Docril® is a 100 percent solution-dyed acrylic fabric for quality awnings and canopies, marine fabrication, casual furniture and automotive applications where durability is required. Docril uses Teflon® in the finishing process, which protects the fabric by creating a barrier for water repellency, delaying dirt adherence. Will not reduce the air permeability and is not perceptible [...]

Sundown 100 percent solution-dyed acrylics for boat covers, bimini tops, awnings and other outdoor products are made to withstand the sun’s rays for a long period of time. Its tightly woven surface also offers improved water repellency, and a “beefier” hand makes it easier to sew without puckering. Now in more than 50 solid colors [...]

Weathertyte® awning fabric is now available in 54- and 60-inch widths, as well as standard 74-inch, making it compatible with large format printers. The waterproof, textured fabric can be used in awnings, canopies, flags and banners and provides the look and feel of a woven fabric. PermaBoom is a heavy-duty urethane fabric engineered for containing [...]

An inflatable venue by AirClad offers the Volvo Ocean Race followers a place to hang out. By Jan M. Brenny PUMA®, the sport and lifestyle company, wanted a practical and high profile venue when it enlisted Inflate Products Ltd., a U.K.-based manufacturer of inflatable fabric pods, cubes and domes, to design a temporary structure for [...]

Medical textiles meet the growing need for protection and comfort in health care apparel. By Ben Favret What are the newest, most exciting or intriguing developments in the industry in advanced textiles? Active barrier protective fabrics are a game changer for medical textiles and a tremendous leap forward because they provide vital protection to health [...]

The combination of fabric and lighting creates beautiful, economical, efficient and fully functional results in interior and exterior applications. By Holly O’Dell In 2004, Minnesota resident Jay Maynard went online and unveiled his homemade “Tron” costume—an ode to the 1982 science fiction film. The getup (spandex covered in electroluminescent wiring) made its wearer a cult [...]

Expanded product lines and new performance requirements drive growth in industrial applications. By Barb Ernster Industry changes have prompted manufacturers of end products used in industrial applications to expand into new markets and diversify their product lines. With growing demands to meet new performance requirements in health, safety and environmental protection—at affordable prices—end product manufacturers [...]

Selling products and services to the U.S. government? It’s a big market, and potentially a very lucrative one; in fact, Uncle Sam buys nearly 100 billion dollars worth of goods and services from small businesses each year. Selling to the government, however, is different from selling in the commercial sector. The Small Business Administration (SBA) [...]

Ford Motor Co. will help drive an increase in PET plastic recovery by using REPREVE® brand seat fabrics, made from a blend of recycled plastic bottles and postconsumer waste, in the 2012 Focus Electric. REPREVE, a 100-percent recycled yarn manufactured by Unifi Inc., Greensboro, N.C., will join Ford in collecting plastic bottles at events such [...]

Lightweight cars sporting nonwoven carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) components are achieving new records in fuel consumption and performance. BMW has entered a joint venture with SGL Carbon SE, Wiesbaden, Germany, to build a state-of-the-art carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, Wash., to use exclusively for BMW’s new i3 vehicle, set for launch by [...]