Awning makers use digital printers to adapt to changing industry By Janice Kleinschmidt In the natural world, the strength of a species lies in its diversity. In the business world, the strength of a company lies in its ability to serve customers. Like living organisms, diverse companies adapt to a changing environment in order to [...]

Nanotechnology may be a manufacturing revolution, but how environmentally responsible (and safe) will it be? In an article in ScienCentral News (produced by ScienCentral Inc. in collaboration with The Center for Science and the Media), technology monitoring firm Lux Research estimates that by the year 2015, the global output of goods using nanotechnology will be [...]

The American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists (AATCC) will present “Medical, Nonwovens & Technical Textiles” October 6–7, 2008, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham, N.C., U.S.A. The two-day program has been developed by AATCC’s Material Interest Group, and is being chaired by Dr. Philip J. Brown, Clemson University. Confirmed topics include next-generation carbon [...]

Members of the Outdoor Fabric Products Association of New Zealand (OFPANZ) gathered in Auckland on July 3–5 for their annual conference, marking the 20th anniversary of OFPANZ’s founding in 1988 when fabricators from both the north and south islands were seeking a national entity. More than 200 industry representatives from all over New Zealand, as [...]

When showcasing shelter solutions such as tents, yurts and fabric cottages, a bigger facility is better. In July, Rainier Industries, Seattle, Wash., moved a short distance from its previous headquarters into a new 140,000-square-foot facility with ample space for five in-house divisions (wood, fabric, frame, print and technical), showrooms and a Yurt Village. Rainier manufactures [...]

KD Kanopy started as a tent manufacturer in 1984, but it didn’t take long to recognize the market for graphics on tents. By 1989 the Westminster, Colorado company was silk screening on tents, and by 2001 it was getting “a lot of requests for full digital graphics,” says president John Matthews. KD Kanopy still does [...]

Have you ever heard of trade shows referred to as “living magazines”? The exhibitors are the advertisers, the conferences and keynote speakers are the editorial material, and the attendees are the readers. Here are few techniques to get the most out of your trade show visit. Make a “to do” list. List the booths that [...]

Despite detractors that call sewing a “dinosaur technology,” it remains one that defies extinction. In fact, with the rapid growth of UV, dye sublimation, and solvent printing on fabrics, sewing may be more vital than ever to the banner/display finishing process. Newer technologies, such as hot air and RF welding, have proven capable of fusing [...]

With the summer’s spike in oil prices, strategies to conserve energy are more important than ever. Members of our technical advisory committee share their strategies. Energy survey With the help of a local university, Herculite conducted a complete energy survey of its facilities, which led to the following energy-saving changes. Implemented a company wide upgrade [...]

Some of the most impressive aspects of the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park are underwater. Photo courtesy of China Textile News. An artificial lake and wild-water complex in the Chinese city of Shunyi is set in a giant rectangular stretch of land specifically built for the Olympics. Most of the park is made up of [...]