Today, designers, architects, and consumers are all looking for the newest, latest, and
advanced technology for eco-friendly and environmentally conscious materials. Although cost has been the main determinant for choosing materials, health and environmental benefits are taking a larger role in the conversation. There are now a variety of different standards from different governing bodies, whether it's REACH and RoHS in Europe, or Greenguard and Indoor Advantage in the United States. We are all looking to make a bigger impact in using products that do meet those standards and have a lasting positive effect on the environment.
Traditionally, vinyl fabrics were the standard for coated fabrics. The price can be incredibly low, and these fabrics can be made quickly. However, Over time, they release off gasses into the air, become hard and brittle, and are made of plastic/oil. Polyurethane fabrics addressed some of these issues, but PU does not handle well in extreme weather conditions, humid/wet conditions, and has difficulty against many healthcare cleaners. PU can be strengthened, but this requires the use of extra treatments, chemicals, and other substances.
Enter Sileather silicone fabrics. Sileather uses less water and no solvents in production, has no off gasses, requires no flame retardants on the surface, handles extreme weather conditions, and can withstand hospital cleaners. Now with Sileather as a leader in silicone coated fabrics, others have tried to make their own versions. Sileather remains the highest quality and here's how to know your silicone fabric is the real one.
1) Unstable batch: An unstable batch of silicone leather with poor material construction is mainly reflected in two aspects:
- Unstable abrasion resistance
The abrasion resistance strength between batches is not the same, which is more likely to cause premature wear, or be scratched with a sharp object.
- The deviation of color difference value is too high and the naked eye can easily distinguish different batches of products
2) Smell
Sileather silicone fabric does not have any odor. Poor quality silicone fabric has a strong odor due to the volatilization of surface treatment solvents.
3) Hand feeling
Poor quality silicone fabric has a plastic feeling, and the material will look like plastic, causing it to be relatively stiff. The whole product feels low-end, while Sileather silicone fabric is more soft and comfortable, with a slightly smooth and luxurious feel.
4) Easy to create dust
Silica gel itself is easy to create dust, and is very electrostatic. Poor quality silicone fabric is more prone to create dust. For example, if poor quality silicone fabric is used in constructing products and workers come in contact with it on their skin, it is possible that it will cause health problems (silicosis).
5) Sewing processing difficulty
It is difficult to sewing process, if choose a poor quality silicone fabric base cloth may lead to the overall strength is not enough, thereby affecting sewing, etc. Sileather always uses sewing friendly base cloths.