TEXTILES.ORG
IFF announces 2017 scholarships
February 7th, 2017
Students have until June 10, 2017, to apply for any of four $5,000 scholarships available through The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF). Each year, IFF awards several scholarships to degree-seeking students enrolled in accredited colleges, universities or technical schools. The scholarships are paid directly to the students’ schools for fall semester tuition. Available scholarships include: Textile […]
Part 1: State of the Industry 2017
February 1st, 2017
Despite some slowing of global GDP in 2016, growth of the U.S. and Canadian specialty fabrics industry is slow but steady, and markets like fabric structures, tent rental and manufacturing, fabric graphics and marine fabrication are outpacing national averages. The pace is expected to continue, but can also be somewhat constrained by changes in unemployment […]
Air Apparent
January 1st, 2017
Companies and event organizers use inflatables to grab public attention and promote their brands. Although he now sells spaces in luxury subterranean survival shelters, Robert Vicino once focused his entrepreneurial spirit on loftier altitudes. He put a 90-foot King Kong on the Empire State Building and designed Otto the Autopilot for the farcical movie Airplane. […]
Flying the “Paper Airplane”
January 1st, 2017
Canvas Specialty, Inc. works through challenges to create a shade structure that is also art. The simplicity of the paper airplane has made it a popular toy for generations of kids (and adults), even in this age of high-tech entertainment. But while the shade structure installed recently in Los Angeles’ Grand Park was designed to resemble […]
Textile, heal thyself
January 1st, 2017
What if you accidentally spill a chemical on your shirt, causing a hole, and miraculously, the shirt repairs itself when you throw it in the wash? It’s not just the stuff of science fiction. Known as self-healing textiles, fabrics are being developed that can repair themselves as well as neutralize chemicals dangerous to human health. […]
Blowin’ in the wind
January 1st, 2017
While on several long trekking tours, Nils Ferber ran into one problem: His electronic equipment kept running out of batteries. The Zurich, Switzerland-based designer realized that there was no easy way to keep his devices powered up in the wilderness. He also recognized that this could be a real issue for mountaineers, filmmakers and expedition […]
Customizable wearable technology introduced
November 18th, 2016
Xenoma Inc. wants to make wearable technology more available to the general consumer. The company’s “e-skin” is a platform-based solution for wearable electronics apparel where the number, type and location of sensors can be fully customizable. A spin-off company from the University of Tokyo, the company is developing human-friendly technologies utilizing study results at academic […]
IFAI Expo 2017 information available
November 16th, 2016
Information about IFAI Expo 2017 is now available on the show’s website. IFAI Expo 2017 will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La., Sept. 26–29. It will highlight three show floor areas: specialty fabrics, advanced textiles and shade & weather protection. The show will feature a broad marketplace connecting thousands […]
The future workforce
October 1st, 2016
A Makers completed curriculum and a nationally registered apprenticeship program are in the final approval stages. The next generation of skilled sewers is in the works. Textile manufacturers need sewers. People entering the workforce need jobs that can lead to fulfilling careers. So why has it been so challenging to bring the two together? What […]
Getting the word out about fabric graphics
August 1st, 2016
Fabric graphics have become a marketing and branding essential. As they go outside to play, the medium is definitely part of the message. Fabric graphics are a perfect vehicle for our branding-obsessed culture, providing the ability to transmit messages in fun, colorful, impactful and attention-getting ways. Fabrics and fabric graphics are at home everywhere indoors, […]