By Michelle Sahlin The worldwide recession has affected both commercial and residential market sectors of the fabric awning and canopy industry. The collapse of financial and capital markets (needed for new commercial and residential construction), employee layoffs, and wage freezes or reductions have resulted in less discretionary income for home improvements. However, there is substantial [...]

Compiled by Juli Case My client wants me to use a fabric that is tested to a UL specification. Does that have to be done at UL? Underwriters Laboratories is an independent organization that specializes in writing safety-related specifications. If your client wants a material that is certified by UL to one of their specifications, [...]

Compiled by Juli Case My company makes temporary shelters, and I’m wondering: When the product literature on a fabric says that the material has been UV protected, does that mean the fabric itself has been protected or that it offers protection from sunlight? Given enough time, sunlight tends to degrade a lot of fabrics, so [...]

Compiled by Juli Case We were looking at some shade cloth material and it said it was made from “HDPE.” What does that mean? HDPE is the abbreviation for High Density Polyethylene. From a chemical standpoint, that means there is less branching that occurs in the molecular composition of the compound, resulting in a higher [...]

Compiled by Juli Case The local fire marshal is asking what the flame spread is on the fabric I’m using. The material is certified to NFPA 701; is that the same thing? No. Flame spread is the propagation of flame away from an ignition source and over a surface. The flame spread number comes from [...]

The extended range ETON 5000 Production System offers productivity and ergonomic benefits, with a range of configuration options designed to handle virtually any size or weight sewn products, from apparel to parachutes. The ability to transport and ergonomically position large and heavy products for sewing and other operations is made possible through a more robust [...]

Compiled by Juli Case My company will be moving our awning shop to a new location. How should I zone my shop? The answer is going to depend on two things: (1) what kind of work is done in your shop, and (2) what your city has to say about it. First, consider whether you [...]

Recycling and repurposing fabric will bring the satisfaction of doing what’s right— and boost your bottom line. By Jan Brenny Being ‘green’ is becoming a necessary part of doing business today. Operations of all sizes and across all industries are adopting business models that embrace sustainability and eco-friendliness. In the fabrics industry, corporate responsibility and [...]

Technological advances in fabric composites lead companies into new markets, and new opportunities in old ones. By Janice Kleinschmidt America3’s victory over Stars and Stripes to capture the 1992 America’s Cup did more than fuel widespread enthusiasm for yacht racing in the United States: It fueled development in flexible composites now being applied to a [...]

Simplify and standardize fabrication methods with cutting-edge software and hardware tools. By Maura Keller In the world of technology, change is a constant. For the marine fabrication industry, technological advancements in the area of three-dimensional (3–D) software and hardware engineering are changing the way many fabricators do business. With 3–D technology, three-dimensional products that the [...]