Derreck Kayongo calls himself a “disrupter” of the soap business. Kayongo, founder of the Global Soap Project and CEO of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, was the keynote speaker September 27 at IFAI Expo 2017 and his passion for his work was fully evident. Dressed in a dapper plaid suit and brimming with [...]
Jeff Rasmussen, ATA director of market research, says the future of the industrial textiles in North America will depend heavily on new technology applications to solve problems. Rasmussen spoke September 26 at IFAI Expo 2017, covering the worldwide specialty fabrics industry. The world markets included five regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe, [...]
What is an “oobleck”—and what does it have to do with smart textiles? According to children’s author Dr. Seuss, an oobleck is a mysterious sticky substance which threatened the kingdom in his 1949 book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. But as smart textile engineer, Connie Huffa of Fabdesigns told her audience at ATA’s Advanced Textiles Conference [...]
Medtextra technology can be used with both natural and synthetic yarns with as little as 5 percent bringing value to the fabric. Photo: Medtextra With much of the discussion of smart textiles focusing on e-textiles at present, it is good to be reminded that there are innovative developments emerging in non-digital yarns also. [...]
Want to do more business with architects? Mary Gilmore, AIA, NCIDQ, and Mark Shellshear, Structure Fabrics, Value Vinyls Inc., have many ideas. Gilmore and Shellshear shared those ideas Sept. 26 at IFAI Expo 2017. Gilmore noted, “Architects are very busy. Cold calls don’t work. They are very visual; they need pictures.” A good website with [...]
A panel of three successful company leaders illuminated the keynote luncheon September 26 at IFAI Expo 2017. The theme of the panel was “Path of Diversification,” featuring Meredith Boyd, Unifi Manufacturing Inc.; Ben Cooper, IoClothes; and John Neely, Berry Global. The panelists shared ideas on how their companies leverage regionalization in the U.S. Cooper mentioned [...]
If automating your cutting room seems either too expensive or too difficult, you may want to think again. Panelists of the IFAI EXPO session on “Optimizing Your Cutting Room” gave a long list of potential benefits for why you might want to consider using an automated cutter. “Everyone’s ROI is slightly different,” says Thomas Carlson, [...]
During their joint presentation “Outdoor Graphics—Design to Installation” at IFAI Expo 2017, Valerie Cuchna, material resource liaison at Fabric Images Inc., and Mike VonWachenfeldt, technical service manager at Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, addressed the benefits of using outdoor graphics and offered tips to keep the graphics protected from weather elements. “Outdoor graphics can create an [...]
Among the many sewing machines options for your shop, how do you choose? The panelists at the EXPO presentation “Selecting a Sewing Machine for Your Application,” agree that nearly any project can at least be partially fabricated using a single-needle walking foot machine. “But for wide material for tents, awnings, covers, sails and the like,” [...]
Whether you’re a fabricator for the marine, automobile, commercial or residential markets, Steven Wayne, owner of Southern Stitch Canvas and Upholstery LLC in Gulfport, Mississippi, says many of the same rules apply. According to Wayne, business success comes down to four basic things: skills mastery, excellent communication, judicious customization and customer education. Wayne’s shop works [...]
1801 County Road B W, Suite 100
Roseville, MN 55113-4052, USA
+1 651 222 2508
800 225 4324
1801 County Road B W, Suite 100
Roseville, MN 55113-4052, USA
+1 651 222 2508 | 800 225 4324
Copyright @ 2024 Advanced Textiles Association. All rights reserved.
Copyright @ 2024 Advanced Textiles Association. All rights reserved.
