SMART’s free lesson plans for students; new OEKO-TEX® test criteria for 2014. The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) has announced the launch of its Recycling Rangers program for elementary school teachers. The goal of this year’s educational program is to heighten student, teacher and family awareness of clothing and textile recycling by engaging [...]

Wearable technology requires pairing reliable functionality with a comfortable garment. What if a person’s heart rate, respiration and body mechanics could be monitored during various activities without being observed in person or via video feeds? What if that data could be collected and evaluated remotely? Dr. Tom Martin, co-director of the Electronic Textiles Lab at [...]

Playoffice, Madrid, Spain, designs and creates themed spaces for children to “develop creativity, emotional intelligence, psychomotor activity and cohabitation. Spaces that stimulate specific skills or hobbies for children, such as visual arts, music, nature or sport,” the company’s website says. The point is to encourage learning through playing. For a recent project in a family [...]

TRD-developed ballasting tool provides an accurate way to calculate ballast weights. By Jake Kulju Poet Maya Angelou is known for saying, “When you know better, you do better.” Tent installations may be an odd application for a poet’s inspirational words, but the quote succinctly describes the tent rental industry’s new approach to accurately calculating ballast [...]

New Mix ‘N’ Match Collection from Carnegie Fabrics consists of simple, versatile basics that can dress up or down any interior designer’s palette. Collection includes upholstery, window and panel fabrics that meet essential performance standards for commercial interiors in hotels, offices, health care facilities and retail spaces. Four new upholstery patterns, including “Allure 6468” versatile [...]

GF 4607 Power Stretch (FR) is now being offered at 104 inches wide for dye sublimation printing. Also available at 122 inches wide, the fabric has a brighter white point that improves print performance and provides better color definition. Popular uses include geometric displays, pop-up booths, silicone edge graphics and photographic backdrops. Flame retardant fabric [...]

The VersaCAMM VSi Series of wide-format inkjet printers offers high-quality eco-solvent inks, integrated contour cutting, ease of use, versatility and dependability—with added performance and a fresh new look. With a newly designed 8-channel Piezo inkjet print head, variable droplet inkjet printing and the latest inks, the VSi delivers stunning images with exceptional detail at all [...]

New heavy-duty polyester thread is available in 20 bold, contrasting colors, giving fabricators and manufacturers the versatility, extra UV resistance and mildew resistance needed for demanding indoor and outdoor applications. Distinction-Poly thread is specially formulated to meet the rigorous demands of the marine, automotive, RV and golfing industries, and for outdoor furniture, accent stitching and [...]

The 6000 Series roll-up door and screen line features a higher speed external jackshaft motor that moves doors at a speed of 356 inches per second, reducing the exposure time between differing environments to keep out unwanted insects, birds, dust and other particles. The increased speed allows for a wider variety of door and screen [...]

ABC Industries has developed the new BT-1 single-sided and BT-2 double-sided brushed polyester fabrics, specially engineered to transport Class A automotive finished goods. BT-1 is a 10 oz./sq. yd. single-sided finished fabric manufactured with blue brushed tricot and milky clear, reinforced vinyl materials. BT-2 weighs 14 oz./sq. yd. and is engineered with a double-sided, blue [...]