Knowing what to ask and why can help fabricators sort out the complexities of FR codes and standards. Complying with flammability and fire resistance codes can be challenging for fabricators in meeting specific market and product requirements. Although the responsibility for flame retardance certifications falls largely to fabric suppliers, fabricators of everything from massive stadium [...]

Aresidential remodeling job transformed a Tucson, Ariz., home and back yard into a relaxing private oasis—minus the gently wafting shade of palm trees or any shade at all. The homeowners contacted Phoenix-based SHADE Industries® to devise an elegant solution to a glaring problem. The SHADE Industries “sails” team looked at the yard’s round patio design [...]

Fire resistance, printability, sustainability, water resistance and versatility. As indicated in the State of the Industry report provided in the February and March issues of the Review, the global specialty fabrics market is growing, encouraging fabric manufacturers to continue their development of problem-solving products that perform. With the increasing overlap of textile usage in diverse [...]

Dan Hooks propels his organization to new heights by maximizing regional opportunities and building a management team. "Surviving the latest recession taught us several lessons about the financial health of our company and what we needed to change in order to go from surviving to thriving,” says Dan Hooks, CEO of Party Reflections Inc., Charlotte, [...]

A tent from Stretch Marquees & Fabric Structures is configured into a “Y” shape on the Larapinta Trail in Australia. The tent is one of three purchased from Stretch Marquees by World Expeditions for its walking tours.Photo: Stretch Marquees & Fabric Structures. Tent manufacturers, rental companies and event planners are stretching their boundaries [...]

Industrial product design often centers on utility, simplicity and mass-production rather than flow, drape or mood. London-based industrial and product designer Catherine Stolarski combines both aesthetics in “Loop,” a pendant lamp with a curving shade made of a single folded piece of 3-D fabric mesh material. The look is soft, a cross between a pillow [...]

Sustainability concerns and better processes are making the use of cotton in nonwovens more attractive. By Paul Sawhney, D.Sc. The words “cotton” and “advanced textiles” have not, typically, been used in the same breath. There are some good reasons for that, including the price tag. But new processes for integrating small amounts of cotton into [...]

Combatting climate change and drought to provide drinking water from ocean water. By Pat Elliott Climate changes and drought have prompted major coastal cities in Australia, and worldwide, to construct desalination plants large enough to provide major populations with rainfall-independent sources of drinking water. In July 2009 the Australian state of Victoria signed a $3.5 [...]