since-1 915 mar ch 20 06 making sail the · i could finally start going to dingy blues bars again...

M A R C H 2 0 0 6

Subscribe at www.reviewmagazine.infoSubscribe at www.reviewmagazine.info

match fabricperformance tobuyer demand

Making

Sailthe

match fabricperformance tobuyer demand

Making

Sailthe

Selling shelters:Where there’s smoke...there’s opportunity

TENTNET:Take part in asmartersupply chain

I N D U S T R I A L F A B R I C P R O D U C T S

S I N C E - 1 9 1 5

Selling shelters:Where there’s smoke...there’s opportunity

TENTNET:Take part in asmartersupply chain

I n d u s t r i a l F a b r i c P r o d u c t s R e v i e w M A R C H 2 0 0 64

ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

54

48

44

Fabric Testing: What’s your score?Fabric testing plays a crucial role in gauging

product quality, assuring regulatory compliance,

and assessing the performance of textile materials.

By Peter Hildebrandt

44

F E A T U R E S

Sail of the centuryModern synthetics match the need for strength,

speed and stretch-resistance on the water and

in the wind.

By Jamie Swedberg

48

Where there’s smoke...there’s opportunityIn an increasingly foggy expanse of anti-smok-

ing regulations and quirky building codes,

steering for the smoking shelters market

requires considerable navigation.

By Carla Waldemar

54

TENTNET: a smartersupply chainGetting through the procurement gate-

way with the Tent Network for Technology

Implementation.

By Dennis Dudek

60

COLUMNSGoing Global Found in translation: For Safety Components International, the demands and rewards of global expansion offer a crash course in business and cultural affairs ...........16

In the Shop The hidden cost: The diligence, talent, planning—and sense of humor—necessary to rebuild the cockpit of a 40-foot Sea Ray ...........20

Expo Watch A Georgia peach: IFAI Expo 2006 brings the year’s premier textile event to Atlanta ...............................24

DEPARTMENTSForeThought Air apparent: no butts about it ....... 6

Swatches Saving a beach, blankets to the rescue, and a new denim ..................8

IFAI Update Recognizing excellence ..................64

New Products and Services Textile testing helps keep quality high ......................................68

Calendar of events ...........................70

Marketplace .......................................73

Editorial Sources ..............................74

Advertiser Index ...............................75

Information Central ..........................76

M A R C H 2 0 0 6 n V O L U M E 9 1 n N U M B E R 3

Showroom Flying style: Through form and function, banners make their mark as a public display ...........................28

World Views The Chinese market: Geosynthetic development, market facts and prospects in the world’s hottest construction arena ..........................30

Connections Digital Expo hosts imaging community ......................36

The Basics Stick to it: Tips for selecting and applying upholstery adhesives ........40

ON THE COVERDifferent types of sails (and sailors) demand different performance qualities, different fabrics, and

different construction. For “Evolution,” the winning boat at the 2005 Farr 40 World Championship

Regatta in Sydney, Australia, Bainbridge AIRX fabric was used to make the spinnaker.

COVER DESIGN by Heidi Hanson. Photo courtesy of Bainbridge International Inc.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

LGalynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor

Published by the Industrial Fabrics Association

International since 1915

PublisherMary Hennessy, e-mail [email protected]

Editorial DirectorSusan R. Niemi, e-mail [email protected]

Senior EditorGalynn D. Nordstrom, e-mail [email protected]

Associate EditorJeff Barbian, e-mail [email protected]

Contributing WritersDennis Dudek, Amy J. Garvin, Peter Hildebrandt,Chi Jing-Kui, Mark Ruediger, Jamie Swedberg,

Carla Waldemar, Betsy Taylor

Production ManagerRussell Grimes, e-mail [email protected]

Senior DesignerJennifer Oswald

Graphic DesignersHeidi Hanson, Kari Norland, Cathleen Rose

Production Coordinator/Graphic DesignerHeaven Kebret

Circulation ManagerMary Moore

Assistant Circulation ManagerSusan Smeed, e-mail [email protected]

Advertising Sales DirectorSarah Hyland, e-mail [email protected],

800 319 3349

Classified Advertising SalesTrisha Allex, e-mail [email protected]

Advertising SalesJane Anthone, Karen Lien, Mary Mullowney,

Susan Parnell, Elizabeth Welsh, Dawn Westermann

IFAI PresidentStephen M. Warner

e-mail [email protected]

Industrial Fabric Products Review provides timely and accurate industry intelligenceto the members of the Industrial Fabrics Association International and the global

specialty fabrics marketplace.

Industrial Fabric Products Review is the official publication of the Industrial

Fabrics Association International.

Industrial Fabric Products Review® (ISSN 0019 8307), is published monthly (with an annual Buyer’s Guide in May) by Industrial Fabrics Association International, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Paul, MN and at additional mailing offices. Post master send address changes to IFAI, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.

ForeThought

Air apparent :

no but ts about i t

Last year, the city of Minneapolis banned smoking in all public facilities, after

years of requiring “nonsmoking areas” in restaurants; areas that often consisted of

a group of small tables in a corner where we determined nonsmokers would sit and

watch all the smoke from the rest of the dining area waft gently toward us, attracted

by our negative ions, or something. I, for one, was thrilled with the ban, which meant

I could finally start going to dingy blues bars again without stumbling outside after

an hour coughing my blackening lungs out and reeking of other peoples’ stale

exhalations. Free at last, we thought. Excellent.

Naturally, there were two utterly foreseeable, and foreseen, problems with this

decision. First, the areas outside of the Minneapolis city limits were under entirely

different restrictions, or no restrictions at all. Second, bar owners complained vocifer-

ously that their facilities were not being immediately filled up with nonsmokers at all

hours of the day and night. So, in true stalwart political fashion, our city leaders began

to reconsider their decision. As I write this, things are still up in the air. So to speak.

On page 54 of this issue, the article “Where there’s smoke … there’s opportunity”

talks about how increasing regulation of smoking presents a lot of market space

for companies that can provide smoking shelters—as long as they can figure out

those regulations, and help interpret them to prospective customers. I’d guess that

second qualifier is by far the more important in the long run. As we look at markets

created, or destroyed, by our changing society, there are two very important things

to remember:

• It may be true, as posited in the February issue article about truck tarp regula-

tions, that the general long-term trend is always toward more regulation, not less. But

as shown by the deft footwork in Minneapolis’ nonsmoking dance, that long-term

trend could undergo a lot of reversals. Think short-term.

• It was pretty stupid to think that nonsmokers would replace smokers in bars

overnight; there are many factors involved in who occupies a barstool, how often,

and how long. A new clientele will form eventually, depending upon what that par-

ticular bar has to offer besides a place to sit and smoke. It doesn’t happen overnight.

Think long-term.

A bad economy may be good news for marine fabricators, as yacht owners update

rather than replace; increasing health regulations may push smokers outside into

shelters; a warming planet and spiking energy costs may make shade products far

more attractive to homeowners. But it’s important to see what is, as well as what’s

coming; and neither will make much difference in business if you can’t make your

customers see it as well.

Society continues to change, creating new opportunities. But we create our

own markets.

I n d u s t r i a l F a b r i c P r o d u c t s R e v i e w M A R C H 2 0 0 6 7

ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

To subscribevisit www.reviewmagazine.info

or call 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508

With story ideascontact Galynn Nordstrom, +1 651 225 6928

[email protected]

To advertisecontact Sarah Hyland, 800 319 3349

[email protected] visit www.reviewmagazine.info

To order reprintscontact Russell Grimes, 800 385 9402

[email protected]

To order back issuescontact Barbara Connett, 800 207 0729

[email protected]

Subscription inquiries, orders and changes contact: Sue Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager, Industrial Fabric Products Review, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061 Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651-222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334 e-mail: subscriptions @ifai.com. 1-year USA $71, Canada and Mexico $85, all other countries $171, payable in U.S. funds (includes air mail postage).

How To Reach Us

1801 County Road B W. Roseville, MN 55113

USA

+1 651 222 2508800 225 4324www.ifai.com

© 2006 Industrial Fabrics Association Internationalall rights reserved

Advisory Committee

Lorne AndrasStayput Fasteners/Sunpoint Marine,

Sidney, B.C., Canada

Harry Daugherty, P.E.Whitehouse, Ohio

Peter DouglasL.F. Pease Co., East Providence, R.I.

Kenneth KeberlePrime Event Group Inc., Tucson, Ariz.

Bruce Mabb, MFCJB Mabb and Associates, Mesa, Ariz

Rosemary Ward-Krienke, MFC, IFM, CPPNorth Texas Tarp & Awning,

Witchita Falls, Texas


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

In 1998, an $11 million dredging and beach replenish-

ment project commenced at Stump Pass Beach State Park in

Charlotte County, Fla. Stump Pass is a scenic stretch of sand—a

natural inlet—that connects the Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay

in Englewood, Fla. The ambitious erosion control project in-

cluded the nourishment of three miles of badly eroding beaches

adjacent to Stump Pass. All told, more than 800,000 cubic yards

of sand were pumped onto surrounding beaches, making the

pass 150 feet wide and at least nine feet deep.

But the sand wouldn’t sit. Nautical markers became misleading.

Boaters who weren’t familiar with the sandbars went aground.

In 2003, county commissioners budgeted $12 million over

12 years for the repeated dredging of the area. The southern

portion of Stump Pass had experienced more than 45 feet of

shoreline erosion since the hurricanes of 2004, affecting park

property and habitat.

Last June, a team from Beach Restoration Inc. (BRI),

Lebanon, Tenn., gathered just north of Stump Pass to measure

beach profiles, wind exposure, tide patterns, current directions

and other detailed information. Using the data, BRI embarked

on the assembly of a beach erosion control system that was the

first-of-its-kind in the United States, according to BRI president

Tim Engle. BRI—working with Florida Department of Enviro-

mental Protection and Char-

lotte County—designed an eco-

friendly system of submerged,

low-profile, sand-filled geotex-

tile tubes meant to reduce sand

drift into the channel and to

stabilize the troubled portion

of the beach.

It appears to be working.

To slow the annual rate of sand

filling into the channel, the

experimental system of six tubes

is creating sand-deposit zones

that cut down on cross-shore

sand movement.

The tubes, which run from the dunes of Stump Pass Beach

State Park up to a spot 350 feet into the Gulf, are buried under

the beach or submerged underwater, so only a small portion can

be seen. The system is called a submerged groin system and is

designed to block sand from flowing south into Stump Pass by

creating deposit zones on the bottom of the Gulf.

Since June, when three of six tubes were initially installed, 20

feet of shoreline has been restored, according to Engle.

The geotextile-treated Stump Pass Beach State Park in Charlotte County, Fla. So far, the geo-tubes are creating sand deposit zones that cut down on shore movement.

S W A T C H E S

Breaking the waves

Geotextile tube beingstuffed with sand. Thefabric is designed to blendin with the beach.

DuPont wants to resurrect a mostly

defunct plant in Lenoir County, N.C.,

to boost production of its new textile.

DuPont will manufacture a type of

corn-derived polymer that requires

30 percent to 40 percent less energy

to produce than competing materi-

als. DuPont Sorona polymer is used

in clothing, carpeting, upholstery,

plastics and other items. The chemi-

cal maker will invest $24 million to

expand the Kinston-area plant and

add 66 workers by 2008. The news was

announced by North Carolina Gover-

nor Mike Easley. DuPont expects to

invest $55 million at the facility over

time. In return, DuPont will receive

more than $3.2 million in incentives

from state and local governments and

economic developers.

“Our business-friendly climate and

low tax burden are helping existing in-

dustries, such as DuPont, succeed and

grow in our state,” Easley said. The

investment will help North Carolina

become a world leader in nonwoven

textile production, he added.

Corn-based textile gets boost in North Carolina


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Innovative blanket hits disaster areasNecessity truly is the mother of

invention. When Chicopee, a divi-

sion of N. Charleston, S.C.-based

Polymer Group Inc., was developing

a blanket for emergency medical

use, a humanitarian relief ministry,

called Church World Service, asked

whether the company could develop

a covering that could be used in

disasters in tropical areas. Polymer

worked for several months with the

ministry, eventually designing the

Disaster Relief Blanket. The blan-

ket was awarded the 2006 Visionary

Award at VISION 2006 Consumer

Products, held January 15–18 in

Denver, Colo. (See “Connections,”

page 36.)

The nonwoven blanket is light-

weight and warmer than traditional

blankets woven of cotton or wool.

It’s soft on one side, providing com-

fort to the body; the other side has

a backing to provide a barrier from

moisture, dirt and debris. The blan-

ket sheds water so it dries more

quickly and needs less water to clean.

“These people are typically out of

their homes and are sitting on the

ground in an open environment,”

says Cliff Bridges, a spokesman for

the Chicopee division. “The last

thing you want to do is wrap your-

self in a product that is going to hold

water, because water is the biggest

vector of bacteria and fungus.”

The Polymer Group has donated

tens of thousands of the blankets

to hurricane victims in the Gulf

Coast, earthquake victims in the

mountains of Pakistan, and areas in

Southeast Asia hit by the tsunami.

The blanket is not for sale to the

general public.

A simple blanket: Children snuggle under a Disaster Relief Blanket, designed and donated by the Polymer Group. The nonwoven blanket provides warmth, and repels disease-causing moisture.

Sun-proof canvas artA new line on outdoor art printed on canvas

has been released by International Arts, a Nor-

cross, Ga.-based designer and manufacturer of

wholesale custom framed art. The line—called

ArtzScapes—is printed on WeatherCanvas, a

weather-resistant canvas developed by Inter-

national Arts that uses UV-resistant inks and

a high-tech clear coat to protect the artwork

from the effects of UV light transmission, oxi-

dation, moisture, temperature and abrasion.

WeatherCanvas is stretched on special poly-

styrene stretcher bars using weather-resistant

security hardware for mounting.

The official debut of ArtzScapes was in Janu-

ary at the Atlanta International Gift & Home

Furnishings Market.

Two examples of outdoor canvas artworks that are resistant to UV rays, oxidation, moisture, temperature and abrasion.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

SWATCHES

Flax meets denim

Samples of raw flax (darker fluff) and raw cotton (lighter fluff) and yarns, woven denim, and knitted fabrics made with various blends of cotton and flax.

Blue jeans have enjoyed a cool factor for

decades; that is, they are forever fashionable and

trendy. But a pair of denim blue jeans in the hot

sun can feel decidedly uncool under the weight

of absorbed moisture. Agricultural Research

Service (ARS), the main in-house research arm

of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, chal-

lenged its scientists and engineers to created

a cotton-flax denim blend that will make jeans

more comfortable to wear even in summer heat.

Denim is one of the largest commodity fab-

rics produced in the world. Flax is nearly three

times stronger than cotton, making it among the

strongest natural fibers known. Clothing materi-

als, such as woven denims and knitted fabrics

made from these particular cotton-flax blends,

could be compared to a new, nonwrinkling form

of linen.

At the ARS Cotton Quality Research Station

in Clemson, S.C., mechanical engineer Jonn

A. Foulk has been working with technicians to

blend cotton with flax to create new yarns. The

specific ratio of the new blends imparts “mois-

ture management” to woven denim and knitted

fabrics. The work is being done at the station’s

model, state-of-the-art spinning facility.

Adding flax to clothing fabric helps keep skin

cool partly because the flax improves moisture

wicking, the ability of fabric to pull moisture

away from the skin. Another value-added feature

is air permeability, the ability of fabric to dry

quickly. The researchers are evaluating cotton-

flax blends for use in athletic performance and

other apparel.

The Clemson station’s researchers are also

embedding flax fibers into polymers to create

composite materials and nonwoven sheets for

various industrial uses.

The station is now looking for additional

industry partners, including mill and apparel

manufacturers, to take the technologies to the

next level of development.

Read more about the research in the Novem-

ber 2005 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

Teflon: A slippery issueA chemical used in the manufac-

ture of Teflon® and other nonstick

and stain-resistant products should be

considered a “likely” carcinogen, ac-

cording to an independent scientific

review panel advising the Environmen-

tal Protection Agency (EPA).

The recommendation in-

cluded in the panel’s final draft

report is consistent with its pre-

liminary finding, which went

beyond the EPA’s own determi-

nation that there was only “sug-

gestive evidence” from animal

studies that perfluorooctanoic

acid (PFOA) and its salts are po-

tential human carcinogens.

PFOA is a processing aid

used in the manufacturing of fluo-

ropolymers, which have a wide variety

of product applications, including

nonstick cookware. The chemical

also can be a byproduct in the manu-

facturing of fluorotelomers used in

surface protection products for appli-

cations such as stain-resistant textiles

and grease-resistant food wrappings.

Taking issue with the panel’s con-

clusions was Wilmington, Del.-based

DuPont, the sole North American

producer of PFOA.

“We disagree with the panel’s rec-

ommendation on the cancer classifi-

cation, and we continue to support

the EPA’s draft risk assessment,” says

Robert Rickard, director of health and

environmental sciences for DuPont.

“This reflects recommended clas-

sification; what’s more important is

risk, and we are confident that PFOA

does not pose a cancer risk to the

general public,” added Rickard,

who said the carcinogenicity classi-

fication was based on animal data

and does not reflect data from

human studies.

DuPont officials have since

stated that “soil, stain and grease

repellents are made from fluo-

rotelomers, not PFOA. Fluoro-

telomer products are not made

with, nor do they use, PFOA in

the manufacturing process. PFOA is

an unintended byproduct created dur-

ing the manufacture of fluorotelomers

and is present at trace levels in some of

these products.”

Pixel awardStephanskirchen, Germany-based 3P InkJet Textiles AG has

won the DPI Product-of-the-Year Competition 2005 in the Tex-

tile Products Category. The winning product is Studio Canvas,

a white-coated canvas that consists of 65 percent polyester and

35 percent cotton and is developed for the specific require-

ments of digital fine art printing. It’s mostly used for realistic

reproductions of paintings, but also works decoratively as an

indoor banner. Because of its high flexibility, the canvas may be

stretched and framed without cracking. For more information,

visit www.3p-inkjettextiles.com/us/textilien.htm.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

A Michigan environmental group is

alleging that at least part of the so-called

“new car smell” is toxic, and that the

interior of an automobile has danger-

ous levels of various chemicals. Seat

cushions, arm rests, floor coverings and

plastic parts used in most car interiors

are made with toxic chemicals known

to pose major public health risks, the

group contends. PBDEs, used as fire re-

tardants, and phthalates, used to soften

PVC plastics, have been linked to birth

defects, impaired learning, liver toxic-

ity, premature births, and early puberty

in laboratory animals, among other

serious health problems.

The report, “Toxic at Any Speed:

Chemicals in Cars and the Need for

Safe Alternatives” comes from The Ecol-

ogy Center, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based

group. The group is recommending

more stringent regulations that would

phase out the use of the chemicals, as

well as voluntary moves by the auto

manufacturers to avoid using the prod-

ucts inside new cars.

Car owners also are encouraged

to take steps to reduce the release

and breakdown of these chemicals

by using solar reflectors, ventilating

car interiors, and parking outside of

sunlight whenever possible.

Auto manufacturers have already

agreed to phase out two of the three

flame-retardant chemicals cited in the

report, Eron Shosteck, a spokesman for

the Alliance of Automobile Manufactur-

ers, told the Detroit News. The remaining

chemical has been studied by the Euro-

pean Union for 10 years and has been

proven safe, Shosteck said.

The report was released Jan. 11 dur-

ing the North American International

Auto Show in Detroit, but it received

little attention outside of Michigan.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.

An aide to Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., Scott Quesenberry, has joined the office of the

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as special textile negotiator, the position responsible for

the negotiating the country’s agreements related to trade in textiles and apparel.

“The U.S. textile industry has gone through a lot of changes over the past decade, as Scott

has seen firsthand working for Senator Dole, and he will play a key role in helping USTR

and the industry face future challenges in exploring new markets overseas,” U.S. Trade

Representative Rob Portman said in a statement.

Quesenberry has worked for Dole for the past three years, most recently as legislative

director. Before that he worked in various political campaigns and in the private sector.

SWATCHES

Dole aide becomes chief U.S. negotiator for textiles

Mounting evidence for the prudence of side air bags in

cars has led the Australian New Car Assessment Program

(ANCAP) to urge car makers to make the bags standard in

all models to reduce head injuries in crashes.

Following the latest crash tests conducted by ANCAP,

spokesman Mark Borlace says that the results showed side

airbags could halve the chance of a fatal or serious head

injury in a severe side-impact crash.

“With the increasing proportion of overall fatalities

coming from side-impact crashes with vehicles, poles and

trees, the inclusion of head protection is extremely impor-

tant to reduce the risk of head injuries,” Borlace says.

ANCAP officials also urged car producers to make side

airbags available on base models, without using them with

other luxury features that could add up to $10,000 to the

price of the vehicle.

Side airbags can halve the chance for a fatal or serious head injury in a severe side-impact crash, according to the Australian New Car Assessment Program.

Greater side impact

Better living through textilesA recent study of trends and perspec-

tives in the textile and clothing industry

revealed that “considerable significance

for the future functionality of textiles is

being attributed to new approaches to

fabric finishing using nanotechnology.”

The purpose of this study—which was

set up by Nürnberg, Germany-based

Bayern Innovativ GmbH, in coopera-

tion with the Association of the Bavarian

Textile and Clothing Industry—was to

identify new technologies, new markets

and new opportunities. To this end, sci-

entific institutes and leading companies

were deliberately included so as to cover

the whole spectrum of textile technol-

ogy and important user segments.

The study also highlight a group

of completely new materials, so-called

Phase Change Materials (PCM). Inte-

grated into fabrics, this special foam

relies on technology designed for space

travel and evens out extreme tempera-

ture fluctuations to ensure a perma-

nently temperate environment. This

technology has already found its way

into bedding products in the home and

household textiles sector.

“New car smell” toxic?


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

SWATCHES

PEOPLE

• Suminoe Textiles of America has

announced an $8 million expansion to

its Gaffney facility and plans to hire 55

more employees. The expansion will add

45,000 square feet to the plant, located in

the Meadowcreek Industrial Park near

Spartanburg, S.C. The additional employ-

ees will bring the total employment at the

plant to 130, the number company of-

ficials had promised county leaders when

the facility opened in June, 2004. Suminoe

Textiles is one of Japan’s original textile

companies with operations dating back

to 1883. The company produces a variety

of textile products, but the Gaffney plant

produces seat covers and headrest uphol-

stery for Japanese automakers Toyota,

Honda and Nissan.

“As we’ve said so many times this year,

South Carolina’s automotive cluster con-

tinues to thrive, and we’re pleased that

Suminoe Textiles has been able to grow so

quickly since beginning its operations in

Gaffney last year,” said Secretary of Com-

merce Bob Faith in a written statement.

• NILIT, the Israel-based nylon pro-

ducer, has acquired Invista’s nylon ap-

parel facility in Oestringen, Germany and

will buy Invista’s nylon apparel product

line from Gloucester, UK. Invista will

continue to operate the apparel facility in

Gloucester and sell all of its production

through Nilit. Under the deal, Invista

will grant Nilit an exclusive license for

the trademarks Tactel®, Cordura®, and

Supplex® in Europe, the Middle East

and Africa.

• American Capital Strategies Ltd.,

Bethesda, Md., has invested $114 mil-

lion in the One Stop Buyout™ of DelStar

Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of

engineered, thermoplastic nonwoven

products used by OEMs in filtration,

healthcare and industrial applications.

American Capital’s investment takes the

form of senior term loans, senior subor-

dinated debt and equity.

• Collins & Aikman Corp., Troy,

Mich., has announced that Auburn

Hills, Mich.-based DaimlerChrysler AG’s

Chrysler Group has selected them as the

supplier for a significant portion of the

interior systems on a future platform

of vehicles scheduled for 2008. Sup-

plying a complete range of services,

Collins & Aikman will be responsible

for all design, engineering, logistics and

quality planning for instrument panels,

integrated cockpit systems, center floor

consoles, pillar and garnish trim, rear

package trays, molded carpet flooring

systems, accessory mats, rear cargo and

trunk trim and other components for

the upcoming vehicle program.

• Citing substantial growth in de-

mand for its fibers and yarns, American

Fibers and Yarns Co. announced plans to

increase its fiber extrusion capacity by

30 percent and its texturing capacity by

25 percent. The company will be hiring

an additional 25-30 employees. Most

of the expansion will occur at the com-

pany’s Bainbridge, Ga., manufacturing

plant, which is also home to the AF&Y

Technology Center.

EXPANSIONS & ACQUISITIONS

In Memoriam: Ryotaro NohmuraRyotaro Nohura, the innovative chairman

of Taiyo Kogyo Corp., passed away on Janu-

ary 19, 2006.

Nohmura, an Honored Life Member of

the Industrial Fabrics Association Interna-

tional (IFAI), started his business, then called

Nohmura Sewing Company, in 1946 in the

city of Osaka, Japan, which was devastated

by Allied bombing during World War II.

Nohmura and his wife started the business

with one sewing machine, $5.00, and one

worker, sewing tents for those left without

shelter after the war. A year later, Nohmura changed the

name of his company to its current name, Taiyo Kogyo

Corp., and pursued the vision he had set for his company:

“To be the number one tent company in the world.”

Many accomplishments of Taiyo Kogyo are legendary,

including the Denver International Airport, Tokyo Dome,

Georgia Dome and Millennium Dome.

These accomplishments and others have been recog-

nized in the form of numerous IFAI International Achieve-

ment Awards, as well as a number of Japanese and inter-

national awards throughout Nohmura’s fifty-eight years in

the industrial fabrics industry.

The Nohmura family and Taiyo Kogyo Corp. would like

to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to those who

supported Chairman Nohmura and his efforts.

• Adhesives Research Inc., a devel-

oper and manufacturer of high-per-

formance pressure-sensitive adhesives,

tapes, specialty coatings, films, and lami-

nates, has hired Thomas S. Rimel Jr. as

commercial development manager.

Rimel is responsible for identifying

new market segments and applications

that would benefit from Adhesives Re-

search’s products and technologies,

while assisting in the commercializa-

tion of new and existing technologies.

Rimel also will formulate strategies to transfer commercial-

ized products and technologies to the company’s existing

or new divisions.

• Ed Small, president of Duracote

Corp., Ravenna, Ohio, has appointed

Tony Guerini as technical services man-

ager. He is responsible for “providing

technical services and development for

continuing operations and new prod-

ucts [as well as] managing quality con-

trol operations” at Duracote. Guerini

aims to increase product base by devel-

oping new products and streamlining

processes to create more efficient meth-

ods of manufacturing while maintain-

ing product quality.

Ryotaro NohmuraTom Rimel

Tony Guerini


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

Automotive Safety Components International (ASCIC), in the port city of Changshu City, China. Located near Shanghai, Changshu City is a textile boom town.

GOING GLOBAL

M

Found in

t ranslat ionThe mount ing wor ld market has bred common ground in business and cul tura l a f fa i rs . For Safety Components Internat ional , the demands and rewards of g lobal expansion of fer a crash course in both .

Safety ComponentsInternational Inc.Founded: 1920

U.S. headquarters:Greenville, S.C.

Offshore operations:Automotive Safety Components

International (ASCIC),Changshu City, China

ASCI s.r.o., Jevicko, Czech Republic

ASCI GmbH & Co. KG,Hildesheim, Germany

ASCI SRL, Sighisoara, Romania

ASCI GT Durban, South Africa

Much is made of the hyper-drive

market of the Asian auto industry. The

boundless prospects found in China,

in particular, have rallied countless

foreign investments from companies

looking to exploit all angles of produc-

tion and distribution. Those who’ve

broken ground overseas are confronted

with daunting internal and external is-

sues that go beyond basic management

and assembly.

For Bart Hanaway, president of Safety

Components International’s (SCI) Asia

Pacific Automotive division, running a

global operation in China is an immer-

sive investment of time and patience.

Communication and training are para-

mount, as well as establishing a good

reputation with local municipalities.

SCI is a supplier of automotive air-

bag fabric and cushions and techni-

cal fabrics, with operations in North

America, Europe, Asia and South Af-

rica. The company sells airbag fab-

ric in the United States and cushions

worldwide to the major airbag mod-

ule integrators. SCI also manufactures

value-added synthetic fabrics used in

a variety of niche industrial and com-

mercial applications. SCI, through its

subsidiary, ASCI Holdings Asia Pacific

(DE) LLC (collectively referred to as

“Safety”), entered into a partnership

with Huamao Technical Textile Co.,

breaking ground on a factory in Janu-

ary, 2005. Located in Changshu City,

China, Huamao produces more than

90 million yards of fabric annually.

We spoke with Hanaway about the

ground-level challenges and rewards

of running this major factory satellite

in China.

Review: What were the reasons for

the company’s expansion into China?

Bart Hanaway: Our primary reason

was the emerging and expanding auto

market in China. Our customers were


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

GOING GLOBAL

in the process of expanding and con-

tinue to grow their operations in China

in order to support the original equip-

ment manufacturer (OEM) growth

in China. Our first goal was to move

quickly, and participate early in this

expansion of our customers and the

overall auto market growth. Secondly,

our customers are very large conglom-

erates who, more and more, expect

flexibility of production from their

suppliers around the world.

Various production sites for similar

products help support our customers’

global needs, and in turn, may offer

us a competitive advantage. Also, our

end-user customers include Japanese,

Korean and almost all Asian carmak-

ers. An operation in China may allow

us to improve our relationship with this

growing category of carmakers.

Naturally, we want to position our-

selves as a low-cost supplier. Price

and cost reduction pressure will not

go away for textiles and automotive

parts. In the case of airbag fabrics, and

airbag cushions, we believe

that the supply chain will pre-

dominantly remain localized

because of low cost and effec-

tive operations in Mexico and

Eastern Europe (airbag cush-

ions). There also is a signifi-

cant level of design and local

technical support required for

such a demanding product

(life saving device/the inte-

grated airbag module). We desire to

have a presence around the world and

capitalize on the unique advantages for

our special market.

In your experience, what are the

greatest challenges to setting up manu-

facturing operations overseas?

The greatest challenge is simply tak-

ing the right approach. Every mar-

ket and every product is different. It

might make sense to establish a WFOE

(wholly owned foreign enterprise). It

may make better sense to partner with

an established company in China. A

third alternative is to simply subcon-

tract certain work. I would venture to

say that there are many more failures

than successes; although, I do not have

statistics to validate this. What I mean is

that there is no simple solution. Once

the right approach is established, all

other challenges can be overcome with

the right leadership and hard work.

than you might expect. A big question

is, what are you trying to achieve? Is it

to replace operations in other parts of

the world because of cost advantages?

Is it to enter the growing Asian mar-

kets? Transfer costs to China are high

and return-on-investment calculations

become challenging, no matter what

the cost advantages. Be prepared for

the long haul.

Beyond the challenges, what has

been the most rewarding thing about

your role at SCI AP-China, both per-

sonally and professionally?

The most rewarding professional

experience is that customers have

supported our decision and we were

quickly awarded business for the local

market. This is not windfall business;

however, this is critical to begin to off-

set ongoing expense costs. Many of

us know how difficult a start-up can

be when you have absolutely no busi-

ness, and expenses of the operation

carry on.

I must also say that my professional

learning has been at light speed. It is

inevitable. If you are the first person to

arrive on the scene, you become more

intimately involved than you can imag-

ine in every issue: legal, shareholder

and corporate governance, funding and

financial, tax, duty, freight, local HR

and production challenges, logistics,

most important sales and marketing,

and everything else you can think of.

Personally, the most rewarding thing

is the opportunity to live in a foreign

country and experience first-hand the

differences and similarities. Work has

been almost all-consuming; however, my

wife and I have been able to see parts

of the world that otherwise we wouldn’t

have seen. The Chinese people are

friendly, outgoing, enthusiastic and

very hard-working. The biggest similar-

ity is simple: Most Chinese simply want

a better life for themselves, and more

importantly, for their children.

How have you dealt with labor and

management issues, culturally and

organizationally?

This is a work in process. We have

been successful building a team with

a great attitude. Hire and develop a

good HR manager, and a senior local

leader, as quickly as possible. This is

what we have done, with success. In-

ternational workers are, for the most

part, very adaptable. It is a great experi-

ence for each of them; however, do not

bring anyone over who is not prepared

to work long hours and do a little bit

of everything. Keep in mind that the

more remote the Asian location, the

more difficult it will be.

Organizationally, the approach

we are taking is that any anyone who

comes over here is a potential trainer,

with the goal of training the local staff.

It’s a mistake to put foreign work-

ers into a position where they have

no local person to take over. We are

Bart Hanaway, president of SafetyComponents International’s (SCI) AsiaPacific Automotive division.

There is a great willingness to partner with international companies. You must ask yourself if this partner truly adds value. Do everything possible, including deep due diligence of potential partners, competitors and themarket evolution, to develop the right approach first.

It should also be recognized that it is

expensive to get started. Expatriation

costs for leaders in China are high.

It takes time to develop the staff,

and support will be required for longer


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

GOING GLOBAL

attempting to build the organization

locally, and most international work-

ers become trainers and not “doers” as

quickly as possible.

ASCIC is a joint venture with Hua-

mao Technical Textile Co. Is it difficult

to calibrate your operational philoso-

phy with the philosophy and standards

of this Chinese company? Are there

things that are “lost in translation” that

have made this partnership challeng-

ing? How is this addressed?

Huamao is a partner and produces

airbag fabrics for us. Our relationship

is clean, but complex. Despite the fact

that we have a joint venture with them

for airbag cushion manufacturing, we

independently manage the airbag op-

eration. We intentionally desired to

keep the management accountability

simple. Again, a million questions exist

on how to organize any structure in

Asia. Clear control of various aspects of

running any partnership is important. I

think it would be difficult if there were

joint-management of any element of

a partnership. The structure of any

partnership is absolutely critical, so

that differences in philosophies do

not enter into running the business.

I would recommend to try and have

separation of duties everywhere pos-

sible, if a partnership or joint venture

is constructed.

Finally, what advice would you give

to a U.S.-based textile/specialty fabric

manufacturer that is looking to expand

its operations overseas?

My leading advice is that a top man-

agement leader and visionary must

be assigned to the project full-time.

This leader must be “on the ground”

in China to evaluate the specific chal-

lenges of the unique products, play-

ers and market. This person will need

support from a good English- and Chi-

nese-speaking leader or international

consultant. Either hire a person, or

engage with a consultant who has good

experience with many ways to invest

in China. Good consultants are hard

to find and some are very expensive;

however, it is necessary to have some-

one with real experience, added to the

in-house person with specific product,

customer and market experience to get

the job done in the beginning. Do not

be fooled by the fact that everyone will

“partner” with you.

There is a great willingness to part-

ner with international companies. You

must ask yourself if this partner truly

adds value. Do everything possible,

including deep due diligence of po-

tential partners, competitors and the

market evolution, to develop the right

approach first. Do not just say ‘we are

going to China or anywhere in Asia,’

without the commitment to study and

analyze all options, all opportunities,

and risks. Do this with your best person

leading the way. Be prepared to invest

the time necessary to make the right

decisions. I believe there is generally

one best route to success in Asia, and

many routes to failure. I am optimistic

that we have chosen the one best route,

for our special case. Once the right

approach is determined (if there is a

right approach), things will move more

quickly than can be imagined.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

Sea Ray resuscitation: A before-and-after shot of a remodeled panel.

IN THE SHOP

W

The h idden costThe d i l igence, ta lent , p lanning—and sense of humor—necessary to rebui ldthe cockpi t o f a 40- foot Sea Ray.

By Mark Ruediger

Mark Ruediger, MFC, works for Custom Canvas Solutions/Pet Project Inc., Lake Norman, N.C.

When deciding whether to take on

a project of this nature, with many un-

knowns, my feeling is: Some projects

have to be on my terms, without room

for negotiation. I’m sure most marine

fabricators would agree some jobs call

for sticking to the shop rate and the

amount of time it actually takes. Most

people, including myself at times, don’t

realize how labor-intensive that quality,

custom, and the far too frequent one-off

products are. This practice allows me to

stay profitable enough to continue in a

thriving custom marine business, keep

the bill collectors away and put bread on

the table. What a great life!

Customer consultation:12 months

I had done previous projects for this

particular customer, including custom

cockpit carpeting and a camper back

enclosure. So he was used to spend-

ing money on his boat, and as with any

boat this size, he had the budget for

it. (The ol’ “hole in the water to throw

money” theory, or, “bring out another

thousand” applies here.) We had been

talking for a while about a time when

he would have me fabricate new side

panels for his cockpit area. It was one

of those “hornet’s nest” jobs that I really

wasn’t in a big hurry to do, since I had

plenty of other canvas work. On a whim

one day I contacted him and asked if

he was ready to do it. His reply was, “I

had better do it before it stains the rest

of the very expensive marine Berber

carpeting” I had made for him.

It was already too late for one piece of

carpet. The rot from the plywood lurk-

ing under the vinyl and foam covering

had run down and literally caused the

backing to wrinkle and the gray carpet

Part 1:


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

IN THE SHOP

to turn brown. My customer asked if I

had an idea how much it would cost to

rebuild the panels. My reply was, “no.” I

have learned that on a one-off job such

as this, figuring time would just about be

impossible, not to mention that I didn’t

want to sell myself short and under-

quote the job.

I further explained that the materi-

als would be approximately four to five

hundred dollars, depending on the

quality of the components I used to

rebuild the panels. The majority of the

cost of this job, as with most jobs I do,

is labor. I explained I would just have to

charge my shop rate per hour for the

work I do. He understood my position

and asked me to move forward and start

the process of the rebuild. After some

discussion it was decided to use the best

materials for this particular job, which

meant no plywood.

Materials: two hoursThere were three different suppli-

ers I used for this project, not includ-

ing the trusty local hardware store. (Is

it just me, or do you find that when

you need a particular item, like an

8/32 nut for something, the bin is

empty?) I took some initial measure-

ments of the panels and figured how

much vinyl and foam to order, match-

ing as closely as possible the existing

vinyl. The existing vinyl was foam-

backed, so I knew I would most likely

have to glue foam and vinyl to achieve

the desired plush effect.

I chose one-half-inch EZ Dri foam

to sandwich between the vinyl and the

backing board. For the board, I chose

King Star Lite XL, which is a variation

of the more expensive Star Board, used

for many exterior components such as

countertops, paneling, and many OEM

applications. The Star Lite is an excel-

lent alternative for a backing board for

this particular application, because it

will not rot. It’s more expensive, but as

with anything we do as fabricators, ma-

terials are “cheap” compared to the big

picture of quality and longevity of the

product. I doubt I would have taken on

the job if my customer had wanted to

use plywood. With a plywood applica-

tion, I’d be setting myself up for an un-

happy customer a few years down the

road (or, if you prefer, a few thousand

nautical miles down the lake).

Disassembly/patterning:eight hours

My shop space is limited, and I had

to commit most of the shop to this

project by getting organized and hav-

ing everything needed at hand before

I started. Like any project we do as

fabricators, our finished product is

only as good as our pattern. But where

was my pattern?

As indicated in the photos, there

were only a few sections that didn’t

turn to dust when handled during dis-

assembly. I took the better part of a

day to remove the two larger panels

and the “cubby hole” fronts from the

boat. They were mounted using screws

and one-quarter-20 T-nuts, which were

not easily accessible by mere mortals.

Boat builders never seem to consider

that their boat panels might have to

be disassembled one day by some guy

that (like most “normal” people) only

has the sum of three joints in his elbow,

wrist, and shoulder. (If I’d wanted to

be a contortionist I would have joined

the circus).

There were some plumbing and

electrical issues involved in this project

as well. (Note: I turned off the master

circuit breakers and relieved pressure

off all the water fixtures and let them

drain.) There is usually one faucet

lower in the cabin than in the cock-

pit, where there was a faucet for the

sink supply line, allowing most of the

water to drain out to the cabin fixtures,

eliminating a big wet cockpit deck.

A few towels to soak up drips will be

Above and below: “Only a few sections did not turn to dust during disassembly.“


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

sufficient. One panel had a 110v outlet,

so I disconnected the wires and used

wire nuts to cap them off, since the

owner would be using the boat while I

was fabricating the panels in the shop.

As for getting that pattern, I had

the luxury of knowing where another

40-foot Sea Ray sister boat was moored.

I had done some work for her owner as

well, and requested that he allow me

to pattern off her panels the parts of

the ailing Sea Ray that no longer held

the original shape of the manufacturer.

He was happy to help. I marked some

“landmarks,” using canvax, the shape of

the panels, and where two panels meet.

Next, to get the majority of the large

panels, I patterned from the old panels

that still retained their original shape,

using canvax and the same landmarks

from the intact Sea Ray.

To double-check my patterns, I de-

cided to go to the project boat and mark

out the UV lines with a washable pencil

on the gel coat. By doing that, I’d have a

third canvax pattern to line up with my

landmarks and compare the three pat-

terns; it would give me a clue (and a lit-

tle confidence) as to the original shape

and points where two panels/cushions

meet. After I laid the patterns on the

table and lined up all the landmarks, I

was able to make a master pattern for

each panel.

How confident was I? Very? I know

better! That’s why I took the patterns

back to the project boat and taped them

to the sides of the cockpit and checked

all the T-nut and bracket locations.

As I always say, “Measure four times,

cut once.” On a project of this scale,

I wouldn’t want to make these things

twice. You can never double-check

things too often. It saves many hours of

re-makes in the long run … something

that any fabricator learns very quickly.

Note: Stay tuned for part two of Mark Ruediger’s “Remodeling a 40-foot Sea Ray” in the April issue of the Review, where Rue-diger rebuilds and installs the brand-new cockpit for his customer.

“After I laid the patterns on the table and lined up all the landmarks, I was able to make a master pattern for each panel.“

IN THE SHOP

Ruediger working up a new pattern.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

EXPO WATCH

“We are extremely pleased to be co-locating IFAI Expo 2006 with ATME-I and the AATCC International Con-ference and Exhibition in Atlanta,” says Steve Warner, president of IFAI. “The synergy created by bringing these three events together in the heartland of the U.S. textile industry is an extraor-dinary opportunity for both attendees and exhibitors.”

Attracting international buyersIFAI is also pleased to announce that

MEGATEX has been selected by the U.S.

Department of Commerce (DOC) for the

prestigious International Buyer Program

(IBP) designation in 2006. This means that

the DOC considers the IFAI Expo to be

one of the top exhibitions in the country.

Hundreds of shows in the United

States apply each year to be considered

for an IBP designation by the DOC. A

survey of U.S. Commercial Service of-

fices around the world reviewed all of

the applications and concluded that

the IFAI Expo 2006 and MEGATEX

will attract international business buy-

ers. Since MEGATEX has received this

designation, it is the dedicated mission

of the DOC to do everything possible to

bring buyers to the show, including the

organization of trade delegations.

U.S. companies that are interested in

meeting potential buyers from around

the world are encouraged to exhibit

at IFAI Expo 2006. More than 450 ex-

hibitors on the IFAI Expo 2006 trade

show floor will offer tailored products

and services to suit the needs of every

market of the specialty fabrics indus-

try—from safety to medical to marine

to sports and recreation, and much

more. The IFAI Exposition consistently

increases business opportunities for

specialty fabric professionals from every

part of the industry. In the textile indus-

try, IFAI Expo 2006 will be the number

one event in the Americas to conduct

global business in 2006.

For more information about attend-

ing or exhibiting at IFAI Expo 2006,

contact IFAI Conference Management

at 800 225 4324, +1 651 222 2508, fax

+1 651 631 9334; e-mail confmgmt@ifai.

com, Web site www.ifaiexpo.info.

nation will give all attendees access to

three huge, highly regarded textile

trade shows in one location—a can’t-

miss opportunity.

ATME-I is a trade show for textile

machinery, equipment, accessories, sup-

plies and services for the yarn and fiber,

weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing and

finishing, and other nonwoven manu-

facturing industries. The AATCC trade

show leads in education, technology

transfer, and test method development

for the textile design, materials, and wet

processing industries.

IIFAI Expo 2006 will be held at the

Georgia World Congress Center in

Atlanta, Ga., October 31–November

2, 2006.

This year IFAI will collaborate with

the ATME-I® 2006 and AATCC Inter-

national Conference & Exhibition

2006 trade shows to create MEGA-

TEX—an event that will bring hun-

dreds of suppliers and manufacturers

under one roof. The events will be held

in conjunction with one another, but

will remain separate so as to keep the

individual flavor of each. This combi-

A Part of

A Georgia peachIFAI Expo 2006 br ings the year ’s premier text i le event to At lanta .


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

SHOWROOM

Flying styleThrough form and funct ion, banners make their mark as a publ ic d isp lay.

Hoop dreamsFlying Colors Inc., Berkeley, Calif.

Flying Colors Inc. created the look and feel of the 2005 NBA All-Star

Game in Denver, creating connectivity to the varying personalities of the

game venue, the community and region, as well as the 13 event hotels. The

overall package centered around the local landscape, featuring cool blues

and browns evoking the icy elegance and dynamic range of the Rocky

Mountains. The banner program was installed along the 16th Street Mall

and created the “spine” of the visitors’ visual experience, connecting the

venue to hotel events. At each hotel, Flying Colors tailored its materials

to match the décor of the facilities in which they were adorned, creating

a seamless presence for the event, yet remaining respectful of Denver

architecture and interiors. The architecture of the event venue (the Pepsi

Center in downtown Denver) was enhanced with 50 foot x 65-foot imaged

mesh “wedges,” while ten 45 foot x 8-foot panels featured action-oriented

player profiles against the mountain backdrop. Installation was done by

Rhino Staging and Event Solutions, Denver; fabrication was performed by

Great Big Color, Commerce City, Colo.; Flag Crafters, Chula Vista, Calif.,

and New Vista Image in Golden, Colo.

Toddler towersQueen City Awning, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Proctor & Gamble (P&G) Baby Care project consists of eight

double-sided banners with full color digital images on both sides.

Five of the banners measure 5-feet wide by 20-feet high and three

of the banners are 5-feet wide by 24-feet high. Total banner surface

area measures approximately 2,300 square feet. The banners were

hung on the facade of the new building edition for the baby-care

products division at P&G in Cincinnati. While reinforcing brand

image, the banners also act as a sunscreen for the three-story high

glass facade. As for the image quality and ink colors, the banner

designers were exacting. The process required several generations

of proofs to achieve the intended results. The designers wanted

100 percent opacity between each side of the banners. To achieve

this, the banners were constructed with two outside layers of vinyl

and an additional interior layer of blackout vinyl. Installation of this

project was overseen by ASI Limited, Indianapolis. Kolar Design

Associated, Cincinnati, carried out the design, and Seattle-based

Rainier Industries did the graphics.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Atrium impact, with spiritThe Design Loft, St. Louis, Mo.

The architectural firm Brackett and Kennerich contacted The Design

Loft Inc. to create an atrium sculpture for the new headquarters of Liberty

Bank in Jonesboro, Ark. The architect requested that the work be dynamic,

explosive, and abstract, and that it incorporate the U.S. flag, which is part

of the Liberty Bank logo. The flag elements—stars and stripes—were split

into thirteen stripes and seven sections for the star field. The red stripes

and blue star field were made of 200 denier nylon. The white stripes were

made of 80 by 80 stainless steel mesh wire cloth. The mesh was chosen to

give the work breathing space, as it was designed for a very tall, narrow

area. Too much nylon would tighten the space more than necessary. The

stainless is versatile; it can be transparent at certain angles or can create a

solid-looking stainless reflective surface depending on the light. For this

project, the mesh was “crunched” to increase the reflective qualities of the

material and to add texture together with the smooth nylon fabric.

SHOWROOM

Bridging the gapHendee Enterprises Inc., Houston, Texas

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commit-

tee wanted a banner to stretch across the walkways

that carry patrons from the parking area on one side

of Kirby Drive to Reliant Stadium on the other side

of the street, where the rodeo was held. This banner

served as an advertisement for the rodeo and added to

the festivity of the event. Due to wind loads, however, a

solid fabric could not be used for the project. Hendee

Enterprises provided the solution with its shade fabric

banner, which allows wind to pass through, but also

can be screen-printed. The banner also had to fit the

contour of the walkway frame precisely and be installed

securely to prevent traffic interruption. Graphics were

provided by Signtex Imaging, Tomball, Texas.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

G

Chi Jing-Kui is a board member of the ChineseTechnical Association on Geosynthetics (CTAG).

Xia Qi-Xing, the article translator, works for theGeosynthetic Quality Inspection Center of theMinistry of Water Resources, Shanghai Designand Research Institute, Shanghai.

The editors would like to thank Li Ying Yu, IFAI China, www.ifai.com, for arranging this article.

Geosynthetics have been used in

China since the 1970s. Use of the ma-

terials developed slowly in the 1980s,

a period during which woven textiles

were the primary choice. In the 1990s,

with the rapid development of the na-

tional economy, a lot of manufacturing

equipment and production lines were

introduced. At the same time, domes-

tic companies developed equipment,

too. Since then, the product varieties

have changed significantly, and the

scope of applications has broadened

gradually. This has been especially

true for flood control applications and

other hydraulic projects. For example,

the Shanghai Chenhang Reservoir

Project, Phase 1, used roughly 1.5

million square meters of geotextiles.

Through 1995, 500 million square

meters of geosynthetics had been used

in 10,000 projects. In 1998, China was

hit by an extremely harmful flood

disaster. The flood at Lake Dongting

killed 4,000 people. Since then, the

national leadership has given a great

deal of attention to flood control, and

a large amount of geosynthetics have

been put into flood prevention and

dam repair schemes.

Although geosynthetics were used

in China relatively later than in the

United States and European nations

(where some uses extend back to the

1950s), China has developed rapidly

in recent years in almost every respect:

manufacturing, design capabilities,

quality inspection, installation tech-

niques, standards, codes, theory and

research. Notably, great advances have

been seen in leakage prevention, re-

inforcement and filtration. Manufac-

turing processes have improved and

applications have broadened.

Basic classificationsIn China, geosynthetics are gener-

ally classified according to the manu-

facturing processes:

• Woven textiles: woven-braided,

woven, woven-knitted

• Nonwoven textiles: spun-bonded

(integrated mainly by needle-punching),

needle-punched, short filaments (inte-

grated mainly by needle-punching)

• Synthetics: geomembrane (pressed

and stretched, blown plastic), geogrid

(single direction stretched, double

direction stretched), geocell (honey-

comb, or bee-cell, construction)

• Composites: geomembrane/textile

(thermo-bonded, 1 textile/1 mem-

brane, 2 textiles/1 membrane, 3 tex-

tiles/2 membrane, etc.), drainage pipe

(chemical bonded), drainage tube

(composite filtration), geosynthetic

clay liner [GCL] (needle-punched,

seamed, and thermo-bonded)

Now in its 10th five-year plan, China has the world’s top hydraulic and hydro-engineering market. It also has earmarked 700 billion Yuan($86 billion) for environmental protection projects.

WORLD VIEWS

TheChinesemarket

Geosynthet ic development ,market facts and prospectsin the wor ld ’s hot testconstruct ion arena.

By Chi J ing-KuiTranslated by X ia Qi-Xing


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

als on both sides will not mix, main-

taining the installation’s integrity even

as the materials are extruded under

the load. This function has been used

widely in railroads, highways, earth

and/or rock dams, soft foundations,

and river rehabilitation.

• Protection. The function of protec-

tion can be seen in two cases: surface

protection and internal protection.

The former applies to the installation

of the geosynthetic on the surface of

the soil to protect the soil body from

the possible damaging effects of ex-

ternal forces. The latter applies to the

installation of geosynthetics between

two materials in the soil so that when

one kind of material is exposed to fo-

cused stress the other kind of material

is not affected.

Market potentialChina is now in a phase of heavy

investment in its infrastructure. Both

central and local governments and

international investors have poured

WORLD VIEWS

Main functionsGeosynthetics can be used in broad

applications as determined by the ma-

terials’ various functions. In general,

geosynthetics have six functions:

• Filtration. A filtration layer, on one

hand, should have good permeability

so that when water flows through it the

flow rate maintains good performance;

on the other hand, it also should have

an adequate number of pores with

small sizes so that it keeps the soils

from diminishing dramatically and

destroying the soil body.

Geotextiles, especially nonwoven

textiles, possess both characteristics.

They have not only good permeability

performance, but relatively small pore

sizes. These pores can be manufac-

tured specific to the site soil particle

sizes so that the majority of the soil can

be retained as water flows through.

Filtration is the primary function

of textiles in Chinese civil engineer-

ing, and for this geotextiles have been

used widely in hydraulic constructions,

railroads, highways, buildings, airports,

and environmental protection proj-

ects—especially in dams, bank bases

and hydraulic project embankments.

• Leakage prevention. Geomem-

brane and geomembrane composites

are recommended for leakage preven-

tion. They are not only used widely in

dams, rivers and reservoir banks as an

alternative for clay cores, but to prevent

reservoir leakage. Also, they are used in

drains, water tanks, waste water tanks,

swimming pools, substrate buildings,

waste proposal projects, and environ-

mental protection projects to solve seep-

age, leakage, and dampness.

• Reinforcement. Geosynthetics are

often used to reinforce a weak earth

base. Geogrids, especially, offer high-

strength performance for this applica-

tion. When they are installed in the

earth, the base will have improved load

capabilities and better integral stress

performance. The stability of soil lay-

ers can be enhanced greatly. Geogrid

reinforcement is used mainly for soft

and weak earth foundations and for

steep retaining walls.

• Drainage. Textiles, especially

nonwoven textiles, are excellent po-

rous materials, both in the in-plane

direction and the normal direction.

They can collect water from the soil

and pull it into and through the tex-

tiles to protect the constructions be-

hind embankments or to consolidate

a soft foundation.

• Separation. Geosynthetics can be

installed between two different materi-

als, different sizes of the same material,

or the soil surface and its upper layers

to separate. When exposed to external

loads, the separation function of the

geosynthetic ensures that the materi-

large amounts of money into projects

to ensure adequate funding and timely

construction. The projects require vast

numbers of new materials. This require-

ment creates a good opportunity for the

development and application of geosyn-

thetics, and provides a much broader

market for the sale of new materials.

China is now in the implementa-

tion of its “10th five-year plan.” Bet-

ter understanding and analyzing how

these plans affect Chinese construction

projects is vital to knowing the market’s

dynamics, grasping reliable informa-

tion, and guiding geosynthetic manu-

facturers along the right track.

Hydro-electrical projectsIn this 10th five-year plan, China

plans to invest 460 billion Yuan ($55

billion) in 947 projects of hydraulic

infrastructure with 159 pivotal ones; 900

billion Yuan ($110 billion) in 19 electric

plants with a total capacity of 700 mil-

lion kilowatts; 4 nuclear electric plants;

and some pumped storage hydro-plants.

Among these projects, the biggest hy-

draulic project will lead southern water

to the north. The project investment is

535.1 billion Yuan ($66 billion).

China is second to none in the

world in terms of the scale and the

investment amount for hydraulic and

hydroelectric projects. In addition to

the important projects planned by the

central government, the provincial,

While port construction has helped spur growth in eastern China, the western region isgrowing quickly with the aid of significant transportation investment.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

WORLD VIEWS

municipal, and autonomous regional

governments have also invested large

amounts of money in the hydraulic

and hydroelectric projects to assure

their smooth implementation. From

small-scale hydroelectric plants and

water tanks to first-rate hydraulic and

hydroelectric projects, the vast major-

ity of geosynthetics have been and will

continue to be used.

In dams and banks and cofferdams,

knitted woven textiles, woven textiles

and nonwoven textiles top the list.

Geomembranes are mainly

used for leakage preven-

tion in dam foundations,

banks, watergates, upper

stream caps, lower stream

aprons, cofferdam lining,

upper reservoir storage

pumped from hydro-plants,

and important trenches. In

the south-to-north water

transport project, liners

will be key to the success

of the canals and to prop-

erly isolate and dispose of

polluted water. Close to

3,000 km (1,865 miles) of

main canals will rely on an

extremely large amount of

geomembranes.

Environmental protection

Another aspect of the 10th five-year

plan involves China’s investment of 700

billion Yuan ($86 billion) in environ-

mental protection projects. Important

funds within this plan include 270 bil-

lion Yuan ($33 billion) for the disposal

of polluted water and 90 billion Yuan

($11 billion) for solid waste manage-

ment. These two sectors are the main

consumers of geosynthetics. In current

landfills, various kinds of geosynthet-

ics—geomembranes, GCLs, nonwoven

geotextiles, geogrids, and flexible drain-

ing composites—are used to form an

integral leakage prevention system.

China has 345 waste management

plants. With its rapid growth, the coun-

try has 800 urbanized towns, with a

combined population of 450 million. It

is estimated that by 2010, these figures

will rise to 1200 towns and a popula-

tion of 630 million. There will be a

corresponding, urgent need for waste

landfills. It may be that each town,

given their sizes, growth prospects, and

diversity of waste, will require their own

landfills. The amount of geosynthetics

needed will be huge.

TransportationThe scope of current Chinese invest-

ment in the development of railroads,

highways, ports, water transportation

and city mass transit systems is without

global precedent. In particular, the

transportation infrastructure in the

country’s western region is significant.

railroad foundations. Geosynthetics will

see more and more applications in rail-

road construction.

Highway developments focus on

strengthening the main national lines

and the western regions. In the south-

western region, 43,000 km (26,718

miles) will be built with an investment

of 220 billion Yuan ($27 billion). Riv-

erbank and waterfront roads will also

be built.

Geosynthetic use in highways is

broader than in railroads. In high-

ways, geosynthetics are

used mainly to resolve the

reflective fissures of the bi-

tumen surfaces, and there

are more tunnels and re-

taining walls in highway

applications. As such,

more geomembranes and

reinforcement materials

are used here than in the

railways. Also, municipal

roads adopt geosynthetics

to reduce long-term re-

pairs.

For ports, waterways, air-

ports, and mining plants,

geosynthetics play an im-

portant role. In addition

to the regular functions of

filtration, leakage preven-

tion, and reinforcement,

many projects use sand-

filled pipes to reclaim the sea coast,

drainage pipes (geocomposites) to

consolidate soft foundations, geobags

to protect banks, and so on. In a word,

the variety, scope, and the quantity of

geosynthetics used in this construction

segment is vast, and the quality and

selection is the best it has ever been.

Still, there is room for growth

in research and development. With so

much money being directed into infra-

structure, this is a prime opportunity to

further develop geosynthetic products,

designs and construction techniques.

WaterwaysThree kinds of geotextiles are clas-

sified: knitted, woven, and nonwoven.

In recent years, to meet the needs of

coastal reclamation projects, municipal

improvement plans and waterway regu-

lations, high-strength round woven,

reinforced braided woven, counter-

aging braided woven, and nanometer

braided woven geotextiles have been

The nation’s 800 urbanized towns account for 450 million of the nearly onebillion population. Within five years, the number of urban areas is expected to exceed 1,200 with a combined population of 630 million. A tremendous amount of lining will be needed to manage municipal waste and protectwater resources.

In railroads, the investment amounts

to 350 billion Yuan ($43 billion), with

6,000 km (3,700 miles) of newly built

single lines, 3,000 km (1,865 miles) of

double lines, 5.000 km (3,100 miles)

of electrified lines, and 1,000 km (620

miles) of local lines. Because the rail-

roads are so long and the geographic

conditions and the natural environ-

ments are so different, there are many

problems to be solved. Generally speak-

ing, the geosynthetics used in railroad

applications are geogrids, geomem-

branes, composite geomembranes,

and nonwoven geotextiles. At the pres-

ent time, the railroads being built are

located largely in the northwest and

southwest regions. There, geomem-

branes are used primarily to seal tun-

nels. Furthermore, to protect the land

surrounding the railroads and to beau-

tify them, three-dimensional geowebs

are used. In addition, in order to speed

up the trains, a lot of problems need to

be addressed—especially the stability of


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

WORLD VIEWS

introduced to the market to comple-

ment the traditional flat, woven prod-

ucts. Woven geotextiles are mainly used

with the nonwoven textiles to form

composite sand-filled pipes in recla-

mation applications. For instance, in

the Yangtze River Estuary Deep Wa-

terway Development Project, 34 mil-

lion square meters have been used. In

the Shanghai Yangshan Deep Water

Port Project, similar large numbers

of woven/nonwoven composites have

been used.

Nonwoven textiles are mainly made

of short terylene filaments and used

mainly as a filtration layer, and some-

times as a component of the geomem-

brane composite. In contrast, long

terylene filament nonwoven textiles

have seen a dramatic increase in the

production and application in recent

years. Yet, production techniques and

quality still need improvement. In the

long run, there are bright prospects

for manufacturing, engineering, and

designing these materials with a grow-

ing number of manufacturers.

Leakage prevention With the continued rapid develop-

ment of hydraulic, environmental, and

building projects, the requirements

for leakage prevention have increased.

The variety of sites in need has spurred

geomembrane development, its sci-

ence and market. Currently, extruded

and plastic-blown geomembranes can

be made in China. These products

include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poly-

ethylene (PE), high-density polyeth-

ylene (HDPE) and low-density poly-

ethylene (LDPE). For specific project

needs, double-smooth, smooth/rough,

double rough geomembranes, re-

inforced geomembranes, and GCL

Roughly 34 million square meters of woven geotextile have been used to create sand-filled geotextile tubes. This has enabled considerable reclamation and development along the Yangtze River.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

WORLD VIEWS

Application Est. annual geomembrane use

Hydraulic and hydroelectric projects 52.5 million m2

Environmental protection 37.5 million m2

Transportation 27 million m2

Construction 18 million m2

Mining plants 6 million m2

Miscellaneous 9 million m2

Table 1. Estimated annual geomembrane use for leakage prevention in various industries.

leakage prevention mattresses can be

produced. Few factories in China are

capable of making extruded products,

and there are very few large-scale man-

ufacturers. Also, the qualities of differ-

ent manufacturers are very different.

Geomembranes and the correspond-

ing installation techniques still need to

be developed to suit the disparate site

conditions and client needs.

Reinforced materialsWith the demands of railroads, high-

ways and environmental protections

there is a great need for reinforced

materials. To date, single-direction

protruded geogrids, double-direc-

tion protruded geogrids, glass-fiber

geogrids, and warped geogrids can

be produced and used widely in these

projects. However, there are still few

large-scale and high-quality manufac-

turers in China.

ConclusionGeosynthetics have developed

quickly in China-based manufacturing,

applications, and research. The pri-

mary trends are to make a whole range

of products, to synthesize new prod-

ucts, and to make composites from ex-

isting different materials. Applications

lean towards medium- and large-scale

projects. The guiding research, test

techniques, installation techniques,

and the related codes and standards

have all been improved. These facts

suggest a strong manufacturing capa-

bility in China, and they indicate that

a strong team of geosynthetic profes-

sionals has formed.

Geosynthetics have been found to be

highly economical, and with their vital

applications in China, of great social ben-

efit. As infrastructures enter new phases,

so too should geosynthetic practices. As

a field, we should seize the present op-

portunity to make this happen.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

CONNECTIONS

W

Digi tal Expohosts imaging community

When Hurricane Katrina shut down

the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

in New Orleans, the Specialty Graphic

Imaging Association (SGIA) was forced

to relocate its 2005 Expo from late Sep-

tember to Dec. 8-10 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Despite the inconvenience, SGIA Digital

Expo 2005 scrambled together a success-

ful show that reflected the diverse, thriv-

ing industry it represents. Total attendees

topped 5,300, with 147 exhibitors, a great

percentage of which represented the

textile industry. Non-U.S. attendees and

exhibitors came from 47 other countries,

with Canada, Mexico, and the United

Kingdom most well-represented.

On the show floor was a mixture of

digital imaging leaders from several key

market sectors to share ideas and expe-

riences. Textile printing was well repre-

sented, with innovations demonstrated

and displayed for such things as banners,

signs, posters, wraps, apparel, interior

design, bags, labels, and decals.

The concept of print shop as market-

ing partner was prominent. “What life

is about today is marketing and design

… what you do with the technology,”

says Gordon Brown, New Vista Image,

Golden, Colo.

Lynn Krinsky, of Stella Color, Seattle,

Wash., agrees. “I bring customers in, and

get them all jazzed up, and they walk

about thinking, ‘look what I can do.’”

Krinsky was instrumental in creating

the Interior Design Display on the show

floor. The display presented four room

concepts—a bedroom, a dining area,

a living room, and a washroom—each

decorated with digitally imaged materi-

als (direct to substrate or dye sublima-

tion). At the Wrap Display Area, Santa

Ana, Calif.-based Arlon Inc., Avery Den-

nison, Painesville, Ohio, and St. Paul,

Minn.-based 3M demonstrated the latest

materials and techniques in the bur-

geoning digital wrap trade.

Practical futurist Michael Rogers pro-

vided the keynote address. Exploring the

interactions between people and technol-

ogy, Rogers notes that there is a genera-

tion coming of age that has never known

life without the Internet. As digital imag-

ing continues to develop and competes

with mature technologies, this too will

change the way people and technology

interact. Your customers, staff, colleagues

and partners are all dealing with technolo-

gies that are different from what they were

last year. Business practices are constantly

evolving to sustain growth.

Connections is a forum for news

and information from cooperation

organizations within or connected

to the specialty fabrics industry. For

news from the Industrial Fabrics

Association International, publisher

of the Review, turn to IFAI Update on

page 64.

The show floor at SGIA Digital Expo 2005. After Hurricane Katrina shut down conventionactivity in New Orleans, the show successfully relocated to Phoenix, Ariz.

Hot trend: Special demonstrations were held daily at the SGIA Digital Expo, featuring the technologies and techniques of digital building and vehicle wraps.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Mile-high nonwovensINDA, the Association of the Non-

woven Fabrics Industry, organizer of the

fifth annual event that brings together

companies from both the consumer prod-

ucts and engineered fabrics industries,

reports that almost 400 attendees from

around the world converged in Denver,

Colo., for the four-day VISION 2006

Consumer Products show (Jan. 15-18).

“Once again, VISION 2006 succeeded

in its goal of being the place and time

for consumer products companies to

meet and network with their suppliers

from the nonwovens and engineered

fabrics side of the business,” says INDA

President Rory Holmes.

A highlight of the conference was

the selection of the Disaster Relief

Blanket from Chicopee, a division of

Polymer Group Inc. (PGI), N. Charles-

ton, S.C., as the recipient of the 2006

Visionary Award (see “Swatches”, page

Textile printing demonstrations were a popular attraction, and the possibilities of this growing trend were on full display.

CONNECTIONS

9).VISION 2006 attendees chose the

Disaster Relief Blanket over four other fi-

nalists—the Mr. Clean Magic Reach from

The Procter & Gamble Co.; Johnson &

Johnson’s Stayfree Advanced Protection;

the Disposable Mitt with Body Wash from

Kimberly-Clark; and Cotton Enhanced

Baby Wipes from PGI Nonwovens.

“Consumer products that are utilizing

nonwoven fabrics are playing an increas-

ingly important role in both our everyday

lives as well as in extraordinary situa-

tions,” says Michael Jacobsen, Visionary

The Disaster Relief Blanket, by Chicopee, a division of Polymer Group Inc.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

CONNECTIONS

Award project coordinator. “The Vision

2006 attendees recognized the contribu-

tions the Chicopee Disaster Relief Blan-

ket is making in emergency situations

around the world, and it was chosen over

four other extremely deserving and suc-

cessful consumer products from some of

the biggest names in the business.”

AAPN celebrates aquarter-century of evolution

The American Apparel Producers’

Network (AAPN) is celebrating its 25th

year of operation. The group was orga-

nized in 1981 as the Garment Association

of Georgia.

AAPN founder Don Strickland

started the organization in Georgia with

apparel contractors to drive down the

cost of workers’ comp insurance. Word

spread throughout the South, and the

organization grew to represent the cut-

and-sew industry in the United States

and Canada. Don passed away suddenly

in 1990, and his wife, Sue C. Strickland,

took over the leadership.

In 1994, AAPN was the first apparel

organization to list its members on-

line. By 1996, Ms. Strickland took the

database to the Internet. “I’ve seen two

things every year I’ve been here—first,

new technology from us for our mem-

bers. Second, far fewer organizations

in this industry. There were dozens of

associations ten years ago, today only a

handful. There’s a relationship there,”

says Strickland.

But the major innovation in AAPN

remains its constantly evolving global

business model.

AAPN member John Stevenson of

Standard Textile recently wrote to say,

“I must say that AAPN has transformed

itself from the group I met in 1995. Do

you ever stop to realize how far you have

come?” Since 1995, the AAPN has gone

global with contractors on every conti-

nent; has recruited the U.S. industry’s

leading sourcing executives into full

membership; grown its supply chain

membership into fiber and yarn; and in-

corporated leaders from every step and

stage of the supply chain worldwide.

As Ms. Strickland wrote in her edi-

torial in the 2006 AAPN JOURNAL,

“We’ve changed from a U.S. contractor-

centric outfit to become the industry’s

only global supply chain organization.

As I write this, we have 230 members,

10 percent of whom were members 10

years ago.”

The American Apparel Producers’

Network is a nonprofit industry net-

work based in Atlanta, Ga. All mem-

bers are detailed online at www.aap-

network.net. The AAPN Journal can

be ordered by contacting the staff di-

rectly. AAPN’s motto is “Marketing is a

contact sport.”

Aid for rental equipment industryThe American Rental Association

(ARA) distributed grants totaling

$190,000 to 20 rental equipment busi-

nesses that incurred severe damage

from Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane

Rita. The grants are intended to pro-

vide immediate relief and to help

quickly restore a rental business to full

operation. Cash contributions from 98

donors to the Rental Industry Relief

Fund made the grants possible.

Nearly 80 rental stores and suppli-

ers and nearly 20 ARA state and local

organizations contributed to the fund.

In addition, the ARA and ARA Insur-

ance Services contributed $75,000 and

$25,000 respectively. In total, slightly

more than $200,000 was raised.

I n d u s t r i a l F a b r i c P r o d u c t s R e v i e w F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5 1

ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Fire Retardant MaterialsThis book provides a detailed analysis of the burning behavior

and flame retarding qualities of polymers, composites, and textiles. It also covers reducing fire hazards of real materials such as textiles, composites, and natural polymers. In addition it also explores emerging methods and anticipated changes to performance-based tests. (2001, hardcover, 444 pages)

Item # 16111Member Price: $220Nonmember Price: $240

Handbook of Technical TextilesContents: Technical textiles market - an overview; technical

fibers; technical yarns; technical fabric structures - woven fab-rics, knitted fabrics and nonwoven fabrics; finishing of technical textiles; coating of technical textiles; coloration of technical textiles and much, much more. (2000, hardcover, 640 pages)


Textile Testing & AnalysisThis book presents basic information on methods and tech-

niques used to analyze textile fabrics for end-use performance and product quality standards. (1998, paperback, 374 pages)


Textiles (9th Edition)This textbook provides a solid background on textiles and is

an excellent fundamental source of information about fabrics and their characteristics. It introduces the basics on fibers, yarns, fabric construction, fabric finishing, and other textile-related issues. While not specifically written for the industrial fabric industry, most of the information is readily applied to any aspect of the textile industry. Our technical staff was particularly impressed with its fiber comparative information, charts, and easy to understand language. (1998, hardcover, 419 pages)


Understanding TextilesDesigned for an interactive, analytical approach to learning

the basics of textile structures and textile performance, this text helps students understand—not just know—how the compo-nents of textiles—fiber, yarn, fabric, dye, and finish contribute to the performance of products for specific end uses. (2000, hardcover, 575 pages)


Textile Terms and Definitions - 11th EditionNearly 4,000 textile terms are clearly defined and are sup-

ported by numerous illustrations. The publication also includes abbreviations, symbols, ISO codes, conversion factors and more. (2002, hardcover, 407 pages)


Techno Textiles 2 Techno Textiles 2 highlights advanced textiles in production

and available to the designer, artist, architect, and consumer today. Here are textiles for a new world: fabrics that shrink or expand to the desired size; textiles developed from carbon, steel, glass, and ceramics; materials that protect the wearer from environmental extremes on earth and in space. The book is divided into three sections: “Innovations” (how the newest textiles are imagined and made); “Applications”(from fashion and design to architecture and art); and “Reference” (a full reference guide, including glossary, biographies, directory of addresses, public collections, and an extensive bibliography). It will become required reading for professionals and for anyone curious about the new environment in which we live.

Item # TECKIJU045Member Price: $45Nonmember Price: $50

Materials in Sports EquipmentThe book provides insight into the overall influence of ma-

terials in sports and the significance of material processing and design. It explores how individual sports have benefited from recent improvements in material technology and analyses the way in which improvements in our understanding of biomechanics and the engineering aspects of sports equipment performance have influenced materials and design. (2003, hardcover, 407 pages)


High-Performance FibresHigh performance fibers are used increasingly for a wide range

of applications, where their ability to fulfill demanding roles makes them an effective choice for the engineer and materials scientists. High Performance Fibers provides comprehensive coverage of the design, manufacture, capabilities, and applications of second and third-generation high performance fibers, such as aramid copolymer, melt-spun fully aromatic polyester, and inorganic high-performance, high-tenacity fibers. (2001, hardcover, 329 pages)


Smart Fibres, Fabrics and ClothingSmart fibers and other fiber-based smart products are a new

and exciting area of textile development. This book offers a com-prehensive overview of the latest research and applications in this area, dealing with materials and structures that have the ability and sense to react to the environment by emulating those found in most in-depth study currently available. This book will be an invaluable aid to researchers, designers, engineers and students in the area of textile and clothing product development as well as manufactures and governmental bodies. (2001, hardcover, 316 pages)


Introduction to Dielectric Heat Sealing 2nd EditionThis book is intended for use in classroom training. It is also a

useful guide for training individual staff members in RF Welding as well. Introduction to Dielectric Heat Sealing features information about the dielectric heat sealing process, historical aspects, types of equipment and dies. (2001, hardcover, 128 pages)

Item # tecketa041 Member Price: $35Nonmember Price: $40

Medical Textiles 2004 Conference Proceedings The full proceedings of the recent symposium “Medical Textiles

2004: Advances in Biomedical Textiles and Healthcare Products”. The event was held in Pittsburgh in October 2004. This symposium focused in particular on the following topics: Materials in Medical Applications and Healthcare; Wound Closures/Suture Materials; Cardiovascular Implants; Orthopedic Devices and Compression Therapy; Wound Care and Antimicrobials; Protective Medical Textiles and Barrier Fabrics; and Future Directions and Opportunities for Healthcare Products. (2004, paperback, 381 pages)

Item# 16115Member Price: $100Nonmember Price: $150

Safety & Protective Fabrics Proceedings 2004The full proceedings of the recent symposium “4th Interna-

tional Conference on Safety & Protective Fabrics”. The event was held in Pittsburgh in October 2004. This symposium focused in par-ticular on the following topics: Human Factors; Thermal; Biological and Chemical, Miscellaneous, Protective Medical Textiles and Barrier Fabrics; and Ballistic. (2004, paperback, 302 pages)


Standard Practice for Stitches and Seams D6193-97(2004)

This is the new version of D 6193-97 Standard Practices for Stitches and Seams, which replaced Federal Standard 751, the pri-mary guidance manual for seam structures used by government and industrial textile includes a general discussion of stitches and seams and drawings of each stitch and seam type. (2004, paperback)

Item # teckija042Member Price: $60Nonmember Price: $65

Coated Textiles: Principles and ApplicationsContents: Polymeric materials for coating; Textile substrate

for coated fabric; Coating methods; Physical properties of coated fabrics; Rheology of coating, Fabrics for foul weather protection; Nonapparel coating; High-tech application; and Test methods. (2001, hardcover, 248 pages)


T H E R E F E R E N C E S E C T I O N

Solutions andopportunitiesfor the safetyand protectivefabrics industry

Oct. 26-27, 2004David L. Lawrence Convention CenterPittsburgh USA

Organized by the Safety & Protective Products Division of IFAIwww.ifaiexpo.info or www.safetyfabrics.com

U.S. Dept. of Army

U.S. Dept. of Army

HDM Inc.

Conference Proceedings

To order, visit www.bookstore.ifai.com; call 800 207 0729, +1 651 225 6913; or e-mail [email protected]

Organized by North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)

Highlighting new materials, textile applications and trends in medical textiles, surgery, general and sports medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, and biomedical engineering

Oct. 26-27, 2004 · David L. Lawrence Convention Center · Pittsburgh

All p

hoto

s: U.

S. Ai

r For

ce

Conference Proceedings

0106rvw_bkstrad.indd 1 1/3/06 3:22:28 PM


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

THE BASICS: UPHOLSTERY

U

Stick to i tTips for se lect ing and apply ing upholstery adhesives.

By Amy J . Garv in and Betsy Taylor

Amy J. Garvin is a former editorial intern at IFAI, and Betsy Taylor is a freelance writer basedin Memphis, Tenn.

Upholstery must be durable. After

all, a sofa may endure the tossing

and turning of overnight guests, and

boat seats may be called upon to

hold dripping children in the glar-

ing summer sun. Durability’s a func-

tion of fabric, filling, fasteners and

construction technique, of course,

but adhesives play an important

supporting role.

Upholstery involves bonding foam

to sur faces as varied as fiber fill,

foam, fabric, wood, and metal. These

bonds should be so tenacious that

the foam will tear before the bond

separates. In short, a lot is asked of

adhesives. Although most uphol-

sterers swear by brands they’ve used

for years, the search continues for

the perfect product and the ideal

method of applying it.

Finding the right adhesive for the

job requires an understanding of

the performance characteristics of

the various adhesive components.

Adhesives include two component

categories: solids and carriers, ac-

cording to the Polyurethane Foam

Association (PFA), based in Knox-

ville, Tenn. Solids include bonding

compounds and tack agents, which

are the compounds that produce an

adhesive’s initial adherence. After

that step occurs, carriers deliver sol-

ids to the surface of the foam, and

then evaporate to allow the bonding

compound to cure. Besides bonding,

the most important requirement of

adhesives is that they not stain or

show through the fabric to which

they are applied.

Safe applicationBeing able to apply adhesive

evenly helps to ensure fabric protec-

tion. Application equipment is dic-

tated by the type of adhesive used,

and varies from a simple spray can,

to a pistol, air gun or pump device,

to hot-melt application systems.

Inherent in applying adhesives is

the problem of removing adhesive

from a surface for which it wasn’t

intended. One solution to this prob-

lem is to use solvents that are mass-

marketed to the upholstery industry,

although some in the craft have de-

veloped home remedies.

High-grade mineral spirits may

be purchased at any hardware store,

although you should make sure that

it’s mineral spirits and not thinner.

Thinner has oil in it, and that’s not

clean enough for adhesive removal.

Mineral spirits also are useful for

dislodging cotton balls and fluff

that sometimes gets trapped in the

sticky areas.

Obviously, the type of fabric

being upholstered figures into the

home remedy. “The best thing that

I’ve found, especially on leather, is

Coleman’s lantern fuel,” says Mitch

Whiteley of Phoenix Furniture and

Upholstery of Lincoln, Neb. “It nor-

mally doesn’t take any of the dye off.

It works on most fabrics where you

wouldn’t want to use lacquer thin-

ner.” Plus, he adds, it’s inexpensive.

Lantern gas also works for removing

small items that get stuck to an adhe-

sive surface, according to Whiteley.

Bonding agents, like other tools,

must be used responsibly for safe

operation. Although many people

are pushing for more environmen-

tally friendly alternatives, some up-

holsterers doubt that such products

can be developed. “I haven’t seen

anything on the market that’s envi-

ronmentally safe that actually sticks,”

says Whitely.

Some upholsterers working with

traditional adhesives use air-filtering

masks to protect themselves against

inhaling airborne particulates. Michael

Lanowski of UpholsteryShop Oregon

Inc., Portland, Ore., designates spe-

cial spray areas for adhesives use. “In

nice weather, we simply do it outside,”

he says. “We wear masks and goggles,

anything to cover the intake into the

breathing and the eyes. We’ll put up

some plastic to create special areas, and

we do have fans.” Lanowski says that he

has first aid on hand, including oxygen

tanks, in case of an emergency.

Sticky situationsThe most important detail to keep

in mind when choosing an adhesive

is the application for which you need

it. The type of fabric should be con-

sidered, as well as the conditions

to which the end product will be

exposed, such as direct contact with

water or the interior of a car on a

summer day. Safety is also an impor-

tant issue, and as with all tools and

chemicals, it is imperative that each

upholsterer take necessary precau-

tions when applying adhesives.

The chart on page 41 is a reference guide for the various types of adhesives, including their benefits, drawbacks, applications, and environ-mental concerns.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

THE BASICS: UPHOLSTERY

Adhesive Type

Benefi ts Drawbacks ApplicationsEnvironmental

or Safety concerns

Working Properties Equip-ment

Invest-ment

Tack time

Dry pliability

Bond time

Hot melt; Pressure Sensitive

(PSA);Non-PSA,

bulk or stick forms

Fast tack; no volatile organic chemicals

(VOC); non-fl ammable; 100% solids; non-toxic;

bonds a variety of porous and nonporous

materials; products available in stick form

for portability.

Standard hot melts have poor heat and

plasticizer resistance; higher performance hot

melts are expensive; equipment to apply in volume is expensive,

bulky and harderto handle.

PSAs (Pressure Sensitive):

plastic adhesion and foam bonding; Non-PSA bulk or sticks: spot-

tacking.

Potential burn hazard; fuming

may occur, requiring

ventilation.

fast poor fast high

Flammable Solvent base; bulk supplied

for spray application

Fast tack; low cost; provides strong bonds to a variety of fabrics and porous materials, good heat resistance, application equipment

reasonable in price; many formulations

available fromcontact cements

Usually contains VOC and toxic materials;

fl ammable - therefore requires explosion proof

lighting and electrical wiring in spray area.

Foam and fabric bonding

(low tension with soft seams),

High strength contact

cements such as “trim”

adhesives.

Contains VOC that may require EPA reporting; products are

fl ammable and are an explosion

or fi re hazard (undesirable for use in buildings with wood dust).

fast good fast high

Non-Flammable

Solvent base bulk supplied

for spray application

Fast tack; provides strong bonds to a variety

of fabrics and porous materials; often has

good heat resistance; application equipment

reasonable in price; non-fl ammable; needs no special lighting or

electrical wiring in shop.

Higher cost than fl ammable solvent

adhesives; contains VOC ( methylene chloride or n-propyl bromide); requires fume hood to

keep air concentrations TLV/TWA (threshold limit

values/time weighted averages) of VOC below

25 ppm (partsper million).

Foam and fabric bonding,

contact cements such

as “trim” adhesives.

ContainsMethylene

chloride and n-propyl bromide:

serious acute and long term

health hazards; require exposure

monitoring.May require

EPA reportingon VOCs.

mod–erate

goodmod–erate

high

Solvent base aerosol cans or canisters;

(both fl ammable and non-

fl ammable)

Fast tack; provides strong bonds to a variety

of fabrics and porous materials; good heat

resistance; requires no additional equipment,

special lighting or electrical wiring; very

mobile and easily moved throughout the shop.

Higher cost than bulk supplied adhesives; potential fi re hazard

(even products labeled “non-fl ammable”);

contains same toxic materials as bulk supplied solvent

adhesives; needs ventilation, monitoring,

and VOC reportingto the EPA

Foam and fabric bonding,

contact cements such

as “trim” adhesives.

Depending on whether it’s

fl ammable or non-fl ammable, these cans or

canisters have the same health

and safety concerns as

mentioned above.

fast good fast low

Water base;(Wood

and fabric adhesives,

Spray-applied contact

cements)

Provides good bonds to many substrates;

typically has best heat resistance; products can be fed from small containers or sprayed

with economical systems; little toxicity,

non-fl ammable; requires no special lighting or

electrical wiring in shop.

Requires longer working time to assemble

parts (although two component adhesives

can provide instant adhesion); clamp time important in

wood bonding; spray adhesives tend to fl oat in air (fog) in shop (ventilation recommended).

Wood adhesives

(white glue and aliphatic high performance);

fabric adhesives

(fl exible) for fabric and gimp

bonding;sprayable foam and

fabric contact cements.

Fogging particles might need to be controlled

with some type of fume hood

with fi lter, as the adhesive mist is

considereda “nuisance

dust” hazard.

slow good slow low

Adhesive character is t icsCompi led by Gary Groat , bus iness manager, UPACO Foam Fabr icat ion Adhesives Group, R ichmond, Va. ,and Steve Adams, UPACO technical serv ice manager.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo T

Peter Hildebrandt is a freelance writer based in Leesville, S.C.

Throughout the textile supply chain, from distributors

and textile mills, to dyers and finishers, specialty textiles

continue to grow in complexity. Today, more and more

countries and markets have a stake in the treatment and

testing of fabric. As consumers become more aware—and

more demanding—of products, the number of tests re-

quired for textile materials has grown. As a result, the test-

ing industry is increasingly varied, in constant flux, and

full of the unprecedented challenges of globalization.

“Globalization has clearly led to more U.S. companies

selling in Europe, Asia and worldwide,” says Louann

Spirito, director of technical support for SGS, a fabric

testing laboratory and inspection company with labs in

New Jersey, California, China and India. “As a result, these

companies are looking for more testing methods that will

satisfy everyone. They don’t want to have to test to U.S.

standards and then adjust to European standards.”

Test methods, of course, depend primarily on the

fabric’s end-use. Fit and shrinkage, strength, colorfastness

in laundering, flammability, crocking, permeability, solu-

bility, or light conditions all are critical considerations

for textiles. Specific test methods in the United States

are often set by either the AATCC (Association of Textile

Chemists and Colorists) or ASTM (American Society for

Testing & Materials). All fabrics sold in the United States

must meet requirements for various standards, according

to Spirito.

The ISO (International Standards Organization)

sets universal standards, but according to Spirito they

haven’t been tremendously effective. “Most of our U.S.

clients seldom request those ISO methods,” Spirito

says. “Maybe people just aren’t as familiar with them as

the [U.S.] test methods. Some are very similar, translat-

ing almost directly. Others require different conditions

and equipment.”

A quality-assurance program is key, says Spirito; one

that sets up a program with the test methods most suit-

able for the products a company imports. The goods are

tested overseas and inspected for quality before they are

exported to the United States. These tests must be done

early in the process. “You cannot use junky yarn and in-

ferior dye and expect to have a quality product,” Spirito

Fabric testing:

What’s your score?Fabr ic test ing p lays a crucia l ro le in gauging product qual i ty, assur ingregulatory compl iance, and assessing the performance of text i le mater ia ls .

By Peter Hildebrandt


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

says. “The old expression ‘garbage in garbage out’ defi-

nitely applies to this situation.”

Standards and practicesA hot button issue in fabric testing is the use of re-

stricted substances, like formaldehyde, hazodyes, lead,

and heavy metals that may be used in specialty textiles or

in components such as lead in paint on zippers to match

the fabric. Paints containing these harmful substances are

banned in some countries.

Materials referred to as “functional fabrics” also are a grow-

ing trend, according to Spirito; such as fabrics with the ability

to “wick” moisture from the body—called moisture manage-

ment—and anti-bacterial and anti-microbial apparel.

For the most part, all of SGS’ testing methods are stan-

dardized, whether the test is done in New Jersey or Hong

Kong. Everyone uses the same technology, equipment and

methods. “If you don’t have a standardized method, you

have no way of comparing one location to another,” says

Spirito. “We are conscious of making sure everything is

controlled and calibrated. It is also important that testing

is done at different stages of production, too. It’s easy to

test one perfect sample, but in production something

completely different might be done. You must keep test-

ing a product, being certain it’s something representative

of what is actually going to be shipped.”

Luther Myers is a manager with Charlotte, N.C.-based

Textile Innovators, whose parent company is SDL Atlas,

a global textile-testing equipment firm. According to

Meyers, the differences among laboratories have become

increasingly acute. He feels that everyone is looking for

short cuts, even though many of the tests involved are

rather simple. “If you don’t have the fabrics conditioned

properly, if you don’t have the correct weight, or if the

peg wears, you are not going to get a smooth circle,” Mey-

ers says. “We are involved with the washing area because

we supply the test loads that are specified for the wash-

ing machines. All we do is supply a consistent standard

substrate. The hard part for us is maintaining the quality

of the fabric for testing year after year.”

The cloths that Textile Innovators use must have a

pure finish, free from protections, finishes or resins. In

testing there must be only one variable: the cloth that is

being tested.

“We are meticulous in maintaining the quality of that

testing fabric,” says Myers. “Where we have problems is

when our supplying textile mills keep closing down. I pick

up the newspaper and it seems like every other day there

is another plant closing in this country. We have to keep

finding new sources, and the new mills don’t do things

the same as the last mill did, or people don’t understand

what our needs are. This is one of the biggest challenges

we face.

“We also have companies in China that are making the

same testing machines our parent companies are mak-

ing—but for half the price. Yet, they have never gone to

the trouble of having these testers verified.”

One way that Myers suggests agencies such as the

AATCC deal with the problem is to invite individuals from

India or China, for example, to come to this country to

be trained in all the different testing methods. These

people could then go back to their own countries and set

up training centers.

New fabrics, new sources—new tests John Boyle & Co. Inc. manufactures and distributes

a broad category of products under the classification of

industrial textile, including awnings, boat tops, and large

tents. The Statesville, N.C.-based company also carries out

fabric testing for such things as flame retardance, strength

and durability, mildew and UV resistance. Bill White,

vice president of sales and marketing, says the challenges

the industry has had to face have largely come with the

changes associated with a shift from cotton to synthetic

fabrics. “A lot of the tests, historically, have been written

around cotton fabric, which is very heat-resistant,” says

White. “Now we are going into PVC and synthetic fabrics

that have a low melting point. Some of those test methods

are going away from the cotton-type test methods into the

more modern methods.” If untreated, cotton is very flam-

mable, but it has a very high melting temperature (which

is why cotton gloves are good for handling hot items). PVC

melts at 350 degrees, whereas cotton is still good up to five

What they’re testing for:The following list is a snapshot of some of the

numerous tests performed on specialty fabrics.

• Acidity

• Air, oil and water

permeability

• Alkalinity

• Appearance retention

in laundry

• Biocompatibility

• Colorfastness

• Denier/count

• Dimensional changes

• Dyeing analysis

• Elastic recovery

• Fabric construction

• Fabric elongation

at break

• Fabric count

• Fabric construction

• Fabric weight

• Fabric thickness

• Flammability

• Horizontal rate of

flame spread

• Hydrostatic pressure

• Insoluble matter

• Lightfastness

• Moisture content

• Material thickness

• Number of filaments

• Oil repellency

• Oily stain release

• Solubility

• Thermal qualities

• Water repellency

• Water resistance

Source: Contract Laboratory.com

A quality-assurance program is key; one that sets up a program with the test methods most suitable for the products a company imports.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

or six hundred degrees; cotton chars

before it melts.

“But those issues are being ad-

dressed,” says White. “UL-214 is

being considered by California State.

NAFDA realizes that small-scale test

methods are not appropriate for

PVC-coated fabrics. The old tests

involved charring, so if the product

melts away it would give you a high

char length and a cotton-type fabric

would not melt away.”

White says when goods are im-

ported problems arise in getting the

supplier to understand U.S. testing

methods. “Quite often we have to

have those tests run domestically in

this country,” says White. “It is con-

venient for us because we do have a

laboratory in our company and can

run those tests on a regular basis.”Another problem that White sees

with moving fabric around the world is that some fabrics coming into this country contain such things as heavy metals that are banned in the United States. The fear is that those

substances will escape into the water system during disposal, washing and cleaning. “There are a lot of heavy metals and things that are prohib-ited in the manufacturing and sell-ing of products here,” says White. “The real challenge for some of the fabric manufacturers abroad is that they need to understand that some of those ingredients must be taken out for the fabrics to be used in this

country. It’s also a problem for the people importing the fabric to be sure heavy metals do not exist in the products they are bringing in and selling, because they are responsible for the consequences.”

How reliable is testing data? Taber Industries, North Tonawa-

nda, N.Y., manufactures an instrument

known as the Taber® Rotary Platform

Abraser, used in the evaluation of abra-

sion resistance in fabrics. It is used in

a number of industries, including tex-

tiles. The auto industry has used the

Taber Abraser to evaluate seat mate-

rial, the nonwovens used in headlin-

ers, luggage compartments, carpeting

and trim material. It also has been

used for evaluating safety components

in fire suits, rubber-coated textiles,

corduroy materials, leather shoes and

many other materials.

Existing test methods that tend

to be internationally known (such as

those from ASTM and ISO] are used

to call out what the load is, what the

number of cycles performed should

be, how to hold the specimen in

place, and the type of abrasive wheel

that should be used.

“When you perform some of the

abrasion testing on materials, it be-

comes a visual test for wear resis-

tance,” says Alan Jaenecke, product

marketing manager with Taber In-

dustries. “There are so many differ-

ent construction issues that come

into play that we find that there are

differences between laboratories if

the materials being tested are not

treated the same way.”

Though technicians are gener-

ating test data, the real question is

whether that data is valid or meaning-

ful because of the language barrier.

During a recent trip to China, Taber

found that a lot of the operators did

not speak English. Therefore, though

they have the instrument, they did

not know how to operate it. “They

The Taber® Abraser 5155. The Taber Abraser, first introduced in the 1930s, was developed to perform accelerated wear testing.

FABRIC TESTING

Though technicians are generating test data, the real question is whether that data is valid or meaningful because of the language barrier.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

FABRIC TESTING

are not reading the owners’ manu-

als; not finding how to follow the

test methods,” says Jaenecke. “It was

an eye-opener because the customer

we visited gave us a copy of the test

method they were following. When

we compared it to how they were

conducting the test, we found they

were not following the directions

properly. This dilemma is going to

be one of the biggest issues facing

the industry as more people look

to outsource manufacturing in the

lower-wage countries.”

Quality and responsibilityWhen it comes to fabric testing,

you must be able to simulate how

long that material will last before

it wears out. A common procedure

is to establish a benchmark test in

order to ensure that fabrics that

may all look the same are in fact of

the same quality. This factor is es-

pecially important in working with

the auto industries in construction

of automobile upholstery. They

deal with many different fabrics that

may appear to be of the same qual-

ity yet are different, and the only

way to identify these differences is

through testing.

“We provide a tool that is primar-

ily there as a resource to verify a war-

ranty issue,” says Jaenecke. “Before

a mill releases a fabric, they’ll have

conducted the testing to insure that

it is up to their quality standards. If

somebody is not following the test

properly and they release a bolt of

material or production run that’s

substandard, the company that is

manufacturing it is responsible for

any warranty claims against its end-

use application.”

If testing has been done improp-

erly, problems may not arise until a

year after the product has been in

use. “We recommend that the per-

son who is subcontracting or buying

material from China validate the test

results through an independent test

lab,” says Jaenecke. “This way they can

confirm that the results are meaning-

ful and have a control. A lot of the

suppliers do not understand what

the test is that is being conducted

and they may not necessarily send

the right people to China. A quality

manager would be the ideal person

to go over, but typically a manager,

salesperson or an operations man-

ager is sent. In this case, that person

may simply ask the supplier if they

have conducted the test, the person

answers ‘yes,’ and that’s where things

stop. They should be pressed to show

how they arrived at the data.”

According to Jaenecke, 75 per-

cent of Taber Industries’ customers

in China were not conducting their

tests properly. “It may have been that

just this small group that we visited

were doing the test wrong,” says

Jaenecke. “But they did not under-

stand the proper setup for the instru-

ment. They were generating data but

it was worthless.”

To offer feedback or comment on this article, please contact Galynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor, at+1 651 225 6928, e-mail [email protected].

Turn to page 74 to contact the sources interviewed for this article.


O

Sail of the

centuryModern synthet ics match the need forstrength, speed and stretch-resistance on the water and in the wind.

by Jamie Swedberg

Once upon a time, sails were made of canvas.

We still talk about boat canvas, in much the same way

that we describe music MP3s as “records” and digital

mobile phones as “cell phones.” But the word is a relic.

Right after World War II, sailmakers started to adopt

synthetics such as nylon and polyester. And they’ve never

looked back.

These days, even historic tall ships, with their billow-

ing white “canvas” sails, are not what they seem.

“We do a spun polyester for vintage-type ships,” says

Hal Bates, marketing manager at Glen Raven Technical

Fabrics, Glen Raven, N.C. “They don’t put the cotton

sails on them anymore, because cotton doesn’t dry when

you roll it up, and it stretches. It is something that looks

like cotton, instead.”

What, then, constitutes the per fect modern sail

fabric? That depends partly on the kind of sail you’re

talking about.

Shaped by the windSailboat regattas are colorful, like flocks of exotic

birds. But the sails you’re seeing, emblazoned with pho-

tos, logos and other art, are generally not the mainsails.

They’re large, rounded sails called spinnakers.

Sailboats usually use a spinnaker when they’re sailing

downwind in steady, unidirectional winds. Spinnakers

add speed and steadiness, but they’re only for pulling

and lifting and are limited in their use; in cross winds,

gusty gales, or light winds, they’re more trouble than

they’re worth.

Modern spinnakers are generally made of lightweight

nylon ripstop weighing between ½ and 3 ounces per

square yard.

The mainsail is the workhorse—the only sail that is

flown at all times on most boats. It must be light enough

to be sensitive in light winds, yet it must resist stretch-

ing under extreme wind loads so that it can maintain an

airfoil shape.

The headsail is a smaller sail that contributes most of

the forward motion when the boat is sailing in a wind-

ward direction. It also must be light and low-stretch.

Both mainsails and headsails are most commonly made

of woven polyester or some kind of laminate.

Jamie Swedberg is a Georgia-based freelance writer.

“Evolution” was the winning boat at the 2005 Farr 40 World Cham-pionship Regatta in Sydney, Australia. Bainbridge AIRX fabric was used to make the spinnaker. Different types of sails demand different performance qualities, different fabrics, and different construction.

Bainbridge International Inc.

ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Even within the same general type of fabric, there are

variations for different types of sails. “We carry hundreds

of different sailcloths, and often make and stock con-

structions of which we sell only a few hundred yards a

year, since we are committed to having every woven that

“Windsurfing materials are typi-

cally very balanced,” McGill says.

“Many windsurfing sails are made

out of just straight monofilm, say a

5-mil polyester film. We introduced

a product a dozen years ago or so

where we put a very loose scrim in

the middle to act as somewhat of a

ripstop. You get a little bit of extra

durability because you have two films

glued together instead of a single

film. It tends to be at the upper end

of the windsurfing market.”

But there’s more: Sails are not uni-

form panels of fabric; they can be

sewn in a variety of ways in order to

distribute stress. Spinnakers, for ex-

ample, are attached only at the three

corners, so they are usually made

using tri-radial construction. In this

construction, the stress radiates along

the seams toward the corners, mini-

mizing stretch. Radial panels are cut

from fabrics that are strongest in the

warp direction, such as laminates.

Some sa i l s are sewn us ing a

combination of radial-cut and cross-

cut panels. They’ll tend to use two

types of fabric—one type that is

strongest in the warp direction, and one that is strongest

in the fill direction.

Some new types of racing mainsails have evolved in the

last five years. Instead of using sewn panel technology, sail-

There are a lot of different kinds of sailors: cruisers, racers, windsurfers. All of them are looking for a fabric that’s light, stretch-resistant, and cheap. But you can’t have all three.

Windsurfing sails undergo a lot of sudden stresses and present a completely different set of fabric requirements.

Dim

ensi

on-P

olya

nt S

ailc

loth

Inc.

a sailmaker could want,” says Bob Bainbridge, president

of Challenge Sailcloth Inc., Vernon, Conn. “We make a

different fabric for each shape of sail. A short, fat “low

aspect” sail has different loads than a tall, skinny “high

aspect” sail. So we make a different fabric for each, and

in fact, some in-between, too.”

Windsurfing sails are in a category of their own.

“A lot of the engineering and the concepts behind a

windsurfing sail are completely different than a yacht

sail,” says David McGill, who works industrial sales at

Dimension-Polyant Inc., Putnam, Conn. “First of all, it’s

a completely un-stayed mast. Basically, the sail itself is a

freestanding wing. A lot of the loads on a windsurfing

sail are unique to that kind of wing structure.”

Load can shift suddenly from the bottom corner to the

back corner, he says, causing extremely high momentary

stresses. So a laminate, which is strongest in the warp

direction, is ill-suited to the application.

The perfect mainsail usually lies somewhere within what Dimension-Polyant’s David McGill calls the “design triangle” of weight, stretch resistance, and price.

Dimension Polyant Sailcloth Inc.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

makers produce one-piece membranes

with adhesives and reinforced corners.

But these sails remain in the minority,

because they are relatively costly.

The design triangleThe choice of sailcloth also de-

pends on the characteristics the cus-

tomer is looking for. There are a lot

of different kinds of sailors: cruis-

ers, racers, windsurfers. All of them

are looking for a fabric that’s light,

stretch-resistant, and cheap. But you

can’t have all three. And depending

on a sailor’s individual needs, one of

those three requirements is likely to

outweigh the others.

The perfect mainsail usually lies

somewhere within what McGill calls

the “design triangle” of weight,

stretch resistance, and price. It’s a

matter of give and take, of compro-

mise. Tear strength is important, too,

he says. But that’s not as big a deal

SAIL OF THE CENTURY

as you’d imagine, and it’s not what

sailors ask for.

“In most cases, by the time you’ve

got sufficient stretch resistance,

you’ve got plenty of strength,” he

explains. “Although sails do occa-

sionally rip or break, usually when a

sail is retired, it’s retired because it

has lost its shape, not because it is in

two pieces.”

Low stretch is a priority on a day-

to-day basis, too. Sailmakers have

the same goal no matter what kind

of working sail they’re making: They

want the sail to act as a vertical airfoil

or wing. The faster the boat goes, the

flatter that wing should become. But

the force of the wind is constantly

working against that goal, trying to

bow the sail out.

“The vast, vast majority [of sail-

cloth] is still just woven polyester,”

McGill says. “If you are just looking

for long-term durability and service-

At a certain size, perhaps a 30- or 40-foot boat, the weight of a polyester sail starts to outstrip the sail’s stretch resistance. At that point, a hybrid laminated sail is desirable.

Dimension-Polyant Sailcloth Inc.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

ability, woven polyester is probably

the best. Within that group you have

various gradations in terms of per-

formance—tighter weaves, maybe

one or two more finishing steps.

The next step up is usually some

kind of laminate.”

Within woven polyesters, there

are lower and higher tenacity yarns,

corresponding to lower and higher

stretch resistance. There are also

variations in weave.

Challenge Sailcloth makes more

than four grades of levels of sailcloths,

with duplicate weights in each grade;

so they often have three fabrics that

could be used in the same sail. “The

reason is to offer something for each

type of sailor,” says Bob Bainbridge.

“Four sailors could own the same

type of boat. The first might be a

serious racer; another might be a

serious cruiser who circumnavigates

the world; the third might be an oc-

casional racer and cruiser; and yet

another might go for an occasional

afternoon or evening social sail with

friends.” The racer would want the

firmest, highest performance, low-

est stretch “bulletproof” fabric; the

world cruiser would want high perfor-

mance and the most durable fabric

that money could buy. The occasional

sailor might need a combination of

durability and performance, but not

want to pay top dollar. And the social

sailor might prefer the least expen-

sive fabric for his infrequent activities

on the water.

“We do a lot with your America’s

Cup-type sailboats,” says Glen Ra-

ven’s Hal Bates. “We’ve got some

highly specialized looms that really

make it a tight, strong fabric. By

weaving very densely, you can help

avoid the problem of stretch.”

Racing boats often use resin-

coated fabrics, which are very stiff

and resistant to stretch in all direc-

tions. But they are a poor choice for

cruising sailors because their coating

is easily damaged in day-to-day han-

dling. They also require much more

skill to sail with.

Finally, the size of the boat can

make a difference in sailcloth choice.

At a certain size—perhaps a 30- or

40-foot boat—the weight of a poly-

ester sail starts to outstrip the sail’s

stretch resistance. At that point, a

hybrid laminated sail is desirable. A


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

SAIL OF THE CENTURY

Kevlar® or Spectra® scrim adds cost

and weight, but it can make a big

difference in dimensional stability.

Grand Prix-level boats, such as those

used in the America’s Cup, often use

sails made of a blend of Kevlar and

carbon fibers.

The three biggest enemies of sail-

cloth are moisture, ultraviolet radia-

tion, and physical wear. For the first

two, it’s possible to apply coatings

that can protect the fibers within.

“Nylon, especially, is really suscep-

tible to the environmental conditions

because it really sucks up moisture,”

says Rich McGhee, director of the

sailcloth division of Bainbridge Intl.,

Canton, Mass. “We do all kinds of ex-

otic coatings on it to minimize this.”

For physical wear and tear, it’s

the inherent durability of the fibers

that counts.

“That’s where you go to selecting

which material is going to be the

best,” McGill says. “And that’s where

you have a tradeoff. Carbon fibers or

Kevlar are not as good in flex as, say,

a polyester. But of course, they’re

much stiffer and they are not going

to stretch as much. That’s where

you are going to have to choose

which fiber is going to be the best

for you.”

Sails and marketingOne aspect of sailcloth that has

become increasingly important in

recent years is its appearance. Sails,

by their very nature, are like mobile

signs on a grand scale. They are ex-

ceedingly attractive to advertisers for

that reason. Sponsorship is a major

component of competitive sailing.

In the past, logos, ads, and art

were silkscreened onto the fabric; in

fact, silkscreening is still widely used

on windsurfing sails. But today, most

images are digitally printed onto

sails, using the same large-format

printers that are used by the bill-

board industry.

Almost any kind of sailcloth can

be digitally printed. The exceptions

are certain high-tech materials such

as ultrahigh molecular weight poly-

ethylene, which are occasionally

used because of their low stretch. But

these are generally sandwiched in the

middle of laminates or constitute a

minority of the fibers in the fabric.

To a certain extent, Bates says, sales

of sailcloth are tied directly to con-

sumer confidence. When the econ-

omy is growing and people have dis-

posable cash, the business thrives.

“Right now the stronger market is

the really big boats and the higher-

end materials,” McGhee says. “The

average price of a sailboat sold at a

boat show is pretty high. The lower-

end market is a little unstable.”

With all the advances in materials,

you’d think sails would last longer

than they used to, and that demand

for replacement sails would have

dropped. But sailcloth makers agree

that that’s not the case. It goes back

to McGill’s “design triangle”: Some

buyers are looking for durability, but

many have other priorities.

“If someone’s competing for an

America’s Cup, they have a certain

budget that they’re going to spend,”

he explains. “If they can get an extra

bit of performance by saving some

weight, but the sail doesn’t last that

long, that’s not a big deal.”

“It depends on the application,

and on what type of material is se-

lected for that application,” says

Glen Raven’s specialized looms can create a very tight, strong fabric to cut down on stretch-ing in sails, a prime performance requirement.

Glen Raven Technical Fabrics


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

McGhee. “You can’t say ‘Overall sails

last longer,’ because there’s a whole

end of the market where longevity

is not a huge issue. Everyone wants

sails to last a long time, but they know

there are tradeoffs.”

Typical polyester sails—the ones

built more for durability than for

speed—tend to last about seven or

eight years, he says, depending on

how well they’re maintained.

Outside the boatBecause sailcloth is so specialized,

it is not often used for nonsailing ap-

plications. But manufacturers some-

times find that their equipment is

useful for making other small-niche

custom materials.

“Part of what we do here is make

laminates that are based on the same

equipment and manufacturing tech-

niques that we use to make sailcloth,”

says McGill. “For example, we make

some materials for drums for march-

ing bands. We have a customer who

uses our fabrics for photographic

lighting equipment. What we try

to do is find a product that we can

produce on the same equipment for

other end uses.”

Bainbridge, too, produces sailcloth-

like woven materials for other uses.

McGhee says some woven materials

are sold for pool cover bindings; other

ripstops are sold to makers of kites

and advertising inflatables.

To some extent the sailcloth market

is susceptible to fashion trends. Like

skateboarding and snowboarding, it

is dominated by celebrities who have

a lot of advertising clout. The hot sail-

cloth is often determined by who’s

using what at a given time.

But in the long run, sailing fabrics

will likely continue to be a small, self-

contained market, served by a few se-

lect companies. Sailcloth makers may

race against each other to innovate

and capture segments of the market.

But unless someone invents a sail-

powered commuter vehicle that’s safe

on America’s highways, the winds will

probably remain light but steady.

To offer feedback or comment on this article, please contact Galynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor, at +1 651 225 6928, e-mail [email protected].

Turn to page 74 for contact information on the sources used in this article.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

away from other structures—unless,” he laughs, “it can be

right up against another structure, if it doesn’t impede the

exit. Before, that meant an awning over the back door.

Now to comply,” Etzel says, “it might have to go in the

parking lot.”

But not—eureka!—if it’s smaller. Etzel notes, with some

irony, “According to the IFC, a 10 by 20-foot tent doesn’t

require a permit, unless (back to Catch 22) the structure

is for ‘public assembly’ of more than ten people; in which

case, a permit is needed. And if it’s a permitted tent, it

must have a ‘No Smoking’ sign.” Go figure.

Managing the mazeThere are ways to win at this game, however. Some states

do allow a freestanding structure up against a building.

HHamlet had it easy. He could puff away wherever

he wanted while pondering his eternal question.

For today’s tent and structure manufacturers, the

question becomes, “To pitch or not to pitch?” What

and where is the market now for outdoor smoking

shelters, and what do you need to do to capture it?

First, what about those public smoking bans

being enacted by cities, states and entire nations: Is

this a trend that’s gaining ground, or a passing fad?

According to Cynthia Hallett, executive director of

Americans for Nonsmoking Rights (check www.anr.

com for your city’s and state’s status), the concept

is “definitely gaining momentum in legislatures.

It’s still a grassroots movement, but more and more

legislators are receptive to it.”

Bans have been enacted in 12 states (with trend-

setting New York and California leading the way)

and countless municipalities. Hallett counts five

Canadian provinces on board, too, along with na-

tions from Norway to New Zealand. Developing

nations are joining that number, too. “Thailand

and Uruguay have signed on for 2006. And in 2006,

the entire Westin hotel chain will go smoke-free,

including balconies,” Hallett reports. Nonethe-

less, she notes, smoking remains popular in many

areas both socio-economic and geographic, and public

facilities can’t afford to ignore these customers, clients,

employees and visitors.

Sounds promising for makers of smoking shelters—if their

clients do their homework. Spencer Etzel, CEO of the SEC

Group in Wilsonville, Ore., notes wryly of his home base,

“Washington State now requires that tents be 25 feet away

from a building”—meaning, perhaps, that a bar’s customers

are expected to huddle in the midst of traffic in the Alice-in-

Wonderland world of smoking regulations.

“Typically, the International Fire Code (IFC), adopted

by 44 states, says that a tent larger than 200 square feet

requires a permit and generally must be located 20 feet

For a Hustler Casino in Los Angeles, Calif., Eide Industries built a state-of-the-art smoking refuge, with glass enclosed sides and eight diamond-shaped fabric panels, attached to a steel-framed roof portal, that open and close with a hydraulic drive.

Where there’s smoke …

there’s opportuni ty

Carla Waldemar is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer.

In an increasingly foggy expanse of ant i -smoking regulat ions and quirky bui ld ing codes, s teer ing for the smoking shel ters marketrequires considerable navigat ion.

By Car la Waldemar

Eide Industries


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

And it can be attached permanently if it qualifies in their

terms as an awning (6-8 feet wide). Clients also can get

temporary permits for use 180 days in a 12-month period.

If the structure is used by an office building that’s open

only five days a week, or seasonally, such as at a state fair,

the number of days extends accordingly.

“Otherwise,” Etzel suggests with another hint of irony,

“If you’re [operating] like a casino in Las Vegas, you take

it down, move it across the street to another property you

own, and then move it back.”

IFC’s Chapter 24 (a.k.a. the “bible”), says that a canopy

without sides can be larger—up to 700 square feet, or

(go figure again) up to 10,000 square feet if it’s next to

a building but doesn’t impede anything. Generally, it

cannot be in excess of 200 square feet if it has sides, or

400 square feet as a canopy. (Remember, however: more

than 200 square feet, and you’ve got to post “No Smok-

ing” signs.) Supports must “provide substantial evidence

of withstanding the elements,” Etzel quotes IFC’s ruling.

And, of course, the material must be flame-resistant.

IFC’s rules can be amended by any entity, he says, and

many do, creating “quirky plans. The code is very general

in language, very nebulous, and is interpreted differ-

ently by different inspectors, to add to the hurdles.” And

many codes and regulations use the terms “awning” and

“canopy” somewhat loosely; see “By any other

name …” on page 16 of the January Review for

a list of industry terms put together by IFAI’s

Code Committee.

But you don’t have to be stuck forever in

Wonderland. To win at the game, Etzel advises,

“Build a tent of 200 square feet or less for ten

people, and you won’t need a permit.”

Location, location, confusionPeter Joy, Warner Shelter Systems Ltd. in

Calgary, Alberta, agrees that Canada is moving

in the direction of smoking bans. “But the real issue,” he

contends, “is the building code requirements, which can

kick in at 300 square feet, or longer than three days’ use,

so builders have to work with existing codes. Check with

local jurisdictions to see what’s accepted,” he counsels.

“Here, in Calgary, it’s 33 meters away from the building,

and it cannot obstruct a neighboring building.

“You’ll need permits,” he adds, offering a heads-up.

“It’s not just a matter of a little shack in front of a build-

ing for employees; there are so many bylaws, like having

snow loading up to code. And in Alberta, you need a tent

with a door, not just three sides. When it comes to loca-

tion, an owner may have to choose if he wants to

sacrifice the beautiful trees on his patio. He also

has to weigh how many of his clientele smoke: Will

he lose or gain [money] by this?”

Scott Sutherland, Tacoma Tent and Awning Co.

Inc., Tacoma, Wash., notes that “the big problem

is, where do you put it? Industrial sites of 20 acres

can scatter shelters around, but restaurants usually

have nowhere to put them because of the [Wash-

ington] 25-foot ban—unless it’s in a parking lot, and then

you sacrifice space. To a bar owner, we say, put benches

and a heat lamp outside and stock umbrellas! (“Sure,”

he adds, “they can buy a pop-up shelter from Costco for

$100, but it won’t withstand windstorms or snow load.”)

Instead, we’re focusing on more business with commercial

properties than with bars.

“The more interesting trend is toward stricter enforce-

ment of codes, which has generated discussion about

the viability of tents and awnings,” says Sutherland. “In

the past, they were inexpensive; but with stricter codes, a

$1,000 awning often requires another $1,000 of engineer-

ing. And with the new International Building Code (IBC)

‘We want a soft, user-friendly, warmenvironment, so we use fabric—which is also less costly than solid metal and looks more warm and inviting.’

—Joe Belli, Eide Industries


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

haven’t heard of that.” Unhampered

by that rule, “We design in character

with the main structure—something

aesthetically pleasing, especially for

high-end establishments, using fab-

rics that create a nice look. You can

buy a 10 by 10 from Home Depot, but

we try designing with some fanciness.

A club may want it designed stylishly,

like a gazebo.”

Making the cut“All fabrics work,” Burak contends.

“Vinyl outlives the others,” but that

advantage fades for a restaurateur,

“who shouldn’t have the same look

for ten years, anyway. You need to

remodel as styles change. Vinyl,” he

notes, “is easy to clean, especially

dark blue or green, which won’t show

dirt. Odor is not a problem outside,

because the shelters are ventilated by

modified screens.

“For framing, we feel steel and

aluminum are interchangeable [in

budgeting] because it’s the labor

that costs. The difference is in what

they’re intended for: sun or wind and

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE. . .

replacing the Universal Building Code

(UBC), we’re hearing that it gives

much broader guidance for inspectors

to ask for things they didn’t use to; it’s

caused them to examine our product

more closely. For most clients, it cre-

ates a bigger challenge.

“We’re still seeing cost-effective

alternatives to permanent structures,

but the gap is closing,” he points out.

“We’re seeing less fabric and vinyl

and more metal because they now

cost about the same.

“My sister company, Olympia,

sells a vinyl structure with aluminum

framework they can call ‘temporary’,

but if that becomes a permanent

shelter, then we’re talking about

footings, $450 footings, for each leg

of a steel frame.”

From Bayonne, N.J . , Edward

Burak, president of Hudson Awning

& Sign Co. Inc., offers an East Coast

perspective: “Smoking shelters are

a big trend now in restaurants and

bars in New York.” Ask him about

the 25-feet-from-building stipulation

in some regions, and he answers, “I

Regulations for smoking shelters vary widely, not only from region to region but for different types of facilities. Tacoma Tent & Awning is focusing more on commercial properties rather than bars and restaurants, due to Washington’s requirement that tents be 25 feet away from a building.

Tacoma Tent & Awning Co. Inc.

snow. You’ve got to engineer those

safety factors in.”

Warner Shelter Systems’ Joy swears

by vinyl-coated polyester. “We have a

30-year history of confidence in it.

To clean it, just use a mild detergent,

never a pressure wash. For framing,

either aluminum or steel, depending

on the size. Steel is a little more rigid,

which provides longer use; but,” he

finds, “it’s priced through the roof.

“The important thing is to make

sure a tent is built to meet different

requirements for different regions.

For instance, the snow load in Salt

Lake City [Utah] is different from

in Park City, just a few miles away. A

supplier needs to make suggestions as

to the depth or spacing of trusses to

withstand a snow load. Also, consider

the level of risk a client wants to take.

As a responsible supplier, let them

know in Florida to take high winds

into consideration.”

Sophisticated solutionsIf you’re building a smoking refuge

for Larry Flynt, it’d better be over the

top (and, in this case, under it, too).

For a Hustler Casino in Gardena City

in the middle of Los Angeles, “We

did something extremely sophisti-

cated,” attests Joe Belli, vice-president

of marketing for Eide Industries in

Cerritos, Calif.: “The most sophisti-

cated smoking room,” he amends in

Hustler-speak. “Of course, we had to

comply with ‘outside’ regs,” but in

an iconoclastic manner. “We built a

building 150 by 150 feet in the center

of the casino with a 45-foot diameter

‘doughnut hole’ wide-open roof. It’s

glass-enclosed on the sides so the ca-

sino can be viewed, but uses a very

sophisticated hydraulic drive to open

and close eight diamond-shaped fab-

ric panels attached to a huge portal

steel frame in the roof so the fabric

won’t bunch up. You push a button to

open the roof if it’s sunny or close it

when it rains—a real far-fetched idea

that fits Hustler,” he laughs.

Back in the real world, Eide de-

signs canopies with sidewalls, either

freestanding or attached to buildings.

“The number-one consideration in de-

signing them is, what is the snow load?

We want a soft, user-friendly, warm

environment, so we use fabric—which

also is less costly than solid metal and

looks more warm and inviting.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

provide papers to confirm what they

are sending.”

“The International Fire Code

(IFC) is accepted by 44 states,”

says Etzel, but “California’s not play-

ing the game. It’s still on Title 19

for temporary tents (the old UBC

code); therefore, it’s a lot harder

to do tents in California, where so

many cities have adopted different

variances to it. Any entity can add

amendments on the IFC code, and

many of them do.”

Amenities appealWhen it comes to adding ameni-

ties like heat, light, and dancing girls

(well, maybe not), tent providers can

include whatever extras a client’s

heart desires and budget fosters, and

will design accordingly. “If you tell

us ahead of time, we can build an

adequate frame to support misters,

televisions, lights, sprinklers, what-

ever,” says Belli. “For heating, you

need exterior-grade ceiling beams.

Freestanding space heaters work well,

if you pay attention to how far they’re

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE. . .

“Number two, we employ some kind

of traversing, a rolling top curtain to

open and close, plus clear or mesh-

type windows with fabric side curtains,

insuring they’re pretty tight and sta-

tionary. For framing, it’s aluminum or

steel, depending on the strength and

budget requirements.

“In choosing fabric for ventilation,

we like mesh or woven. If it needs to

be waterproof, then vinyl. We join

the vinyl widths together by melting;

while with woven, you sew it together,

which creates perforations, which

may leak. (Vinyl mesh also allows

some water through,” says Belli.)

“From a cleaning standpoint, the

most forgiving material is vinyl. It’s

relatively easy to hose off, or use a

scrub brush. It’s best to use clean-

ing companies that have experience

and use the correct chemicals; if not,

you’re dead,” he cautions.

Where there’s fire … Most important: a fabric must be

fire-retardant—not fireproof, Belli

qualifies: “For that, we use PTFE

Teflon® -coated fiberglass, which

meets the flameproof requirements

of a Class A roof. For flame-retar-

dant structures, we use a number of

fabrics—Main Street™, Pyrotone®,

Starfire®—all woven, or vinyls like

Weblon®, Patio 500® and the new

Ferrari 502 from France. For mesh,

it’s Awntex®, Textilene® and Soltis®.

Most carry 5-to-8-year warranties from

the fabric maker, but the flameproof

PTFE, which costs four or five times

more, carries a 15-year warranty (and

I’ve seen it last 30 years,” he adds).

“All our tents are easy to install be-

cause we prefabricate them, then dis-

mantle them and ship them.”

“We adhere to the California fire

marshal code because it’s the tough-

est,” explains Burak. “The materials

come to us tested by the manufactur-

ers, with a very specific certificate at-

tached. We sell fabric internationally,

but each country’s requirements are

different.”

In Canada, Joy says, “Canadian lab-

oratories do the flame-testing; each

manufacturer has its own, and should


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

positioned from the fabric and they

don’t send radiant heat in the direc-

tion of the fabric. For lighting, exte-

rior-grade fluorescent fixtures pro-

vide relatively low heat. Spotlights can

be attached to the frame if they’re far

enough away from the fabric.”

Etzel agrees that heating the tent

is a piece of cake. “You can use typi-

cal approved tent heaters to comply

with code requirements—radiant

heat, too, if it’s spaced the required

number of feet from the ceiling.

And,” he adds, “you must have a por-

table fire extinguisher.”

“Everything has a cost to it,” adds

Joy. “For larger structures, we suggest

space heaters or propane.” However,

“a heater is a pretty chancy thing,”

warns Burak. “You now need ap-

proval. An upright propane heater

works in a temporary tent, which can

be mounted without contact with the

roof for safety. We have engineers in-

house [to design and specify], which

saves money.”

A healthy businessIf Elvis showed up and wanted a

smoke, chances are … he’d have to

leave the building. As public health

concerns intensify and smoking bans

expand, so do sales opportunities,

according to Belli. “Opportunities

are growing, and we in the tent and

canopy industry can accelerate that

growth by marketing to potential

customers. California is leading

the way—so maniacal about saving

everybody!—and it’s number-one

in population, followed by Texas

and Florida, so that’s where the real

growth is.”

Who’s buying? “Believe it or not,

even people at the residential level,”

he attests. “We also recently did a

high-rise office in downtown L.A.,

out of fireproof fabric. It took four

months and $27,000 to get the engi-

neering permits—one fourth of the

total cost—so it’s not for every small

mom-and-pop. Yet,” he adds, “if you

build a $10,000 cabana, you’ll probably

recoup that amount in business.”


Turn to page 74 for contact information on the sources interviewed for this article.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

I

TENTNET:a smartersupply chainGett ing through the procurementgateway wi th the Tent Network for Technology Implementat ion.

By Dennis Dudek

Mr. Dennis Dudek is currently Director of Supplier Operations for the Clothing and Textile Supply Chain at the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) .

“It takes all the running you can do just to stay in the same

place. If you want to move ahead, you must at least run twice

as fast as that.” So advised the Red Queen in “Alice Through

the Looking Glass.”

I first saw this quote used in a Bobbin Magazine article

published in June, 1992. It has always stuck with me, for a

very simple reason—it has been just as true each year since

then as it was when I originally read it. At a recent seminar I

attended, a Penn State professor offered a similar sentiment,

stating that if you are just now recognizing change, it has

already passed you by.

Both statements highlight the fact that the last ten to twenty

years have seen practices in the business world accelerate at

dizzying speeds. To keep up, you must evolve. One of the

means by which the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia

(DSCP) stays ahead of the power curve is through a collabora-

tive effort called TENTNET: a program designed to improve

purchasing and supply timelines for military tents.

Best Value BuyingThe DSCP Clothing and Textiles Supply Chain is respon-

sible for buying many of the apparel and textile items used by

the Department of Defense worldwide. With a budget of more

than $2.1 billion, the DSCP ensures that U.S. service men and

women are outfitted with all of the clothing and equipment

items needed to perform their missions.

The vast majority of buying performed at DSCP is through

a method called Best Value Buying. As the name implies, the

basic idea is to buy the product that provides the best value

to the government. Under the Best Value procedures, a new

procurement has a synopsis posted on the government Web

site FedBizOpps (http://fedbizopps.cos.com). The Request

for Proposals (RFP) is subsequently posted on another gov-

ernment site called Procurement Gateway (https://progate.

daps.dla.mil/home) for interested supplier businesses to

download. The responding firms would typically provide a

product sample, a technical proposal, and a pricing proposal

as part of their submittal.

The product sample, which we call a PDM (Product Demon-

stration Model), is nothing more than the actual product that

the firm would produce under any resultant contract. Typically,

the PDM is held as an approved manufacturing guide should the

firm receive the award. The Technical Proposal is a document

that addresses the firm’s ability to perform the proposed work,

comprised of a quality assurance plan, a production plan, and a

technical capability assessment. For mobilization items, we also

include surge clauses and evaluate the applicant’s surge plan as

part of their technical proposal. The Pricing Proposal completes

The TENTNET program brings together partners from industry, educa-tion, research and the government to get tents and shelters into the field faster.

Defense Supply Center Philadelphia


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

the package and provides the per-unit price for the

work. All of the responses received are then evaluated

against the criteria described in the RFP. Technical

factors are considered separately; as technical factors

become more equal, price becomes more important.

This highlights a critical point: The government is no

longer seeking just the lowest price. In fact, Best Value

buying allows the DSCP to pay more for an item to a

firm that can best satisfy the needs of the government.

Stated another way, it places contracts in the hands of

vendors that are found to have the highest probability

of success in fulfilling the contract.

Future tentsDSCP has done a tremendous amount of busi-

ness in tent and tent support items over the years.

However, with the advent of Operation Enduring Freedom

(OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the business

has grown substantially. The following table illustrates this

growth in business in terms of money spent on contracts per

fiscal year.

FY02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05

$76M $103M $182M $192M

Even with this increased business production, it has not

been enough to meet the needs of the U.S. military and the

requirement to ramp up immediately. Backorders occurred,

which impaired our ability to meet supply needs.

In mid-2005, an Industrial Base Study performed by the

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) concluded that the entire

logistical system needs to be improved to provide the kind of

rapid support to the U.S. Armed Services that’s needed for

the continuing conflicts in the Middle East. One immediate

outcome of the study was to apply more dollars on contract in

FY05 to avoid having the backorders continue to increase in

FY06. More important, however, was the initiation of a com-

plete rethinking of how we need to design, build, store, and

distribute tentage items in the future. Enter the new program

called TENTNET.

TENTNETThe Industrial Base Study recommended undertaking

some research and development efforts to determine where improvements could be found. The task was given to the DLA group that has been responsible for many innovations in the government business of clothing and textiles. They leveraged another ongoing program in the food industry to develop TENTNET (Tent Network for Technology Implementation). The program will be a collaborative effort among industry, academia, and the government.

The purpose of TENTNET is to make significant improve-ments in the surge capabilities of military tentage products and systems, by reducing lead-time while improving product availability with equal or improved quality and equal or reduced costs. The goal is to provide an environment to pro-mote collaboration within the manufacturing base to identify and implement solutions and improvements to the process of supplying the military with tents, without backlogs.

The end result of the TENTNET program will be to award contracts to business partners to further develop the tentage support to the U.S. Department of Defense. Multiple awards


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

TENTNET

are planned under this program, to be set up as three-year base plus two two-year options contracts. The focus will be on tents and shelters, utilizing the specific technical expertise of each partner in the program: from industry, educational institutions, distributors, software developers, manufacturers and equipment vendors. Manufactur-ing experience will be emphasized, with each partner cooperating with other TENTNET participants to iden-tify and develop research activities. The system will facilitate open dialog be-tween partners to identify mutual areas of concern and plan for the implemen-tation of results within two years of the awarded contract.

One step aheadThe TENTNET program is just be-

ginning, but the efforts of the DSCP

and others to improve support to the

warfighter have been ongoing. We hope

that TENTNET, along with our other

efforts, will lead to better support of

the armed forces in the future. To date,

fourteen partner contracts have already

been awarded.

The results of our efforts in the

TENTNET program can’t yet be evalu-

ated—but we can certainly expect that

a collaborative effort among industry,

academia, and the government should

produce results greater than the mere

sum of the total. One thing is for cer-

tain: Change is coming. The late eco-

nomics author Peter Drucker once said,

“The way to predict the future is to cre-

ate it.” We are anticipating great results

from the TENTNET program, and we

are banking on the expertise of this

industry to help us keep one step ahead

of the Red Queen.



ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

F

The Industrial Fabric Products Associa-tion is a complex organization that offers assistance to the specialty fabric industry in many areas. To get more information on specific programs and divisions, please contact the following staff:

AdvertisingSarah Hyland, Advertising Director +1 651 225 6950, [email protected]

BookstoreBarbara Connett. Bookstore Manager +1 651 225 6913, [email protected]

Certification Deb Stender, Certification Programs Manager+1 651 222 2508, [email protected]

Conferences Tracie Coopet, Conference Management+1 651 225 6947, [email protected]

DivisionsAutomotive Materials AssociationKristy Osman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6959, [email protected]

Banner, Flag & Graphics AssociationJan Schieffer, Managing Director+1 651 225 6944, [email protected]

The Casual Furniture Fabrics AssociationElizabeth Newman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6925, [email protected]

Geosynthetic Materials AssociationKathleen Mattson, Managing Director+1 651 225 6942, [email protected]

Inflatable Recreational Products DivisionRuth Stephens, Managing Director+1 651 225 6920, [email protected]

Lightweight Structures AssociationBeth Hungiville, Managing Director+1 651 225 6952, [email protected]

Marine Fabricators AssociationBeth Hungiville, Managing Director+1 651 225 6952, [email protected]

Narrow Fabrics InstituteKaren Musech, Managing Director+1 651 225 6948, [email protected]

Professional Awning Manufacturers AssociationKaren Musech, Managing Director+1 651 225 6948, [email protected]

Safety and Protective Products DivisionRuth Stephens, Managing Director+1 651 225 6920, [email protected]

Tent Rental DivisionJan Schieffer, Managing Director+1 651 225 6944, [email protected]

IFAI UPDATEThe Industrial Fabric Products Association is a complex organization that offers assistance to the specialty fabric industry in many areas. To get more information on specific programs and divisions, please contact the following staff:

AdvertisingSarah Hyland, Advertising Director +1 651 225 6950, [email protected]

BookstoreBarbara Connett. Bookstore Manager +1 651 225 6913, [email protected]

Certification Deb Stender, Certification Programs Manager+1 651 222 2508, [email protected]

Conferences Tracie Coopet, Conference Management+1 651 225 6947, [email protected]

DivisionsAutomotive Materials AssociationKristy Osman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6959, [email protected]

Banner, Flag & Graphics AssociationJan Schieffer, Managing Director+1 651 225 6944, [email protected]

The Casual Furniture Fabrics AssociationElizabeth Newman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6925, [email protected]

Geosynthetic Materials AssociationAndrew Aho, Managing Director+1 651 225 6907, [email protected]

Inflatable Recreational Products DivisionKristy Osman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6959, [email protected]

Lightweight Structures AssociationBeth Hungiville, Managing Director+1 651 225 6952, [email protected]

Marine Fabricators AssociationBeth Hungiville, Managing Director+1 651 225 6952, [email protected]

Narrow Fabrics InstituteElizabeth Newman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6925, [email protected]

Professional Awning Manufacturers AssociationMichelle Sahlin, Managing Director+1 651 225 6941, [email protected]

Safety and Protective Products DivisionRuth Stephens, Managing Director+1 651 225 6920, [email protected]

Tent Rental DivisionJan Schieffer, Managing Director+1 651 225 6944, [email protected]

Truck Cover & Tarp AssociationKristy Osman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6959, [email protected]

Recognizing

excel lenceIndustry profess ionals are encouraged to enterpro jects for the 2006 Internat ional Achievement Awards to be presented at IFAI Expo in At lanta .

For the 59th year, IFAI presents the International Achieve-

ment Awards, a world-class competition designed to recognize

outstanding projects in the specialty fabrics industry.

Projects represented among the competition’s entry cat-

egories include both those that demonstrate superior work

on traditional projects and highly technical innovations that

break new ground and set new industry standards. Industry

professionals compete to earn an Award of Excellence or an

Outstanding Achievement Award in one or more of the competition’s 27

categories.

“Winning this award has benefited our company in two ways,” says Keith

Bartlett, Outstanding Achievement Award Winner, C. E. Bartlett Party Ltd.,

Wendouree VIC, Australia. “First, it has been great for our staff to have the

satisfaction and recognition that the product they designed and produced was

world-class and worthy of winning such

an award. Second, it is a great market-

ing tool we will use within our future

marketing to show our current and

potential customers that our company

has achieved international recognition

for our products. This is a benefit few

can claim, and something our company

is very proud of.”

The 2006 competition results will

be announced during IFAI Expo 2006,

Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2006, in Atlanta, Ga.,

marking the beginning of significant

industry exposure to come. Award win-

ners receive publicity through multiple

industry media outlets, as well as a dis-

play plaque describing their accomplish-

ment.

Previous award winners have seen

valuable results from winning the com-

petition, ranging from a morale boost

within the company to clients placing more confidence in their work. This often

translates to more commissions.

“We enter the IAA for a number of reasons, principal among them a chance

for a smaller company such as ours to show the quality and creativity in design

and manufacturing that we do that furthers the specialty fabrics applications

for our clients. It is also a wonderful reward for our dedicated staff and clients,

to show how we value their contributions by sharing in the achievements these

awards represent,” says Bud Weisbart, IFM, Outstanding Achievement Award

Winner, AR Tech Div. A & R Tarpaulins Inc., Fontana , Calif.

The awards competition is for all designers, manufacturers or subcontractors

of end-products described by one of the 27 competition categories. A complete

listing of categories can be found at www.ifai.com under the International


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Truck Cover & Tarp AssociationKristy Osman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6959, [email protected]

United States Industrial Fabrics InstituteRuth Stephens, Managing Director+1 651 225 6920, [email protected]

Education ProgramsJill Rutledge, Education Program Manager+1 651 225 6981, [email protected]

IFAI CanadaElizabeth Newman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6925, [email protected]

IFAI JapanKikuko Tagawa, Executive Director+81 727 80 2803, [email protected]

Information Services HotlineJuli Case, Information & Technical Services Manager800 328 4324, [email protected]

International Achievement AwardsChristine Malmgren, Achievement Awards Manager+1 651 225 6926, [email protected]

MagazinesFabric ArchitectureBruce N. Wright, Editor+1 651 225 6953, [email protected]

GFRChristopher Kelsey, Editor+1 651 225 6988, [email protected]

Industrial Fabric Products ReviewGalynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor+1 651 225 6928, [email protected]

InTentsKatie Harholdt, Editor+1 651 225 6970, [email protected]

Marine FabricatorMelissa Kaudy, Editor+1 651 225 6922, [email protected]

Upholstery JournalJanet Cass, Editor+1 651 225 6933, [email protected]

Magazine SubscriptionsSusan Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager+1 651 222 2508, [email protected]

Market ResearchRobin Simoson, Market Research Manager+1 651 225 6946, [email protected]

MembershipMatt Mason, Membership Manager+1 651 225 6949, [email protected]

Web SiteTris McCann, Web Site Manager+1 651 225 6954, [email protected]

United States Industrial Fabrics InstituteRuth Stephens, Managing Director+1 651 225 6920, [email protected]

Education ProgramsJill Rutledge, Senior Manager of Education and Conferences+1 651 225 6981, [email protected]

Deb Stender, Education and Programs Manager+1 651 225 6940, [email protected]

IFAI CanadaElizabeth Newman, Managing Director+1 651 225 6925, [email protected]

IFAI JapanKikuko Tagawa, Executive Director+81 727 80 2803, [email protected]

Information Services HotlineJuli Case, Information & Technical Services Manager800 328 4324, [email protected]

International Achievement AwardsChristine Malmgren, Achievement Awards Manager+1 651 225 6926, [email protected]

MagazinesFabric ArchitectureBruce N. Wright, Editor+1 651 225 6953, [email protected]

GeosyntheticsRon Bygness, Editor+1 651 225 6988, [email protected]

Industrial Fabric Products ReviewGalynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor+1 651 225 6928, [email protected]

InTentsKatie Harholdt, Editor+1 651 225 6970, [email protected]

Marine FabricatorMelissa Kaudy, Editor+1 651 225 6922, [email protected]

Upholstery JournalJanet Cass, Editor+1 651 225 6933, [email protected]

Magazine SubscriptionsSusan Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager+1 651 222 2508, [email protected]

Market ResearchHeather Mattson, Market Research Manager+1 651 225 6946, [email protected]

MembershipMatt Mason, Membership Manager+1 651 225 6949, [email protected]

Web SiteTris McCann, Web Site Manager+1 651 225 6954, [email protected]

IFAI UPDATE

Achievement Awards tab. Project en-

tries include photos of outstanding

specialty fabric projects and descrip-

tions of their unique and important

characteristics, challenging construc-

tion and successful results. Eligible

projects must have been completed

between July 15, 2004 and July 15,

2006. The deadline for submitting

entries is July 15, 2006.

IFAI members may enter up to six

projects at no charge if entries are

received by July 15, 2006.

Both IFAI members and nonmem-

bers are eligible to participate in the

2006 International Achievements

Awards competition. For more in-

formation, please contact Christine

Malmgren, International Achieve-

ment Awards manager, at +1 651 225

6926 or 800 225 4324, e-mail awards@

ifai.com.

Industry experts needed!IFAI is currently accepting propos-

als for IFAI Expo 2006 educational


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

New MembersThe Industrial Fabrics Association Inter-national (IFAI), publisher of the Review, is a not-for-profit trade association that facilitates the development, applica-tion and promotion of specialty fabric products manufactured by its diverse membership. The following companies have made an investment in their future by joining IFAI.

Awnings and MoreDerik Gutshall, Mgr.

2020A Market Sq. Blvd.

Waynesboro, PA 17268-3812

United States

+1 717 762 2225, fax +1 717 762 7653

E-mail [email protected]

IFAI division(s) joined: Professional

Awning Manufacturers Association

Awning manufacturer and installer

Event Partners Sales & ConsultingCraig Seitz, Pres.

P.O. Box 29152

St Louis, MO 63126

United States

+1 314 729 7776, fax +1 314 849 2909


IFAI division(s) joined: Tent Rental Division

Tent and event services

Eventstar ProductionsAlain Perez, Sec./Vice-Pres.

9100 N.W. 97th Terrace

P.O. Box 970667

Miami, FL 33178-1457

United States

+1 305 969 0191, fax +1 305 969 2761


Web site www.eventstar.net


Temporary structures

The Flexene Corp./Edge-Craft ProcessKurt Godigkeit, Pres.

108 Lamar St.

West Babylon, NY 11704-1312

United States

+1 631 491 0580, fax +1 631 491 3162


Web site www.flexenedgecraft.com

Contract hot knife slitting of industrialfabrics to produce sealed edges, customlabeling and packaging

Global Clearspans Inc.Todd Barrett, Owner

929 S. Hohokom Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85281

United States

+1 480 446 8368, fax +1 480 753 5887


Web site www.globalclearspans.com


programs. Members of the specialty

fabrics supply chain, including man-

ufacturers, designers, architects,

engineers, textile technicians, busi-

ness and marketing professionals,

are invited to deliver an educational

presentation to the diverse specialty

fabrics industry.

IFAI Expo 2006 educational pro-

grams will feature eight special sym-

posiums: Architectural

Structures, Automotive

Materials, Awnings &

Canopies, Marine Fab-

rication, Medical Tex-

tiles, Safety & Protec-

tive Products, Sewing & Welding and

Textiles & Graphics. Proposals are

needed for seminars, case studies,

technical papers, workshops, panels,

and roundtable discussions.

Acceptance will be based on the

originality and timeliness of the

topic, how well the topic contributes

to advancing the industry, and how

relevant and interesting the subject

matter is to the proposed audience.

Each special symposium will be de-

signed to provide an in-depth review

of design, new trends and develop-

ments, materials and new technolo-

gies rapidly advancing in the specialty

fabrics industry.

Speakers are recognized in a multi-

tude of promotional media, including

IFAI magazines, the IFAI Expo Web

site www.ifaiexpo.com, and e-mailed

news blasts. More than

8,000 industry profession-

als from around the world

will visit IFAI Expo 2006’s

expansive exhibit hall and

high-quality educational

programs—an audience of other ex-

perts ready to hear your information.

Presentation proposal forms and

instructions are available at Web site

www.ifaiexpo.info. For questions con-

tact Jill Rutledge, senior manager of

education and conferences, +1 651 225

6981, e-mail [email protected]; or

Deb Stender, education, programs and

certification manager, +1 651 225 6940,

e-mail [email protected].

IFAI UPDATE


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

IFAI UPDATE

Heartland Supply Inc.Tom McLaulin, Pres.P.O. Box 40 Homeland, FL 33847 United States+1 863 533 0946, fax +1 863 533 8304E-mail [email protected] division(s) joined:Professional Awning Manufacturers Association, Marine Fabricators AssociationCommercial and residential awningsand marine canvas

HQN Industrial FabricsPaul Hardy, Pres.760 Chester St. Sarnia, ON N7S 5N1Canada+1 519 344 9050, fax +1 519 344 5511E-mail [email protected] site www.hqnfabrics.comIFAI division(s) joined:Truck Cover & Tarp AssociationManufacturer of tarps, covers, liners,F. R. products

K.C. Super Tent Technology SDN BHDMr. Jason Lim Fok HoLot 49, Bukit Angkat Kajang, Selangor 43000Malaysia+60 38 736 6932, fax +60 38 736 5362E-mail [email protected] site www.kctent.com

IFAI division(s) joined: Tent Rental DivisionSales and rental of tents and platform systems

Manufacturier Tenta Inc.Maurice Monette, Gen. Mgr.990 Armand Bombardier Terrebonne, PQ J6Y 1R9Canada+1 450 433 9357, fax +1 450 433 0730E-mail [email protected] site www.tenta.comSelf supporting structures and tent manufacturer

Miami Prestige InteriorsRichard De La Rosa, Vice-Pres./Gen. Mgr.4798 E. 10th Lane Hialeah, FL 33013 United States+1 305 685 3343, fax +1 305 681 3146E-mail [email protected] site www.miamiprestige.comIFAI division(s) joined:Marine Fabricators AssociationMarine upholstery

The Nautical NeedleCindy Boersema100 N. Fairbanks, Ste. B-3 Holland, MI 49423 United States+1 616 396 5700, fax +1 616 396 5701E-mail [email protected] division(s) joined:Marine Fabricators AssociationCanvas fabrication

Plastomer Technologies,an EnPro Industries Co.Mr. Tony Liuzzo, Mktg. Mgr.23 Friends Lane Newtown, PA 18940-1803 United States+1 215 968 5011, fax +1 215 968 7640E-mail [email protected] site www.plastomertech.comePTFE tapes and fiber

Vantage Partners LLCPeter DeMao, Partner1000 Bucks Industrial Park Statesville, NC 28625 United States+1 704 871 8700, fax +1 704 871 9700IFAI division(s) joined:Truck Cover & Tarp AssociationWoven fabrics, bags, and products

Veldeman USAMike Belisle, Bus. Dir.2200 Kumry Rd. Quakertown, PA 18951 United States+1 215 529 9921, fax +1 215 529 9936E-mail [email protected] site www.veldemanusa.comIFAI division(s) joined: Tent Rental DivisionTent manufacturer


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

Measure for measureText i le test ing helps keep qual i ty h igh

1. Tinius Olsen universal testing machines (UTMs) are now available exclusively

to the global textile market through SDL Atlas. Testing machines are available in both

single- and dual-column configurations. Designed for easy, accurate testing of tension,

compression, flexure, shear and peel on all types of materials, the UTMs are factory-pro-

grammed with powerful TexMAT Pro testing software that contains actual test specifica-

tions, machine set-up instructions and report formats for nearly 300 international textile

testing methods. The test methods reflect the latest specifications and practices from

ISO, ASTM, BSI and other international bodies. The Tinius Olsen software provides a

data and file examination package for statistical process-control functions.

For more information, contact Tinius Olsen Inc., Horsham, Pa.; +1 215 675 7100, fax +1 215 441 0988, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.tiniusolsen.com.

2. ColorChex is designed to simplify the process of grading the color of

textiles and apparel. SDL Atlas has designed its new cabinet units to meet

and exceed existing international standards. Designed for the requirements

of suppliers to the North American market, the compact ColorChex N7

model viewing booth offers five different light sources: artificial daylight

Fluorescent D65; TL84 cool white fluorescent; Horizon; Type A (filament

incandescent); and Black Light Blue UVB. A remote control selects between

light sources.

For more information, contact SDL Atlas, Charlotte, N.C., +1 704 329 0911, fax +1 704 329 0914, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.sdlatlas.com.

NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

1.

2.

3. SDL Atlas’ new version of its M233B automatic flammability tester

features an optional radiator assembly that allows for testing to the most

recent BS EN 13772: 2003 Standard. Fitted with the new radiator option,

the upgraded flammability test unit can be used to assess flame spread on

fabric samples and simulate the effects of burning caused by a large flaming

source, such as a burning wastepaper basket. The upgraded tabletop tester

provides critical test parameters for flame resistance in vertically oriented

fabrics such as curtains and drapes. The upgrade was designed with inter-

changeable test frames and burners, automatic flame ignition and flame

application timer, and new Windows-based software. Standard configuration

for the tester includes a processor, software and an inkjet printer.

For more information, contact SDL Atlas, Charlotte, N.C.; +1 704 329 0911, fax +1 704 329 0914, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.sdlatlas.com.

3.


ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info

Personal safety onsiteThe Drager Pac 7000 is a single gas

personal monitor that can reliably warn

of the presence of harmful concentra-

tions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen

sulphide or oxygen. The instrument has

an impact-proof housing and is resistant

to corrosive chemicals. The XXS sensor

reacts virtually instantaneously, imme-

diately indicating any gas hazards on

the screen, which continuously displays

the concentration. If the selected alarm

thresholds are exceeded, the instru-

ment warns the user with audible, visual

and vibrating alarms. The Pac 7000 also

features a data logger, which stores con-

centrations and events together with

their respective dates and times.

For more information, contact Draeger Safety Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.; +1 412 787 8383, fax +1 412 787 2207, [email protected], Web site www.draeger-safety.com.

Have a seatTaylor Made Products has added a

new family of replacement seats for

runabouts and fishing boats. All seats

are covered with heavy-duty marine-

grade vinyl, treated for UV and mil-

dew resistance. The runabout seats

are available in back-to-back and single

configurations; back-to-back models

open easily into a lounging position.

The interior frames are made with

molded high-impact polypropylene

to eliminate rotting and warping. The

fishing-boat seats include high-back

models, folding models and pro-casting

seats. Hinges and hardware are made

from corrosion-resistant aluminum.

For more information, contact Taylor Made Group Inc., Gloversville, N.Y.; +1 518 773 9400, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.taylormadeproducts.com.

Hot cutsThe Hot Tool HK-60 Hot Knife is a

safer alternative to using razor blades

for cutting rubber and synthetic gaskets,

padding and insulation materials. The

knife features a double-edge blade tip

that reaches 1,050 degrees Fahrenheit

within two minutes and cuts and seals

rubber and synthetic materials simulta-

neously, with little preasure. The indus-

trial-grade electric hot knife operates on

115 VAC, and the .060-inch thick blade

tip fits directly over the heating element.

The tool is comfortable to hold, with a

tapered wood handle that stays cool.

For more information, contact Hot Tools division of M.M. Newman Corp., Marble-head, Ma.; +1 781 639 1000, fax +1 781 631 8887, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.mmnewman.com.

An end to a meansThe EF42 slip-on structural pipe fit-

ting provides a 90-degree crossover joint

to build railings, racks, tables, frames,

awnings, displays, store fixtures, carports,

boat docks, playground equipment, safety

barriers, theatrical sets, greenhouses, and

other tubular pipe structures. The cross-

over fitting can be used to build original

structures or for adding to existing struc-

tures. It is constructed of malleable iron

for durability, and galvanized for corro-

sion resistance.

For more information, contact Easyfit Inc., North Canton, Ohio; 877 327 9348, or +1 330 494 9610, fax +1 330 494 9615, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.easyfit.com.

NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

CALENDAR

October 31 – November 2, 2006AtlantaGeorgia World Congress Center

Organized by the Industrial Fabrics As-sociation International (IFAI), IFAI Expo 2006 will be the largest event in the world for the specialty fabrics indus-try. Innovation, technology and global networking will defi ne the show.

In addition to networking opportuni-ties on the show fl oor and in network-ing events, IFAI Expo 2006 will provide you with valuable market-specifi c pre-conference symposiums, high-lighting the tools you need to excel in your business.

IFAI Expo 2006 will collaborate with ATME-I 2006 and the American Asso-ciation of Textile Chemists and Color-ists tradeshow to create MEGATEX of the Americas, the world’s largest specialty fabrics tradeshow that will bring hundreds of suppliers, manufac-turers and small shop owners under one roof. The events will be held in conjunction with one another, but will remain separate so as to keep the in-dividual fl avor of each.

For more information about IFAI Expo 2006, contact IFAI Conference Manage-ment at 800 225 4324, +1 651 222 2508; fax +1 651 631 9334; e-mail [email protected] or visit www.ifaiexpo.info.

A Part of

March

Mar. 16–18, WCPA 2006 Expo-WestAt the Renaissance Seattle Hotel, Seattle. The event will include vendor market days, seminars, round-tables, and keynote speakers from the Western Canvas Products Association industry. For more information, call +1 206 583 0300 or 800 546 9184, Web site http://marriott.com/proptery/propterypage/SEASM.

Mar. 22–25, 28th International Cotton ConferenceAt the Bremen Town Hall, Bremen, Germany. For more information, call + 49 421 30800 18, fax + 49 421 30800 89, e-mail: [email protected], Web site www.baumwollboerse.de/.

Mar. 28–29, Doing Business in ChinaFocus: Exporting nonwovens. Presented by INDA and organized by the Business and Industry Center at Wake Technical Community College, Cary, N.C., in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Commerce International Trade Division. For more information, call +1 919 233 1210, +1 919 233 1282, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.inda.org.

Mar. 28–30, Techtextil North America 2006At the Cobb Galleria Center, Atlanta. Companies in the technical textiles and nonwovens industry will meet for education, networking and business development. The show will showcase the higher performance areas of tech-nical textiles through an eclectic collection of research-ers, manufacturers and product specifiers. For more information, contact Daniel McKinnon, +1 770 984 8016,fax +1 770 984 8023, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.usa.messefrankfurt.com.

Mar. 28–31, Prime Source Trade Showand International Apparel ForumAt the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. This is where exporting countries, garment manufac-turers, textile firms and other suppliers and service providers can promote their products, facilities and abilities to service the demands of the industry. For more information, contact Amy Ng, +1 852 2827 6211, [email protected], Web site www.primesourcetradeshow.com/.

April

April 4–6, Material World MiamiAt the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami. Spon-sored by the American Apparel and Footwear Associa-tion. For more information, call 800 318 2238, or +1 678 285 3976, Web site www.material-world.com.

April 4–6, The 3rd International Conference of Textile Research DivisionAt the National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt. For more information, contact Martin Jacobs, +1 215 540 0760, fax +1 215 69 4835, e-mail [email protected].

April 4–7, Saigon Textile & Garment Industry Expo 2006Held concurrently with Saigon Fabric & Garment Accessories Expo 2006, HIECC, Hochiminh City, Vietnam. Contact Ivy Lau at +1 852 2511 7427, fax +1 852 2511 9692, e-mail [email protected].

April 7–8, SWIFASpring ConventionThe Southwest Industrial Fabrics Association’s spring convention will be held at the South Shore Harbour in Clear Lake, Texas (just South of Houston). For more information contact Duane Davidson, Davidson Quality Awnings, at +1 337 898 1870, e-mail [email protected].

April 24–25, Outlook 2006“Prospering in a Global Economy.” At The Home-stead, Hot Springs, Va. For more information, contact Ruth A. Stephens, +1 651 225 6920 or 800 636 4642, fax +1 651 631 9334, Web site www.usifi.com.

April 24–26, SPESA Annual MeetingAt the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas. Sponsored by the Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA). For more information, call Benton Gardner at +1 919 872 8909, x203, fax +1 919 872 1915, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.spesa.org.

April 25–26, Direction: Textile Design ShowAt the Penn Plaza Pavilion, New York. For moreinformation, call +1 973 761 5598, fax +1 973 761 5188, e-mail [email protected], Web sitewww.directionshow.com.

MayMay 7–10, The Web Sling & Tie DownAssociation (WSTDA) Annual MeetingAt the Pan Pacific Hotel, San Francisco. For more information, contact WSDTA at +1 443 640 1070, fax +1 443 640 1031, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.wstda.com.

May 10–13, IMB 2006-World of Textile ProcessingGlobal fair for the processing of flexible materials will be held in Cologne, Germany. In addition to showcas-ing technologies for the production of clothing and processing of textiles, this trade fair will feature for the first time a new product sector: technical textiles. For more information, contact Cordula Busse, +49 221 821 2083, fax +49 221 821 2826, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.koelnmesse.de.

May 16–18, Nonwovens Training CourseSponsored by the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, at INDA Headquarters, Cary, N.C. For more information, contact +1 919 233 1210, fax 919 233 1282, Web site www.inda.org/

May 16–18, FESPA Digital Printing Europe 2006At the RAI Exhibition Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. For more information, contact Franz Chesterman +44 1737 240788, fax +44 1737 240770, e-mail [email protected], Web sitewww.fespa.com.

May 16–19, Graphics Four-Color WorkshopSponsored by the Screen Printing Technical Founda-tion, Fairfax, Va. phone 888 385 3588, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.sgia.org/sptf/classschedules.cfm.

May 18–28 ASAP China Buying Trip ‘06Visit Shanghai, Hangzhou and Jinjiang, China to develop distribution channels and joint venture pos-sibilities that can expand your global contacts for your apparel and textile company. Fore more information, contact +1 626 636 2530, e-mail [email protected] www.asapbuyingtrip.com.

May 21–23, Southern Textile ResearchConference Annual ConferenceAt the Kingston Plantation and Hilton Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C. For more information, contact Tim Heller, e-mail [email protected].

May 24–26, Anex 2006Asia Nonwovens Exhibition and Conference, orga-nized by the Asia Nonwoven Fabrics Association, Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo. For more information, contact Sharon Deutch +1 301 493 5500, fax +1 301 493 5705, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.anex.info.

JuneJune 4–7, ShowtimeSemiannual fabric markets, sponsored by the Interna-tional Textile Market Association (ITMA), Highpoint, N.C. For more information, contact +1 336 885 6842, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.itma-showtime.com.

June 7–8, Nonwovens SymposiumIn Vienna, Austria. Sponsored by the European Dis-posables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA). For more information, call Catherine Lennon at +32 2734 9310, fax +32 2733 3518, e-mail catherine.lennon@ edana.org, Web site www.edana.org.

72

ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

CALENDAR

June 11–14, AUTEX World ConferenceAt North Carolina State University’s College of Tex-tiles, for the AUTEX (Association of Universities of Textiles) Conference. Contact N.C. State News Services, +1 919 515 3470, fax +1 919 515 2556, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.ncsu.edu/news.

June 27–July 2, ITM 2006The International Textile Machinery (ITM) Exhibition will be held at the CNR World Trade Center, Istanbul, Turkey. For more information, call +90 212 663 08 81, fax +90 212 663 09 73, Web site www.cnrexpo.com.

July

July 5–8, ShanghaiTex 2006At the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, For more information, contact Glenn F. Jackman, +1 919 733 2829, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.2456.com/shanghaitex.

August

Aug. 5, PAMA Fabrication and Installation WorkshopAt Bluegrass Awning Co., Louisville, Ky. For more information, contact, Michelle E. Sahlin, +1 651 225 6941, fax +1 651 631 9334, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.awninginfo.com.

Aug. 28–30, Special Effects:Enhance Your Textile PrintsAt the Screen Printing Technical Foundation’s labora-tory in Fairfax, Va. Make your work stand out and earn more profits at the same time by printing specialty inks in your designs. For more information, contact +1 703 359 1366, Web site www.sgia.org/sptf/wrkshps.cfm.

September

Sept. 20, Regulatory Compliance for theFlammability of General Wearing ApparelSponsored by ASTM Intl., New York City. For more information, contact Eileen Finn +1 610 832 9668, fax +1 610 832 9668, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.astm.org.

Sept. 24–26, ITMF Annual ConferenceBy invitation of the Fabric & Accessories Manufactur-ers Association (FAAMA) of Sri Lanka, the 2006 In-ternational Textile Manufacturers Federation annual conference will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The invitation brochure will be available towards the end of May 2006. For more information, contact +41 44 283 63 80, fax +41 44 283 63 89, e-mail [email protected], Web site www.itmf.org.

October

Oct. 31-Nov. 2, IFAI Expo 2006IFAI Expo 2006 will collaborate with ATME-I 2006 and AATCC to create MEGATEX of the Americas, the world’s largest specialty fabrics trade show. For information, contact IFAI Conference Management at 800 225 4324, e-mail [email protected].

Oct. 31-Nov. 3, ATME-I® 2006The American Textile Machinery Association (ATMA), Falls Church, Va., and England-based Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd. will hold their 2006 exhibition under the umbrella of Megatex, which will be held Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, 2006, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. For more information on ATME-I, call +1 703 538 1789; e-mail [email protected], Web site www.atmanet.org.


ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

I n d u s t r i a l F a b r i c P r o d u c t s R e v i e w M O N T H Y E A R2

For more information on classified advertising in IFAI’s Industrial Fabric Products Review,

contact Trisha Allex at IFAI, 1801 County Rd. B W., Roseville, MN 55113-4061 USA.

Phone: 800 225 4324, fax: +1 651 225 6966 , e-mail: [email protected]

Help WantedWanted

Help Wanted

Look for classifieds on our website

www.ifai.com

For Sale

Phone 864/242-3491 Fax 864/232-5658P.O. Box 1984, Greenville, SC 29602

E-mail: [email protected] our Web site for additional

positions: www.godshall.com

Call Richard Heard

Quality Engineer, $60K

Synthetic Wovens Process Eng, $60K

Nonwovens Development Eng, $60K

Automotive QC Manager, $65K

Tech Service Engineer–Nonwovens, $70K

Plant Engineer w/BSME, $75K

Robert Graham

Needleloom Tech/Weaver, $50K

Weave Department Manager, $60K

Rando Department Manager, $70K

Manufacturing Mgr-NY, $75K

Weave Plant Manager, $90K

Webbing Sales Director, $90K+

GODSHALL & GODSHALL CONSULTANTS

Textile Industry Specialists Since 1969Fee Paid Positions

WE BUY

SHELF-DATED BANNER FABRIC, IND. FABRIC, LAMINATED & COATED VINYL,

SECONDS & CLOSEOUTS.

CALL CANVYL 514/866-4255

SALES

A leading international manufacturer

of coated products is seeking a highly

motivated salesperson to cover our Mid-

western region. Prior sales experience a

must, experience in industrial textiles a +.

Individual will be responsible for calling

on new and existing customers.

We offer a competitive salary, com-

missions, health benefi ts, dental and a

401K.

Send resume in confi dence to:

IFAI, 1801 County Road B W,

Box 123, Roseville, MN 55113

or e-mail [email protected]

Upholstery, Auto Trim & Canvas experi-

ence. Southern Louisiana Shop. Family

business 3rd generation.

Custom Canvas & Auto Upholstery, LLC

451 Red Oak St. Slidell, LA 70460

(985) 781-7766 or (985) 705-9192

HELP WANTEDFOR SALE

Eyeletting Machine, Model F w/Table

& Baldor 3 phase motor, runs off 4

horsepower. 25 gallon air compressor

with Hercules foot petal & basket for rolled

rim eyelets. Approximately 35 years old.

Needs some adjustment. Asking price

$5000.00

Contact Lisa at 731.648.5401

or [email protected]

Awning of Hollywood in Hollywood, FL

is looking for awning installers/ welders/

layoutpeople. Enjoy 80˚ weather and get

paid. Great health & 401k benefi ts!

Call 888 745 3671

WANT TO LIVE IN SUNNY FL?

Do you need assistance with custom

sewing projects? Do you have a business

for sale that involves custom sewing?

If so, contact

715-446-2281

we can help!

EMPLOYMENT – BUSINESSVENTURE IN SEWING PROJECTS

Services

0306RVW_Mktplace.indd 2 2/24/06 4:29:11 PM

ww

w.re

vie

wm

ag

az

ine

.info



ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

L is ted below is contact in format ion for the ind iv iduals and companies consul ted for th is month’s ar t ic les .

EDITORIAL SOURCES

Page 20

The hidden cost

Custom Canvas Solutions/Pet Project Inc., Lake Norman, N.C.+1 704 622 4225E-mail [email protected]

Page 26

Flying style

The Design Loft, St. Louis, Mo.+1 314 621 1332, fax +1 314 621 1262Web site www.flagloft.com

Flying Colors Inc., Berkeley, Calif.+1 510 526 9100, fax +1 510 526 9444E-mail [email protected] site www.flycolors.com

Hendee Enterprises Inc., Houston, Texas+1 713 796 2322, fax +1 713 796 0494E-mail [email protected] site www.hendee.com

Queen City Awning, Cincinnati, Ohio+1 513 530 9660, 800 611 2800Fax +1 513 530 0662E-mail [email protected] site www.queencityawning.com

Page 36

Digital Expo hosts imaging community

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), Arlington, Va.+1 703 524 1864, 800 520 2262Fax +1 703 522 6741Web site www.usawear.org

The American Rental Association (ARA), Moline, Ill.800 334 2177, fax +1 309 764 1533Web site www.ararental.org

INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, Cary, N.C.+1 919 233 1210, fax 919 233 1282Web site www.inda.org

Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, Fairfax, Va.+1 703 385 1335, fax +1 703 273 0456E-mail [email protected] site www.sgia.org

Page 40

Stick to it

Polyurethane Foam Association (PFA), Knoxville, Tenn.+1 865 690 4648, fax +1 865 690 4649E-mail [email protected] site www.pfa.org

UPACO Foam Fabrication Adhesives Group, Richmond, Va.+1 804 275 9231, 800 446 9984Fax +1 804 743 8366Web site www.worthenindustries.com

UpholsteryShop Oregon Inc., Portland, Ore.+1 503 309 0005E-mail [email protected] site www.upholsteryshop.org

Page 44

Fabric testing: What’s your score?

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)Triangle Park, N.C.+1 919 549 3532E-mail [email protected]

John Boyle & Co. Inc., Statesville, N.C.+1 704 872 8151, 800 438 1061Fax +1 704 878 0572E-mail [email protected] site www.johnboyle.com

SDL Atlas, Charlotte, N.C.+1 704 329 0911, fax +1 704 329 0914E-mail [email protected] site www.sdlatlas.com

SGS, Rutherford, N.J.+1 973 575 3057E-mail [email protected] site www.sgs.com

Taber Industries, North Tonawanda, N.Y.+1 716 694 4000, 800 333 5300, Fax +1 716 694 1450Web site www.taberindustries.com

Page 48

Sail of the century

Bainbridge Intl. Inc., Canton, Mass.+1 781 821 2600, 800 422 5684Fax +1 781 821 2609E-mail [email protected] site www.bainbridgeint.com

Challenge Sailcloth Inc., Vernon, Conn.+1 860 871 8030, 800 962 4499

Dimension-Polyant Inc., Putnam, Conn.+1 860 963 7413, fax +1 860 928 0161E-mail [email protected]

Web site www.dimension-polyant.com

Glen Raven Technical Fabrics, Glen Raven, N.C.+1 336 227 6211, fax +1 336 226 8454E-mail [email protected]

Web site www.glenraven.com

Page 54

Where there’s smoke ... there’s opportunity

Eide Industries Inc., Cerritos, Calif.+1 562 402 8335, 800 422 6827Fax +1 562 924 2233E-mail [email protected] site www.eideindustries.com

Hudson Awning & Sign Co. Inc., Bayonne, N.J.+1 201 339 7171, 800 624 1012Fax +1 201 339 9858E-mail [email protected] site www.hudsonawning.com

SEC Group, Wilsonville, Ore.+1 503 570 8700

Tacoma Tent and Awning Co., Tacoma, Wash.+1 253 627 4128, 800 481 4128Fax +1 253 572 7791E-mail [email protected] site www.tacomatent.com

Warner Shelter Systems Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada+1 403 279 7662, 800 661 6155Fax +1 403 236 2633E-mail [email protected] site www.wssl.com

Get listed on this page!Share your knowledge and expertise;

offer input on Review stories; or become

a published author yourself in these

pages. The following topics will be ad-

dressed in upcoming issues, and we’re

looking for knowledgeable sources:

Upcoming features:• In the shop: Equipment and ROI

• Who buys digital printing?

• Market report: Chemical and

biological protection products

• Your business: Re-inventing your

business

Don’t forget your cameraWe rely on our readers for most of

the images that appear in the Review.

However, we do have specific require-

ments for photos. We can use high-

resolution digital images—specifically,

300 dots per inch (dpi), sized at least

4-by-5 inches (1200 by 1500 pixels)—

in jpg, tif or eps formats. (We cannot

use images embedded in Word docu-

ments, PowerPoint or PDF files.)

In order to get print-quality im-

ages, your digital camera must be a

2.4 megapixel model (or higher).

We can also use glossy printed photo-

graphs (printed from standard pho-

tographic film), of course; but we

cannot use computer print-outs of

images. We must have originals.

Contact Galynn Nordstrom, Senior Editor +1 651 225 6928, e-mail [email protected].

We’re looking for a wicking test that can be used on laminated fabrics. Any suggestions?

Wicking is a term used for the phenomenon

in which moisture moves through a fabric,

either vertically or horizontally. We located a

test method from the Society of Automotive

Engineers (SAE) that can be used on laminated fabrics,

SAE J913 “Test Method for Wicking of Automotive

Fabrics and Fibrous Materials.” The laminated mate-

rial would need to have a fibrous or foam component,

however, for this test method to be applicable. For more

information on purchasing this test method, contact

SAE at SAE world headquarters, 400 Commonwealth

Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001; +1 724 776 4841, fax

+1 724 776 0790, Web site www.sae.org.

I N F O R M A T I O N C E N T R A L?Don't le t a quest ion

s idetrack your

business. The tex-

t i le profess ionals at

Informat ion Centra l

answer quest ions

about sources of

supply, bu i ld ing

codes, technical

issues, and more.

This f ree serv ice is

exclus ive ly for IFAI

members . For mem-

bership in format ion,

contact IFAI at 1801

County Road B W. ,

Rosevi l le , MN 55113-

4061 ; 800 225 4324 ,

+1 651 222 2508 ,

fax +1 651 631 9334 .

Need an answer?

Contact Informat ion

Central , 800 328 4324,

+1 651 225 6935 ,

fax +1 651 222 2508 ,

e-mai l in focentra l@

ifa i .com.

A

ww

w.r

ev

iew

ma

ga

zin

e.i

nfo

76 I n d u s t r i a l F a b r i c P r o d u c t s R e v i e w M A R C H 2 0 0 6

Complied by Juli Case, IFAI Information and Technical Services Manager, and Christine Malmgren, IFAI Information Services Representative.

We have a client specifying a “Mossy Oak” pattern of camouflage. Any idea of where we can purchase this material?

Unfortunately, it’s not quite that easy. Ge-

neric camouflage patterns like “woodlands”

or “desert” are not trademarked, but most

of the highly technical patterns are. Mossy

Oak falls into that category. The owner of the Mossy

Oak trade name is Haas Outdoors, and if the product

you’re producing is to be sold (i.e. it’s not for your

own use), then that product has to be licensed in

order to use its camouflage pattern. For more infor-

mation, contact the company at Haas Outdoors Inc.,

P.O. Box 757, West Point, MS 39773; +1 662 494 8859,

fax +1 662 494 8742, Web site www.mossyoak.com.

A

I’m looking for a supplier of real Ultrasuede, not an imitation. Where can I get it?

Ultrasuede is a faux suede material that has

the look and feel of real suede, but is more

cleanable. Ultrasuede is made by Toray Ul-

trasuede. We contacted them and were told

that their distributor for aftermarket applications such

as marine work is Gulf Fabrics. For more information,

contact Gulf Fabrics at 3709 N. Armenia Ave. Tampa,

FL 33673-1303; +1 813 875 2707, fax +1 813 348 9540,

Web site www.gulffabrics.com. If you’d like to contact

Toray Ultrasuede directly, they may be reached at

Toray Ultrasuede (America) Inc.,1450 Broadway, New

York, NY 10018; +1 212 382 1590, fax +1 212 382 1551,

or Web site www.ultrasuede.com.

In the winter, our temperatures can reach below zero and the ground freezes up to three feet. Can you recommend a fabric to cover golf tees that will protect the grass from the ice build-up and frost that can occur during the winter months in Canada?

We contacted experts in the geosynthetic in-

dustry and they recommend a turf blanket as

the best possible solution. A turf blanket will

allow sun and moisture to pass through and

protect the greens from snowmold build-up. It also will

help the greens and tees to “green-up” much faster in

the springtime. For a supplier of turf blankets, contact

Colorado Lining Intl./WeatherBeater Golf, at 1062 Sing-

ing Hills Rd., Parker, CO 80138-4653; +1 303 841 2022,

fax +1 303 841 5780, Web site www.coloradolining.com.

Or, try Covermaster Inc., at 100 Westmore Dr., 11-D,

Rexdale, Ontario, Canada M9V 5C3; +1 416 745 1811,

fax +1 416 742 6837, Web site www.covermaster.com.

I’m working on a projection screen for a casino and need to find a white vinyl-coated fabric that won’t produce a glare. Do you have any suggestions?

We contacted suppliers of vinyl-coated fab-

rics and found the following suppliers of

vinyl fabrics that had fabrics available for this

particular use:

• DAF Products Inc., 420 Braen Ave., Wyckoff, NJ

07481-2949; +1 201 251 1222, fax +1 201 251 1221,

Web site www.dafproducts.com.

• Denver Tent Co./American Canvas Co., 6489 E

39th Ave, Denver, CO 80207-1334; +1 303 399 3232,

fax +1 303 399 1362.

• Mehler Texnologies Inc., 175 Mehler Lane, Mar-

tinsville, VA 24112-2037; +1 276 638 1007, fax +1 276

638 1472, Web site www.mehlerhaku.de.

• Vytech Industries Inc., PO Box 5288, Anderson,

SC 29623-5288; +1 864 224 8771, +1 864 224 8410,

Web site www.vytech.com.

We’re looking for a polyester Sateen filter fabric with a 20 CFM for a filter bag. What does CFM stand for?

CFM is an abbreviation used to describe the

airflow of fabric, and stands for cubic feet per

minute. It refers to the number of cubic feet

of air that will pass through one square foot

of fabric in one minute at a standard pressure drop of

a half an inch. This piece of information is referenced

in the ASTM D737, Test Method for Air Permeability of

Textile Fabrics. For a supplier of sateen polyester filter

fabric with a 20 CFM contact the following:

• Dodenhoff Industrial Textiles Inc., 28045 Ranney

Pkwy., Westlake, OH 44145-1144; +1 440 892 5511, fax

+1 440 892 0387, Web site www.dodenhoff.com.

• Liberty Textile Mills Corp., 75 Spruce St., Paterson,

NJ 07501-1720; +1 973 742 2400, fax +1 973 742 4334.

• Mopus Filtration LLC, 933 Caldwell Lane, Nashville,

TN 37204; +1 615 469 1148, fax +1 615 469 1147.

• Syfilco Ltd., 320 Thames Rd., East, Exeter, ON N0M

1S3, Canada; +1 519 235 1244, fax +1 519 235 1280, Web

site www.syfilco.on.ca.

A

A

A

A

since-1 915 mar ch 20 06 making sail the · i could finally start going to dingy blues bars again...

Documents