Awardees of the inaugural Wells Fargo Pitch to the Pack competition in 2025. Image: NC State/Wilson College of Textiles Registration is now open for the 2027 Wells Fargo Pitch to the Pack competition. The competition is open to all entrepreneurs working in a textile-based business, with opportunities to win cash awards and sponsorships for prototyping [...]

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) announced the winners of the 2026 IBEX Innovation Awards Program. The program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI). The judges selected 12 Innovation Award winners and three honorable mentions from 100 entries submitted by exhibiting marine industry companies. [...]

The Dry Fast Antimicrobial Foam is an open cell, reticulated foam with antimicrobial properties. The open pores in the foam allow water and air to pass through. Photo: JustWholesale by Sailrite CushionRite Foam comes in a wide variety of sheet sizes, thicknesses and firmness ratings, as well as three marine applications. The Antimicrobial Cushion Foam [...]

Shane McEntyre. Image: Morito Scovill Americas Morito Scovill Americas (MSA), a supplier of high-performance fasteners for apparel and light industrial applications based in Clarkesville, Ga., has announced that Shane McEntyre has been promoted to CEO. McEntrye has been with Morito Scovill Americas for more than 37 years, joining the company in June 1989. He began his [...]

The Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) Nominations Committee met to review nominations for this year's advisory board election. The committee announces Brandon Altman, product manager at The Miami Corporation, has been recommended to fill the position. “Applicants were thoughtfully reviewed, and every attempt was made to select individuals who could provide a spectrum of representation on [...]

Registration is open for the ETLFs - Elevated Temperature Landfills webinar, Oct. 21, 1–2 p.m. EDT. Hosted by Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) and sponsored by Viaflex, it is free for ATA members and nonmembers. The presentation will cover the history and key distinctions between ETLFs and landfill fires, conditions that lead to ETLFs and the [...]

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released a document with additional information about the state's PFAS in Consumer Products Law. The document — "Connecticut's PFAS in Consumer Products Law" — provides information to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and others about certain provisions of the law. Enacted in 2024, the act addresses the use [...]

BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water President Heather Lougheed and NASBLA Executive Board Chair Christopher Jones have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing the organizations’ shared commitment to advancing recreational boating safety, education and environmental stewardship. Through the partnership, the BoatUS Foundation and NASBLA will work together to identify opportunities that advance [...]

Denise Offray, owner and CEO of OTEX Specialty Narrow Fabrics®, passed away May 2, 2026. Denise dedicated her life to her family business and the textile industry. Starting as a teenager spending her summers working as a switchboard operator in the customer service department of C.M. Offray & Son, Denise would go on to play pivotal [...]

Embedded LED lights in the Perko® EZ Fold™ Navigation Light differ from traditional light globes, and the light/lens combination achieves a low profile when the unit is folded down near the hard top or support rails of a canvas top. Photo: Perko The Perko® EZ Fold™ Navigation Light is built for hard tops and bimini [...]