Phifer has expanded its current stock line of indoor and outdoor furniture fabrics to include an additional 30 cushion and sling fabrics. This new collection features styles in bold, rich and fresh tones and soothing neutrals that mix and match for a host of color-coordinated options. GeoBella® cushion and pillow fabrics are made of 100 [...]

Nagasaka’s “Boingboing” installation consists of free-standing structures crafted from optical fiber and Kinnasand’s white WAVER textile. Photos: © Nacása & Partners Ask an architect whose natural medium is hard materials to create a design using soft fabrics and the result is going to be interesting. That was the case when Tokyo-based Jo Nagasaka [...]

Stamskin® One is a Swiss-made upholstery membrane for indoor and outdoor furniture. Similar to worn leather, the elastomer-coated polyester jersey is insensitive to water and UV radiation, useful for demanding environments such as restaurants, poolside seating and yachts. Stamskin One outperforms traditional PVC products in bagging and folding tests and provides exceptional tensile and tear [...]

Tax savings from another late law. Once again, lawmakers waited until late in the year to pass another “extenders” bill. The new “Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015” retroactively extends quite a few tax-saving provisions, many of them quite narrow in scope such as those for film and theater producers, NASCAR® racetrack [...]

The flood protection panel inflates quickly and stays pressurized for weeks. Photos: Lee Barnfield Flood Sense, a supplier of residential, commercial and industrial flood protection products and services in the United Kingdom, was interested in a new kind of inflatable product that could be used to protect against flooding in homes and businesses. [...]

Coating and laminating treatments enhance fabric performance in important —and multiple— ways. The fabric itself can be just the beginning. For the end product manufacturer to get the performance qualities necessary to meet today’s stringent regulations and to satisfy the end customer’s high expectations, it is likely that the fabric will be coated. In some [...]

Samba Fabric Elite is the latest generation in Samba fabrics. Versatile for numerous applications in advertising and environmental graphics, the eight new textiles feature two sets of ink compatibility on the same fabric by offering two face sides. The uncoated face is used for dye sub transfer printing and the opposite face offers a print-receptive [...]

As consumer confidence slowly increases, buoyed by improvements in the U.S. economy and employment figures, respondents in 10 of the 11 markets surveyed by ATA predict single-digit increases in sales in 2016. Innovation in products and processes will help manufacturers anticipate customer needs and stay competitive in a global economy. Part I of ATA’s 2016 [...]

Soufflet, a remote-controlled inflatable pillow, adjusts as you wish with the touch of a switch. Photo: Dan Sayag Attempting to prop yourself up in a chair or bed with traditional pillows can be frustrating, especially for someone who is immobile due to injury or other physical limitations. Bina Baitel Studio, Paris, France, has [...]

The Condition Black Jacket is extra rugged to enhance an athlete’s physical and cognitive performance in extreme conditions. Athletes are always looking for new ways to push the limits of endurance and test their physical and psychological mettle. It’s no secret that the right clothing can affect performance, protect against the elements and [...]