One thing more important than the look and feel of a fabric for water sailing is durability. You need a fabric that looks good and holds up well. Performance fabrics: woven synthetic fabrics designed to meet the demands of yacht sailing on the water. Read on to learn more about the outstanding benefits of performance fabrics.
Performance fabrics for yacht sailing watersports applications – including everything from cushions to boat accessories. They are suitable for your boat, car or RV. Because performance fabrics are so durable, they retain their shape and color no matter what you wipe them with. These fabrics handle dirty hands and paws with ease; most dirt can be removed with just soapy water and a soft brush.
All of the performance fabrics GELAY carries share the same basic features:
- Solution-dyed synthetic fibers for higher color saturation.
- UV resistance to prevent fading.
- Water, mold and mildew resistance.
- High abrasion resistance for increased toughness.
- Easy cleanability and stain resistance.
UV Resistance
The most common measure of UV or sun resistance is the number of hours it takes a fabric to fade. While solution-dyed fabrics have an inherent degree of UV resistance because the dye is saturated to the core of the fiber, which means color will naturally take longer to fade, fabrics can also be treated to withstand UV rays by using UV-stable pigments. GELAY considers fabrics with a UV fade rating of up to 1,500 hours to be highly UV resistant.
Abrasion Resistance & Durability
When choosing a fabric for an upholstery application, you need to consider how the fabric will hold up to life’s daily wear and tear: being sat on, napped on, walked on. A fabric’s durability is measured in what’s known as “double rubs.” All the performance fabrics we carry at GELAY have medium- and heavy-duty ratings. High abrasion resistance (30,000+ double rubs) means your fabric will take longer to wear and fray, making it suitable for high-traffic areas.
Cleanability
Messes happen. Dirt, spills and more (we’re looking at you, four-legged friends) are a fact of life. One of the great things about performance fabrics is that most messes are easily cleanable with mild soap and water. And because the fibers are solution-dyed, you can use a bleach and water solution for tougher stains without damaging the fabric or bleaching the color away.
