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Innovation drives opportunities for inflatable structures
June 1st, 2024
Designed by Pneuhaus for NASA, this Mars Simulation Environment consists of 200-denier translucent fabric for the sky, with the Martian landscape printed on a flexible blackout nylon. Image: Pneuhaus 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 […]
Fabric structures provide crucial support in disasters
April 1st, 2024
This 55-foot-by-103-foot clearspan structure from Warner Shelter Systems Limited (WSSL) served as the mess hall and headquarters for Canada’s Department of National Defence. WSSL also manufactures pole tents and both types have been deployed for disaster-response purposes and utilized as command posts and mess halls and for storage and warehousing. Image: Warner Shelter Systems Limited […]
Transparency tech: solutions for materials tracking
February 1st, 2024
Preparing a cotton sample. “Any volume of fiber can be tagged,” says MeiLin Wan of Applied DNA Sciences. “For example, if 20 million pounds of cotton need to be tagged at a particular gin or spinner, we can provide the automated CertainT® tagging system to achieve this. We have tagged hundreds of millions of pounds […]
Selling your business
January 1st, 2024
If selling a residence can be an angst-filled undertaking, how much more unsettling is the thought of selling a business, especially one you’ve poured heart, soul, money and reputation into? But as potentially nerve-wracking as the prospect may be, there are measures shop owners can take to lessen the stress and achieve their desired outcome. […]
Chemical recycling may offer a solution to textile waste
November 1st, 2023
Among the bio-based chemicals in Circa Group’s portfolio is Cyrene™, a novel solvent that is being used by Textile Change, a company that has developed technology for the recycling of textile waste. Shown here is a Textile Change pilot plant that will be using Cyrene as well as other solvents during its trial run. Photo: […]
PFAS Regulations prompt innovation
August 1st, 2023
Shown here is a water-resistant fabric, one of many offered in the new Milliken Outdoor Fabrics line of non-PFAS DWR performance fabrics designed to stand up to every weather element. Photo: Milliken & Co. As the momentum to eliminate per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) picks up speed, growing numbers of product manufacturers and suppliers […]
Dyeing for change: Companies create pollution solutions
June 1st, 2023
Focused on plant, plant waste and bacterial-based dyestuff, Sodhani Biotech provides textile mills worldwide with a vast selection of commercially available and sustainable dyes. The company uses a biological process to fix pigment onto textiles. The plant-based dyes are suitable for cotton, wool, silk, polyester, nylon and other fibers. Compared to manufacturing synthetic dyes, the […]
Fabric structures that withstand extreme environments
November 1st, 2022
Creativity is required when it comes to designing shades that can withstand Hawaii’s extreme trade winds. A solution devised by Tropical J’s is using motorized wire-guide shades, shown here installed at a residence, rather than tracked or keder shades, which can blow out of the tracks in high wind. Photo: Tropical J’s Inc. Visitors to […]
An Olympian Task
July 2nd, 2022
Several volunteers and VIPs at the Beijing Winter Olympics are shown outside the 15-by-30-meter double-decker lounge structure by Liri Modular Structure. Photo courtesy of Liri Modular Structure and Liri Tent US. It would have been a tall order for a less adept company. After all, the job wasn’t only extremely high-profile—the Beijing Winter Olympics—it involved […]
Decoding standards, regulation and certification
December 1st, 2021
American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ testing methods are key components of industry certifications and labels. Photo: AATCC. With sustainability increasingly on consumers’ minds, textile end product manufacturers (EPMs) are tasked with ensuring that the eco-friendly claims they make about their products and production processes are valid. This can prove challenging, as can staying […]