Don’t let long-term projects stand in the way of serving short-term requests—and possibly a return customer. Trivantage’s solution: Bimini-in-a-Box. Available in three colors (navy, black, gray) and 28 sizes, Bimini-in-a-Box arrives pre-assembled, requiring minimal skills, time, and tools to install. Featuring a one-year warranty, it includes an adjustable frame constructed of heavy-walled, anodized, bright T6 [...]

Vicar International of Union, N.J., is now distributing Helios PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) from Coats. The new thread line by Coats maintains 100 percent of its strength after years of exposure to sun, rain chemicals, UV radiation, and salt. It is ideal for boat covers, pool covers, awnings, tents sunshades, golf cart covers, and other outdoor sewn [...]

How did your shop get started? Terri Madden, owner of Sand Sea and Air Interiors (SSA), began her career as a Textile Designer in the Home Furnishings Division of Burlington Industries in New York, upon receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in textile design. Her responsibilities included research and development for color trends and woven [...]

Woonsocket, R.I.-based American Cord and Webbing (ACW), a full-service, custom-design manufacturer of highly engineered plastic and metal fasteners as well as elastic and non-elastic narrow textile webbing and cord products, has completed the facilities expansion for its custom design and manufacturing operations. Over the past two years, ACW has worked to bring all three of [...]

Desktop computer and pink wall - home office concept Everyone has a website these days. Right? You don’t? Cheer up. In a way, even if you don’t have a website, you’re in the same boat with a lot firms that do. Many people, hosting a web presence or not, are still trying to [...]

At Hood Canvas, we use binders large and small in all our canvas fabrications. Some fabricators we know apply smaller edge bindings around corners by hand and get excellent results. Every shop has its method of applying edge bindings around cutouts, but it can be difficult, especially for new fabricators. In this article we are [...]

At Kennedy Custom Upholstery, we make cushions in every size and shape and for every use. And they all start with a good pattern. Some customers want to just drop off their old cushions for the fabricator to use as the template for the new ones, but for the most control over the result it [...]

That first transaction with a new customer is all-important. It can cement the new relationship and lead to a lifetime of mutually profitable sales—if it’s managed right. That first transaction might be big or small, in-person or online. It might involve a purchase or it might center on a freebie. Happy young business people [...]

Texas recently required all Texas boaters born on or after Sept. 1, 1993, and operating personal watercraft, motor vessels with 15 or more horsepower, or wind-powered vessels greater than 14 feet to have mandatory boater safety education. Now the BoatUS Foundation’s no-cost online boating safety course has been approved by Texas Parks and Wildlife and [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) recently filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit requesting a review of the court’s August 2012 ruling on E15 that dismissed the association’s challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s waiver allowing E15 to be sold. NMMA and a coalition of industry groups representing [...]