To remain relevant and profitable in a tough economy, awning manufacturers, distributors and retailers need to promote the palpable benefits of awnings. By Holly O’Dell As their bank accounts shrink, consumers are carefully examining every purchase and balking at what they view as an unnecessary expenditure. Unfortunately, awnings are often grouped into this category, prompting [...]

The Fiber Society has issued an invitation for original research papers for oral and poster presentations at its 2009 spring conference in Shanghai, P.R. China, hosted by the College of Textiles at Donghua University. The theme of the conference is “Fibrous Materials: Science, Technology and Applications,” including polymer science and nanotechnology; dyeing, finishing and biotechnology; [...]

U.S. college juniors are invited to apply for research grants through the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Foundation/Institute of Textile Technology (ITT) Undergraduate Research Program. ITT will fund up to five awards each year for research in textile engineering or chemistry, and polymer or materials science. All required application materials must be [...]

Building on the success of the annual NeoCon® World’s Trade Fair, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has announced plans to launch a new ASID National Conference in conjunction with the 2009 event, June 15–17. Each year, NeoCon brings together more than 50,000 attendees to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart to unveil the latest trends and [...]

The International Oeko-Tex Association held its annual directors’ conference Oct. 27–28 in Cape Town, South Africa, with particpants from 41 countries celebrating nearly 9,000 product safety certificates issued during the last year. Efforts to increase awareness of textile product safety even in less significant markets, such as Africa, were highlighted by an event held for [...]

In a joint effort, the American Rental Association (ARA), Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) are calling for action form the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. These organizations are concerned with reported sharp declines in nonresidential investment, equipment and software. The call for [...]

The Boston Harbor Islands National Park hosts unspoiled beaches, lighthouse tours, historic sites and hiking trails—all within ten miles of downtown Boston. The Boston Harbor Island Alliance (BHIA) wanted tourists and residents walking the waterfront to be encouraged to hop the next ferry and visit the park’s 34 islands and 35 miles of undeveloped ocean [...]

Control Union Certifications, a Netherlands-based group of international industries, launched the first Global Recycling Standard (GRS) for textiles and clothing. The three-tier standard was developed “in response to an increasing desire from the textile industry to back up claims that can be made regarding recycled products,” says Mark Prosé of Control Union Certifications. Gold standard [...]

According to a Consumer Affairs report, in 2004 one of every 25 previously damaged vehicles had a dummy airbag—or no airbag at all. One California woman drove her repaired vehicle two years before finding that her driver’s side airbag consisted of mechanic rags. Only a handful of states have laws regulating airbag system replacement. Then, [...]

Complete a comprehensive, in-depth study of textile processing from fibers to finish at home with a new “eLearning” course developed by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) and the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. The online course includes animations and videos in a series of modules on fundamentals of [...]