Choosing the right commercial awning fabrics for durability

Thanks to ingenuity and technological breakthroughs in synthetic fabrics, top coatings that protect those fabrics have advanced —an evolution that has continued to accelerate.

During the 1970's and 1980s, it was common to respond to questions on awning fabric performance with a disclaimer. Warranties, colorfastness, tensile strength, and ultraviolet stability were all new concepts then.

Herculite has led innovation in commercial awning fabrics, specializing in high-performance engineered textiles for more than 70 years.

As a founder within the synthetic fabrics industry, Herculite® helped pioneer laminated fabrics across many industries, leading to the development of many of the commercial awning fabrics we offer today.

Today's Commercial Awning Fabrics

Material advances have been driven partly by improved synthetic yarns as the basis — the scrim, or substrate — for many laminated fabrics, giving them increased strength and flexibility.

Coated fabrics created from polyester fibers have improved blends between cotton and polyester. This allows mills to produce a clean, strong, smooth product with unparalleled durability.

Woven polyester fibers have evolved, utilizing substrates with anti-wicking properties. Yarns treated during spinning resist capillary-like moisture absorption. This helps keep dirt and moisture out, helping resist mildew.

Chemicals for fire resistance, pigments, and ultraviolet stabilization pigments have improved. Air-jet looms create woven fabrics like acrylic consistently, without as many anomalies. Weave patterns have been updated. Performance improvements extend original life expectancy.

Fabric Selection for Durability

Fabric choices for awnings or canopies depend on what it will be used for and where:

• Commercial or residential
• Frontlit or illuminated (backlit)
• Interior or exterior

Fabrics designed for illuminated awnings or canopies differ significantly from other awning fabrics. Translucent and even-weighted fabrics are created for illuminated awnings like vinyl-coated or vinyl-laminated polyesters, specifically designed to increase light-translucency.

Graphics are also an option. Heat-transfer film, eradication, silkscreening, heat-sealed inset fabric, sewn-in inset fabric, even pressure-sensitive vinyl, and hand painting are all available for decorating awning fabrics. Fabric compatibility needs scrutiny if you want to use a specific graphic application method.

Handling will also vary among fabrics. Check which fabrics can be heat sealed or sewn, and what the shrinkage and stretch factors are. Make sure spec sheets, technical manuals, and cleaning agents are available.

Today, Herculite® offers a wide range of brands, products, marketing, design, manufacturing, consulting, and technical expertise. They provide the information needed to choose the right commercial awning fabrics for durability.

According to the Awning Division of the Advanced Textiles Association, there are seven primary fabrics for awnings and canopies:

• Vinyl-laminated polyester
• Vinyl-coated polyester
• Acrylic-coated polyester
• Vinyl-coated polyester/cotton
• Solution-dyed acrylic
• Painted polyester/cotton
• Solution-dyed acrylic

Awning fabrics typically weigh from 9 to 17 ounces per square yard. Ranges vary according to fabric type. All seven types offer good abrasion resistance and last 5 to 8 years.

Laminates, topcoatings, and coatings are commonly used to give fabrics protective qualities. These liquids are applied to woven scrim, the fabric base, and then cured. Coatings are liquid; chemical compounds are added to provide pigment. They are flame-retardant and provide UV, water, and mildew resistance.

Laminates offer the advantage of providing two or more materials within one. Technically, they are formed by calendering a reinforcing scrim or base fabric between two layers of thermoplastic film.

Finally, manufacturers apply heat and pressure and include an adhesive layer between the film and scrim layers, creating exceptional durability.