Problem: Workers in high-risk environments need protection from knife attacks that bulletproof vests don’t necessarily provide. Solution: ASEO Ltd., Ripon, U.K., has developed anti-slash clothing that looks like a normal t-shirt but contains a lining made from Spectra, a product that is reported to be 10 times stronger than steel and 40 percent lighter than [...]

Problem: A cost-effective, heat-sealing machine is needed to produce stronger seams for PVC and acrylic products. Solution: With Miller Weldmaster’s Extreme Seam Tape™ and new impulse sealing technology, the Impulse Extreme™ creates the strongest awning and marine cover seams possible. Able to weld PVC, acrylic fabrics and many others, the Impulse Extreme is priced to [...]

Problem: Firefighter turnout gear is heavy, uncomfortable and may not provide enough protection from punctures or tears. Solution: Ashburn Hill Corp. has just released TECGEN XTREME™, designed for firefighters to wear as an alternative to heavy turnout gear when they are on non-structural fire or emergency calls. The single-layer coverall is not only cool and [...]

Motivated for success, Paula Calderon sets protocols for an awning business in St. Lucia. By Sigrid Tornquist “The management system of ISO [International Organization for Standardization] is sound, efficient and effective. It enhances productivity and customer service, and consequently the bottom line of the company,” says Paula Calderon, managing director of Caribbean Awning Production Co. [...]

Learning what matters to your employees is a key step in making your business more productive and profitable. By Amy Orchard As economists and politicians carry on the debate about whether we have seen the worst of the global economic meltdown or if there is more to come, business people across all industries focus on [...]

Strategic hiring practices and tax breaks combine to help attract and retain employees. By Mark E. Battersby The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expanded a tax credit (a direct reduction of a company’s tax bill) for hiring new workers from groups such as the disabled, welfare recipients and veterans. Keeping labor costs low [...]

Membrane fabric tidal wave barrier doubles as fair weather shelter. By Chelan David Since ancient times, ports and harbors in Japan have suffered frequent tsunamis, and the damage can be substantial. Tsunamis are not mere floods or tidal waves, but seismic sea waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the seabed. In August of [...]

Rip Curl and textile students collaborate—fashionably. By Marie O’Mahony Have you ever wondered what happens to old wetsuits? Rip Curl, the iconic Australian sportswear company, has, and so have students at the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) Department of Fashion and Textiles. The two got together earlier this year to work on Fashion Technology: The [...]

With the 2010 Census less than a year away, preparations for the nationwide effort to count all U.S. residents are already underway across the country. Census data affects critical decisions from congressional representation to the allocation of more than $300 billion annually in federal funds. The American Rental Association (ARA), representing the $35.3 billion equipment [...]

A number of business organizations, including many textile and apparel manufacturers, are working to defeat legislation that would overhaul the way union elections are held. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would direct the National Labor Relations Board to certify a union as a bargaining agent on the basis of a majority of signed cards [...]