vision, we have to give them a vision about what we …
How the manufacturing of medical protective gear is challenging U.S.-based textile businesses—and throwing them a lifeline. by Debra Cobb The COVID-19 pandemic made it abundantly clear that the U.S. is unprepared to supply its health-care and frontline workers, as well as its general population, with the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed in such an emergency. China …
