In its fourth annual Materials Design Competition for students, intended to promote innovative product development from a material structures design perspective, AATCC has announced the 2009 winners. All entries were evaluated on concept originality, design element integration, technical feasibility, clarity of supporting documentation, technical and materials rationale, efficacy of the proposed commercialization, and viability of [...]

In testimony before the Small Business Committee in June, National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) member companies, past U.S. Customs senior staff and government investigative agencies called on Congress and the Administration to overhaul the textile enforcement effort in the CAFTA and other trade preference areas, as textile fraud has soared to new levels. Harding [...]

ATA’s European-U.S. networking conference fosters innovation and strategic partnerships. By Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh and Galynn Nordstrom According to Italian director Federico Fellini, “the only true realist is the visionary.” Advanced Textiles ’09 (AT ’09), which took place April 2–3 in Brussels, Belgium, brought this concept to life—and business—moving beyond today’s technical textile innovations to discuss the [...]

By Jeff Rasmussen The impact of the recession on tent fabric suppliers, tent manufacturers and event rental professionals has been profound. Sales for 2009 are down 15-20 percent for tent manufacturers through April, tent orders from event professionals are down and many event operators are in a wait-and-see mode, holding back on making big purchases [...]

Fiscal reality, fair firing and responsible management. By William J. Lynott It’s an unwelcoming and unrewarding responsibility, but given today’s troubled economy, almost every manager will eventually come face-to-face with the disagreeable task of terminating one or more employees. “Firing people is one of the toughest, most unpleasant things you do as an employer,” says [...]

Products, processes, people: environmental and economic sustainability are part of the same equation. By Janice Kleinschmidt Open a door and you’ll find 10 more doors. That’s how Paul Bennotti views sustainability. The director of marketing responsible for leading sustainability initiatives at Quebec’s Victor Group sees a “tremendous evolution” in how companies such as Victor strive [...]

Fabric exhibits transcend economic and environmental concerns for a natural fit in a tight market. By Barb Ernster No one disputes the fact that the exhibits market is hurting, but exhibit builders are not dismayed. They’re adapting to new demands for efficient, economical and longer-lasting designs with sustainable and changeable features. And fabric is part [...]

Jim Gallagher communicates excellence—professionally. By Sigrid Tornquist “Sure, I could go out and do everything myself. I could create my own website, put a couple of Polaroids on there and say ‘look at me.’ But how am I going to grow my business that way?” says Jim Gallagher, president of Partytime Productions Inc. in Addison, [...]

When the Edward Lowe Foundation, which supports and recognizes second-stage entrepreneurs, cited 50 Colorado companies as “major powerhouses when it comes to job creation,” a yurt manufacturer and one of its customers both made the list. The Colorado Yurt Company, Montrose, Colo., began making the rounded canvas structures in 1984, gradually updating the yurt’s traditional [...]

Problem: Vehicle armor is a permanent installation and cannot be transferred to another vehicle. Solution: Mayotex Mobile Armor Solution (MPD) is an efficient and cost-effective mobile armor that creates a personal safety zone inside any vehicle. With no structural changes to the MPD or the car, the device fits onto any car seat as easily [...]