All calendar events are subject to change. Please check websites for updated information. Feb. 4-5, 2026Midwest Fabric Products Association 2026 Zone ConferenceEmbassy Suites by Hilton O’Hare – RosemontChicago, Ill.midwestfabricproducts.com/convention Feb. 19–21, 2026Chesapeake Marine Canvas Fabricators AssociationHyatt Regency ChesapeakeCambridge, Md.cmcfa.org Mar. 30–Apr. 1, 2026Women In Textiles SummitEmbassy Suites Asheville DowntownAsheville, N.C.textiles.org/women Nov. 3–5, 2026Advanced Textiles Expo 2026Orlando, [...]

© Milllda | Dreamstime.com The marine fabrication industry encompasses a wide range of businesses, from multinational corporations to small mom-and-pop and one-person operations run out of garages or basements. Regardless of size, there are hardworking people everywhere with a passion for making products and/or providing services to customers. The work is rewarding, but it often [...]

Owner Mike Charlton moved to this 2,000-square-foot space in 2025 from his first shop, which was just 500 square feet and where he also had to share a table. Photo: Charlton’s Marine Canvas There are many routes to take when it comes to opening a fabrication business, and no one way is necessarily better—or easier—than [...]

The Time Standards Manual was developed in 1996 by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), a member group of Advanced Textiles Association, to serve as a benchmark that shop owners can use to set fabrication times, with which they can generate competitive labor costs. The manual is an ongoing project that continues to grow and change [...]