It has been 17 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. Although many specialty fabric products businesses still fall short when it comes to making their businesses—and their business premises—ADA compliant, others have used the financial and tax incentives created to help ease the cost of complying with the ADA [...]

Li Ying Lu: The China Textile News (CTN) is the only authorized national newspaper on the textile industry in China. Would you please give us some background on your newspaper? Mr. Chi: CTN started in 1986, and is 22 years old this year. The fundamental mission of this newspaper is to offer comprehensive information services [...]

Two innovative technologies recently developed by A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, have been recognized by the All China Printers and Dyers Association for the important contributions they can make to energy and water savings in textile mills. Monfort’s E-Control process for continuous dyeing, as well as the company’s latest heat recovery system [...]

The North East Canvas Products Association (NECPA), a trade association dedicated to helping member companies by generating interest and demand for products made from outdoor fabrics, has announced its newly elected officers for 2008. David Randa, owner and co-president of ViewPoint Sign & Awning, Marlboro, Mass., U.S.A., will serve as president of the association. Tonya [...]

The American Rental Association (ARA) recognized a number of members for their volunteer services to the association and the industry during The Rental Show last month in Las Vegas. Receiving awards during the ARA’ annual recognition ceremony: J. Barry Ghiglione, Handyman Rental Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, received the Meritorious Service Award, which honors an ARA [...]

The Soft House, one of 15 architectural innovations created for the 2006 Intelligent Living by Design exhibit at Germany's Vitra Museum. The futuristic vision by Kennedy & Violich Architecture (KVA) invites visitors to bask in a glowing world of curves, curtains and translucent screens, around a fountain of light-filled fabric at the center. Photo: [...]

Stephen Sibbald’s 15-year-old nephew washed boats for his uncle one summer, but he really wanted to work on the computer. Sibbald made him a deal: One boat-washing day earned one computer day. By the end of the summer, Scottie’s Canvas & Marine Outfitters in Fort Myers, Fla., had a Web site selling a $120, French-made [...]

Your business is about making custom fabric products, not creating a Web site to sell custom fabric products. So, dismiss his ideas on forming canopies, if you will, but listen to Bob Filipczak when he talks about conducting business on the Internet. Don’t let his long title—site content and experience specialist in interactive marketing for [...]

The Austin Convention Center Parking Garage and Cooling Plant in Austin, Texas, features Cambridge Architectural's PLAIT woven metal product with the FRAME attachment system. Photo by David Chirstiansen. The days of Grandma’s stiff, vinyl rollup shades and the heavy-duty bug screen you could hardly see through are gone. Today’s shades and screens are [...]

Because tent rental companies cater to a fluid and unpredictable industry, they value services and practices that can bring stability to their business. One such element that provides security and peace of mind is the multi-year contract. While they certainly aren’t foolproof, multi-year contracts offer plenty of advantages. One significant benefit of the multi-year contract—which [...]