September 2017

  • Published On: September 29, 2017

    Mike Sullaway, principal engineer, president and owner of Sullaway Engineering Inc. in San Diego, Calif., presented a campfire session “Working with Engineers” at IFAI Expo 2017 in New Orleans, La. Throughout the presentation, Sullaway offered tips and advice on the best ways to go about working on a project with an engineer. How to find [...]

  • Published On: September 29, 2017

    Scott Massey, owner of Awning Cleaning Industries, was awarded the first annual Greater Good Award at the IFAI Expo 2017 in New Orleans, La. Massey’s business is based in New Haven, Conn. The Greater Good Award focuses on an IFAI member company that does good business—and strives to be a good neighbor, good citizen, and [...]

  • Published On: September 29, 2017

    Christine Gerard (left), IFAI division supervisor, and Whitney Armentor (right), Raintree Development Coordinator, are pictured at IFAI Expo 2017 in the Manufacturing for Good Booth. Several companies contributed supplies, equipment and labor to sew 70 large tote bags for young people who receive services at Raintree Children and Family Services. Raintree is a nonprofit that [...]

  • Published On: September 29, 2017

    A critical issue in the textile industry is how to attract and inspire the next generation. North Carolina State University in Raleigh may have an answer: develop student/industry partnerships that solve real-life open-ended problems. During a presentation at EXPO, co-directors Jesse S. Jur and Russell E. Gorga, from the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    Getting a contract sewing job is great, but making sure a customer’s needs align with one’s business capabilities is a key consideration. “Company fit” is all important, according to Chad Miller, director of contracting at American National Manufacturing. American National Manufacturing was started by Miller’s father in the 1970s. What began as a water bed [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    First place in the 2017 Fabric Structures Student Design Challenge: “Tenso Refugee Shelter” by Ahmad Nouraldeen. The Fabric Structures Association (FSA), a division of IFAI, announced the winners of the 2017 Fabric Structures Student Design Challenge at IFAI Expo in New Orleans on Sept. 28. First Place: Ahmad Nouraldeen, from Anhalt Hochschule, took [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    “Post with a purpose,” says Sam Armijos of Fabric Architect LLC. “Understand that you’ll be wasting someone else’s time if you don’t have a purpose for posting.” Armijos presented a campfire session on “Social Media Madness” during IFAI Expo 2017 in New Orleans, La. Armijos shared some tips and tricks to help navigate social media [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    First place: “Eternal Sailboat” by Gabriel Ramon Galeano Carcamo. The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA), a division of IFAI, announced the winners of the 2017 Awning and Canopy Student Design Challenge at IFAI Expo in New Orleans on Sept. 28. First Place: Gabriel Ramon Galeano Carcamo, from Anhalt University in Germany, won the [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    IFAI’s Advanced Textiles Conference in New Orleans began Tuesday in New Orleans with presentations organized into four tracks: Medical, Military, Testing and Smart Fabrics. The Military track covered a range of topics from protective materials to the DoD budget. It also addressed a critical topic for any company that exports beyond U.S. borders, or is [...]

  • Published On: September 28, 2017

    A group of trainblazers in the world of e-textiles offered ideas and fielded questions in a casual setting on IFAI’s EXPO show floor yesterday. Many of the audience were experts themselves, so the discussion was, one might say, among colleagues in this segment. Standards for smart textiles was on the minds of many. One audience [...]