Keri Ames' career path in the marine fabric world is full of statements that begin with “never did I ever.” Never did she ever think she’d take her family’s sailing hobby to the next level, run a marine canvas business or teach courses through Yachtsman’s Canvas Marine Canvas Training.

In today’s workforce, and particularly in the specialty fabrics industry, it’s difficult to bring in new, younger workers and make them feel engaged and productive. And with older workers delaying retirement, companies now must grapple with adapting to multigenerational workforces.

Whether a wedding is simple or extravagant, glitzy or subdued, bridal couples have a myriad of choices to make as it relates to wedding decor and accessories. And today’s tent and event rental companies need to have a finger on the proverbial pulse of all the latest trends to know what inventory to stock and to help couples make their nuptial gathering truly shine.

The relentless growth of the global population over successive decades has placed a significant strain on the demand for food and potable water resources, necessitating a more efficient approach to water storage reservoirs. As the prevalence of drought intensifies, it becomes imperative to address the inherent challenges associated with traditional reservoir construction, which often includes soil with inadequate waterproofing capabilities and concrete sections susceptible to seepage through cracking within a relatively short span. This article explores the viability of geosynthetic lining as a sustainable solution for reservoirs. The selection of a suitable material is crucial, requiring characteristics that facilitate efficient installation across diverse weather conditions, cost competitiveness, and resilience to weathering when left exposed, all while allowing for easy maintenance. The bituminous geomembrane (BGM) emerges as a noteworthy option, boasting a low thermal expansion coefficient, a density greater than 1 kg/m3, and a proven track record of longevity when exposed. Its flexibility and bituminous properties enable smooth connections to various surfaces. 

Although computers have been working with large amounts of data since their inception, they can’t learn or reason like humans. They follow code instructions to perform a task. Artificial intelligence (AI) computing differs from rote programming in that the algorithms are training the computer to learn from data presented to be able to make predictions, draw conclusions or create distillations of the information. With the introduction of conversational generative AI program ChatGPT in late 2022, suddenly anyone could ask almost the entire internet a question and get some kind of answer, no programming experience needed, no fee required. Results aren’t always accurate, though, because not everything on the internet is true or current. Mistrust of AI’s output—and review by a discerning human—is essential. The tools will fact-check the information they assimilate for you only when specifically told to do so.

Every five years, the World Customs Organization (WCO) updates the International Harmonized System (HS) used to classify imported and exported goods. Effective January 1, 2022, a change was made to the interpretation of textile materials considered to be impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with plastics. This can impact rates of duty, not only for the textiles, themselves, but also for goods made out of those textiles, as well as eligibility for trade preferences, whether those goods are considered to be in the scope of enforcement actions such as antidumping orders, and a host of trade issues that tend to derive from how products are classified under the Harmonized System.