Hot Air Welding and Other Methods for Manufacturers

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Hot Air Welding

Image courtesy of Miller Weldmaster Thermoplastic product manufacturers often use welding to seal technical textiles during product manufacturing. This enables the creation of all kinds of coated textiles products involving complex shapes, large surfaces, and waterproof constructions of high durability.  In this article, we present the considerations manufacturers should make when choosing a welding method, depending on their needs and … Read More

The Five Most Critical Technical Fabric Performance Factors

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Technical Fabric Performance

When it comes to the variety of uses for technical fabric, it’s clear that they run the gamut. From architectural to medical applications and many more in between. This wide range of functionality has led to the development of several different types of technical fabrics, each with its own set of performance characteristics. In this article, we present the 5 … Read More

Enhancing the Durability of Your Products With Hot Melt Coating Method

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Technical textiles are produced by combining a Polyester, Polyamide, Kevlar or others base fabric with specialized coatings thermoplastic polymer such as Vinyl, TPU, Polypropylene, and alloys. This results in a composite material with new properties, which neither of the materials can achieve on its own. This has led to the development of various coating methods, used in the production of … Read More

Insider Highlight: What Erez Does With PVC Coated Fabric Scrap

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Companies today increasingly turn to environmentally friendly practices. By utilizing sound recycling and upcycling practices, they aim to reduce their carbon footprint and create cost savings. PVC coated fabric scrap is a necessary evil associated with the mass production process. That’s why as a specialized manufacturer, Erez has made it a priority to work towards sustainable product end of life … Read More

Coated Textiles to Consider for Successful Environmental Control

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Companies promoting environmental control, need specialized coated textile materials. The challenge for a successful selection is choosing coated textiles with properties that meet final product application requirements. That’s why specialization is required when it comes to environmental control applications. Erez is an experienced coated textiles manufacturer that can tackle environmental control challenges and use cases with many different materials, fit … Read More

The importance of retro reflection on different coated textile applications

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Retro reflection is a property used with various products and applications, providing increased visibility in low lighting conditions by means of passive illumination. From sheets and paint used in road signs, to critical applications like marine safety equipment, it is clear that retro-reflective materials enable the creation of a wide array of effective products. For many industry sectors using retro-reflective … Read More

Case Study #1: Gaining competitive edge with the Glowspot technology

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A particularly significant milestone in the development cycle of any new technology, is its use in a real life product or application. Rightfully so, as it is one of the best ways to demonstrate its usefulness, showcase its potential, and spark imagination for new applications of the technology. In this case study, we will be taking a detailed look into … Read More

The State of the European Coated Textile Industry

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The European coated technical textiles industry is enjoying a strong market presence, as well as deep technical know how. The EU coated textiles and thermoplastics market is in lockstep with the overall technical textiles sector, which is projected to expand and grow with a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% for the next five to six years. This growth is … Read More

Trends to Watch at Techtextil2019

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Techtextil2019 is a leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, taking place in Frankfurt from 14 to 17 of May 2019. This international exhibition hosts more than 1,400 technical textiles companies of all sizes and from the industry’s entire spectrum. Manufacturers showcase products to more than 33,000 visitors, for a full range of applications including architecture, automotive, construction, … Read More

Coated Textiles for Your Spill-Containment Applications

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spill containments

The Importance of Environmental Control If your company deals in environmentally hazardous liquids, most likely your government requires you to have a response plan in the event of a spill. Your plan might need to include contingencies for spill prevention and control, as well as appropriate countermeasures. Often, meeting these requirements involves placing physical barriers around the site of a … Read More

Reuse vs. Recycle for Coated Textiles

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Reuse vs. Recycle for Coated Textiles

Environmental concerns are increasingly important to consumers, governments, and employees. For manufacturers of thermoplastic technical textiles, the disposal of waste materials (scrap) is an increasingly important environmental concern. Disposing of this large amount of scrap in a landfill is undesirable and costly. The responsible action is to either reuse or recycle this material. Today, we’ll look at these two options: … Read More

Searching for Sustainable Coated Textile Manufacturers? Ask These 3 Questions.

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coated fabrics

Likely, you are experiencing increased pressure as a manufacturer to incorporate sustainable practices into your business directives. But what does sustainability mean, and how can you identify business partners who share the same goals? Often, sustainability is broadly defined using the Three P’s—People (social), Planet (ecological), and Profit (economical). For the manufacturing world, these mean generating minimal negative environmental impacts … Read More

All you need to know about pvc welding technique

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pvc welding process

Image courtesy of Miller Weldmaster   Erez offers a wide variety of PVC/PU-coated, polyester-based technical textiles that can be used in wide array of applications.  These materials stand up to extreme weather conditions, chemicals, abrasion and punctures, as well exhibit high flexibility and UV stability. This makes them ideal for rescue boats, pontoons, ribs, flexible storage tanks suitable for most … Read More

Is it Possible to Recycle TPU-Coated Textiles – And is it the Best Option?

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Technically,  thermoplastic-coated textiles can be recycled. Chemical processes exist that can retrieve the coating, base material, additives, glues, as well as the chemical solutions used in the dissolution process. And, recycling has many advantages. It can reduce scrap waste by 90-96%. This can save you disposal costs and help conserve valuable raw materials. However, there is still a shortage of … Read More

Sustainable Manufacturing and What it Means to Your Company

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What is Sustainable Manufacturing? Sustainability means more than using environmentally friendly products. Often, it is broadly defined using the Three P’s—People (social), Planet (ecological), and Profit (economical). For the manufacturing world, these mean        being a good community citizen through job creation and investment,        creating product and community safety, and        following the law and paying taxes — all while generating minimal … Read More

Hypalon vs. TPU Coating for RIBs – What Builds a Better Boat?

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Rigid-hull inflatable boats (RIBs) can be over 12m long and hold more than 20 people. But most RIBs are smaller, designed to be stable on ocean waters and reach short-range destinations fast. Common uses for RIBs are rescue boats, dinghies for larger boats, and as pleasure crafts. RIBs usually have v-shaped hulls surrounded by inflatable gunwale tubes that are constructed … Read More

What is Hot Wedge Welding and is it Right for My Application?

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Image courtesy of Miller Weldmaster   Hot Wedge (HW) Welding Hot wedge welding, also known as bar welding, uses a heated metal wedge to provide the required heat for melting the thermoplastics. The wedge is precisely positioned at the weld point as two sheets of fabric or film are pulled across the heated wedge. The material is moved across the … Read More

Improving Welding Thermoplastic Coated Fabrics

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The process for all thermoplastic textiles welding consists of the same basic elements: heat, pressure, and cooling. These three elements are controlled based on the materials being welded, the welding method, and the speed of the manufacturing process. However, many other factors affect the strength and seal quality: Tooling layout Weld thickness Material thickness Machine controls Operator experience In the … Read More

How This New Retro-Reflective Textile Technology Can Take Your Products to the Next Level of Success

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Retro Reflective Textile - glowspot

In today’s increasingly competitive market, technical textile product manufacturers constantly try to differentiate their products in order to stay ahead of the competition and gain a market advantage. With new GlowSpot, a patented retro-reflective material that can be applied in the external layer of any technical textile, manufacturers can now differentiate their products and offer game-changing, and possibly life-saving, advantages … Read More

Marine Safety Trends to Watch at METSTrade

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The METSTRADE show is the world’s largest trade exhibition of marine related equipment, featuring more than 16,000 exhibitors in three different Pavilions. At this year’s METSTRADE show visitors will discover trends for specialized raw materials and composites for the marine construction industry, such as advanced retroreflective materials, for use in boating & safety applications. One of the central trends to … Read More

Trends in Coated Technical Textiles to Expect at IFAI Expo

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trends to expect at IFAI expo 2018

IFAI Expo 2018 is the largest and most anticipated technical textiles expo in North America, featuring more than 350 exhibitors. It is the annual gathering of over 12,000 suppliers, manufactures and end users in the Industrial Fabrics industry. This year’s visitors will learn about industry trends and be exposed to new products and technology, stemming from safety, transportation and environmental … Read More

The State of the Coated Technical Textile Market in the US

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The State of the Coated Technical Textile Market in the US

The current state of the coated technical textiles market in the US is very positive, which is due to several converging factors. For one, the increased rate of US GDP and the overall optimistic state of the US economy have positively affected the coated textile market as well. Moreover, the US government has announced “The Bipartisan Budget Act”, an act … Read More

Welding Thermoplastic Coated Textiles – An Introduction

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welding thermoplastics

Welding is a widely used form of material joining thermoplastic-coated materials coated used in the technical textile industry. Virtually all thermoplastics exhibit excellent weldability. The process of thermoplastic welding consists of the same basic elements: heat, pressure, and cooling. These three elements are controlled based on the materials being welded, the welding method, and the speed of the manufacturing process. … Read More

The Best Applications for Copolymer EVA Alloy Coating

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eva alloy coating

EVA-alloy coating is a copolymer vinyl alloy derived from common PVC. However, it is not simply PVC with additives – it is an entirely new polymer. Erez has used breakthrough polymer blending to create Erez ERcoat™, a uniquely strong EVA/PVC copolymer alloy that can stand up to the harshest conditions and containment needs. Tough and Flexible ERcoat™ is naturally flexible … Read More

Designing Flexible Diesel and Fuel Storage Tanks – 5 Things to Consider

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fuel storage tanks

Flexible fuel storage tanks can be designed to meet the requirements of virtually any application. In general, fuel bladders must provide: Low evaporation Custom made Excellent structural properties Compact when empty (flexible) Easy, minimum maintenance Safety in use Low bacteria development risk Rapid installation To deliver those benefits, the technical textiles they are constructed from must deliver strength and flexibility, … Read More

How Much Do You Know About Your Options for Life Jacket Material?

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life jacket material

Life jackets, or personal floatation devices (PFDs), play a critical role in the safety and survival of those who play and work on the water. PFDs are required by law to meet stringent performance criteria, and this includes the materials they are constructed from. Most PFDs are constructed using nylon or polyester fabrics of varying weights (measured in Dtex) that … Read More

5 Things to Consider When Looking for an ISO-Certified Supplier

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iso certified supplier

The world is increasing global, particularly when it comes to B2B trade. Marine safety products are no exception. To be profitable, manufacturers must be able to sell their products in multiple countries. To do this, you want to procure materials of the highest quality, at a reasonable cost, and meet internationally accepted standards. Here are 5 things to consider when … Read More

Inflatable Boat Fabrics: The Benefits of TPU

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benefits of TPU

The technical coated-fabrics that are used to construct inflatable boat bladders require strength, flexibility, wear resistance, puncture resistance, and, of course, ease in welding and handling, among other attributes. Most modern, certified options are nylon or polyester fabrics coated with either Hypalon (CSM), Polyurethane (PU), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). However, TPU-coating dominates the market for good reasons. … Read More

If Your Factory Works with Marine Textiles – Consider These Top Technologies for 2018

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marine textiles

Whether you use coated textiles to manufacture marine safety equipment such as life jackets ( PFDs)  or life rafts, or boating products like foam- or inflatable-collar boats, your product lines evolve and so do the requirements for the materials you use. Erez understands that you are always looking for new, precision, high-quality coated textiles. So, we constantly invest resources into … Read More

Insider Highlight: NSF Certification for Flexible Storage Tank Textiles

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nsf certification

Flexible storage tanks are lightweight, foldable bladders used to store liquids. Often, the liquids being stored are drinking water or foods such as oils, wine, or milk. When used in these applications in the United States and Canada, tanks and their components must meet and be certified under a recognized safety standard such as the NSF/ANSI 61 standard (NSF 61). … Read More

The Most Common Uses of Waterproof TPU Fabric – Is It Right for Your Product?

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Waterproof TPU fabrics bond a thermoplastic polyurethane membrane to a base textile, such as nylon or polyester fabric, to create a wide range of high-performing materials that maintain their flexibility yet are durable and waterproof. TPU has a long list of excellent material properties. It is abrasion resistant, tear resistant, has excellent bending and tensile strength, large elongation break, low … Read More

3 Key Advances in Coated Textiles for Marine Safety Equipment

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marine safety equipment

New technology to help marine safety equipment function better, for longer, in rougher conditions is coming to the fore, and businesses need to know what their options are for creating and upgrading products to feature the latest advances. TPU-coated textiles are incredibly versatile and, especially when using a polymer blend, can have many different valuable properties to help make your … Read More

Insider Highlight: Understanding ISO Test Methods for Textiles

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iso test methods for textiles

The International Organization of Standardization (ISO) sets standards for a variety of different industrial products and processes. These standards are drafted by a worldwide federation of national standards bodies and then adopted by the ISO. Different countries and groups have the responsibility for setting different standards that are then reviewed and adopted internationally. Understanding ISO test methods for textiles is … Read More

4 Questions to Ask When Looking for a New Marine Fabric Supplier

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marine fabric supplier

Sourcing coated textiles for your marine products means you’re certainly considering different companies and potentially considering different varieties of coatings that are applicable to your end product. While you probably have a good idea exactly what you want, here are five questions you should consider to make sure your product will work as desired and the marine fabric supplier is … Read More

3 Important Things to Know About Sourcing PVC Alloy or PVC Fabric

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sourcing pvc fabric

If you are sourcing coated PVC alloy or PVC fabric for a technical application, you know that the look, feel, and functionality of your end product are set by the quality of the textile you choose. Manufacturing businesses considering new suppliers for coated textiles need to consider both general factors and factors specific to the unique conditions and needs of … Read More

The 5 Most Important Characteristics of TPU Coated Nylon Fabric for the Marine Industry

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tpu coated nylon fabric

When sourcing fabrics for marine safety end products, many manufacturers look to textile suppliers for various types of TPU coated nylon fabric and TPU coated polyester fabric. TPU coated nylon and polyester textiles are primarily used for inflatable life jacket bladders and for inflatable life rafts. Within the marine industry, the technical and regulatory specifications required for the end product … Read More