The Benefits of Duratop
DuraTop and You: Universal Use for Every Occasion
As in cooking, creating the best in event tents requires that you begin with the best ingredients. Or in our case, the highest quality base materials. These materials not only need the attributes desired in the final product, but the ability to undergo all of the manufacturing processes necessary without losing these features. With such a wide market for base fabrics, how do we choose? Luckily Celina has been scouring the PVC fabric landscape to bring you exactly the fabric you need.
Quality Begets Quality
Any fabric product needs to be able to do specific things once it’s received by the customer:
- Waterproof
There isn’t much longevity to items that let water pass through, especially when you are creating a horizontal canopy that will catch more rain and debris. This permeability can often lead to multiple wear points where moisture can infiltrate the material scrim and lead to mold and mildew. A good waterproof material should be able to wick away the moisture and repel large amounts of falling rain without needing to be replaced often.
- Mildew/Mold Resistance
Chemical enhancements to the base material can be a definite boon when it comes to repelling the growth of mildew on any fabrics used outside for extended periods of time. In addition to coatings and chemicals added during the fabrication process, materials that can withstand repeated additional applications of prevention treatments are beneficial.
- Printability
Without getting too much into the various specifics on how materials accept inks, there are fabric surface tensions that either allows it to hold and absorb the ink into the material and those that don’t. Obviously, the better the “soakage” you get the better that material is for use in printed banners, tent pieces, or whatever you plan on printing.
- Flamability Resistance
Any temporary structure made from fabric, be it a camping tent or event canopy, needs to meet or exceed fire safety ratings before being used. While the first step in identifying a worth-while fabric, there are a few different tests that can be applied for different situations. Have a material that passes a multitude of these tests makes for a better (and safer) material for all.
Economy of Material and Process
Here’s the twist – this material already exists! Celina uses DuraTop for our tent top fabric, allowing us to give our customers the highest quality canopies, sidewalls, and printed banners. Stocking a material that can be used in so many incarnations allows us to keep purchasing costs lower and stock up on a single base, making storage and organization a breeze. This in turns creates better priced products that arrive to our customers faster. It’s a win-win situation!