Shade sails on New York City’s Pier 5 park project add visual appeal and sun protection. By Barb Ernster The growing rate of skin cancer, now the most common form of cancer in the United States, and rising summer temperatures have Americans looking for shade and protection from the heat and sun. This has created [...]

Bike cover gives fast protection during monsoon rains The monsoon season in South Asia runs from June to September, bringing with it sudden heavy downpours. Boston-based Roof for Two LLC is offering motorcyclists some help with handling this challenging weather pattern with its lightweight, collapsible, detachable roof system that can be deployed in seconds to [...]

New technique could enable the creation of a variety of fiber-based electronic and photonic devices. By David L. Chandler What do saltwater taffy and smart textiles have in common? Until recently, probably nothing. But scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way to “pull” fibers—in a manufacturing process akin to making [...]

Keeping family businesses strong when the owners retire requires a long-term strategy and realistic planning. By Jamie Swedberg Evanston Awning Co., Evanston, Ill., is a family business currently being operated by its fourth and fifth generations. Edward Hunzinger Jr., MFC, is the president; his wife Ann Hunzinger is vice president and office manager; and their [...]

Scaling down on size can offer more options—and better economy—to customers in the tent market. By Barb Ernster Small frame tents and canopies that have dominated the tent rental business for years are getting a makeover. Innovative designs that improve on style and setup, yet offer stability and durability, are replacing traditional pole frame tents, [...]

Presentation of the Sustainability Awards, June 12 in Frankfurt am Main. To honor the achievements of OEKO-TEX® certified companies that have demonstrated special commitment to the issue of sustainability, the OEKO-TEX Association will present its Sustainability Award for the first time on June 12, 2013, during an evening event in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The [...]

Looking for write-offs in all the right places. By Mark E. Battersby Few specialty fabric professionals seem to be aware that many of their business activities constitute “research” under current tax rules. Your business could be sitting on a lot of ignored or overlooked research and development (R & D) tax credits and deductions. Research [...]

[Baytex Manufacturing Co. Ltd.] Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Extra high peaks and striking graphics make this 40-meter circus big top an impressive center stage for performers and thrill-seekers. Designed to complement a 24-meter foyer tent, Baytex Manufacturing made the circus tent from Ferrari Big Top fabric and its graphic elements from Ferrari 502 PVC, which [...]

The London 2012 Olympic Games gave Great Britain a chance to celebrate with the world. Now a tensile fabric specialist, Base Structures, Bristol, England, has permission to display an Olympic portfolio with temporary Olympic structures developed from 2009 to the opening day in 2012. The company earned £4.4 million for developing four major venues, including [...]

The Apple Store offers dozens of sports coaching and fitness applications for the company’s iPhone, iPod and iPad technologies, including 321 Run, iSmoothrun and Runtastic. Using those apps while on the move can be challenging—unless athletes add a Runalyzer blue from Runware, Saint-Denis, France, to their accessory kit. Lightweight, ultra-thin, flexible and comfortable, Runalyzer blue, [...]