Would you like to have shirts that don’t get dirty? What if the milk that spilled in your minivan never smelled? Wouldn’t it be convenient if the seats in your boat couldn’t mildew? And imagine the value of a surgical mask that actually kills germs, rather than simply preventing them from being inhaled. As futuristic [...]

Poor Waldo Semon. Today the inventor would no doubt fly his private jet to his private island, where he would entertain VIPs in just about any industry you could name. But in 1926, when the B.F. Goodrich Co. researcher devised polyvinyl chloride (PVC), his employer had a hard time marketing it. Today, manufacturers in industries [...]

It’s a story that’s becoming all too familiar: An awning company takes a job fabricating a simple entrance canopy. It’s the type of installation that this company has done hundreds of times before—but this time, that company is given a veritable laundry list of additional requirements. Provide evidence that the material meets NFPA 701; demonstrate [...]

We’re looking for a fabric counter, something that we can use to measure yardage as the fabric’s being unrolled. Where can we get one? We found a couple of different types of measuring tools. Measuregraph and Rowley both have table-top models; the Measuregraph device sits on the table, and the Rowley clamps onto it. The [...]

We’re told that the fabric we’re using to contain a water filter has to meet NSF 61. Where can we get more information about this requirement? NSF is a not-for-profit organization that develops standards and product certification, among other activities, for public health related products and issues. NSF 61 pertains to drinking water system components. [...]

Where can I find Unisuede fabric? Unisuede is a faux suede fabric, also available perforated for use in automotive interiors, upholstery and garments. The Unisuede tradename is registered to Novatex International: SOURCE Novatex International Juli Case is ATA’s information and technical services manager.

We’ve been told that an insulated cover we’re fabricating has to meet UL HB. What does that mean? Underwriters Laboratories, an independent product safety certification organization, writes a number of specifications, including the flammability specification UL 94. UL 94 is titled “Standard for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances,” and includes [...]

What is a ballistic fabric? Ballistic has two different meanings when it comes to fabric. First, it can mean the type of material used for soft body armor. These materials are usually woven with high-strength fibers, such as a para-aramid, a high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) or high-modulus polyethylene. Those types of ballistic fabrics have a very [...]

A pair of young British engineers were hoping for some design competition money when they began brainstorming new uses for concrete. In the end, their innovation—Concrete Cloth—may already be saving lives. Peter Brewin and William Crawford were studying for post-graduate degrees in London in 2004 when they started experimenting with ideas for a design competition [...]

Your business may be sitting on an important tax deduction—and you may not even realize it. Abstract Money Background The deduction lies in your excess, overstock inventory. By donating that nonmoving merchandise to charity, your company can earn a federal income tax deduction under Section 170 (e)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. [...]