In this chapter of our textile education we are going to talk about intelligent fabric. The added values is what it would make the fabric intelligent. Let`s have a look at the video of the production process of man-made leather.
Video
These shoes look like they are made from leather but some of them are actually made from an imitation. In the 1930s when PVC became widely available to manufacturers they started to make a cheaper alternative to the real thing and synthetic leather was born. It begins with simple ingredients, liquid called plasticizer which will help keep the material supple. A stabiliser to keep it in good shape. A fragrance for the authentic leather aroma and of course the main ingredients: polyvinyl chloride or PVC.
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The video has illustrated the production process of man-made leather.. Bru also run qualities of man-made leathers in their range.
Next, we are going to look at dim-out and black out products. This product group is invented to manage light and create privacy.The next video is a kind of retro video from Roc-lon expressing all the different characteristics of blackout coders.
Video Roc-lon
In the video, Roc-lon has carried out three tests: blackout test, noise reduction test and energy saving test.
During the blackout test, two different kinds of fabrics are tested to compare the performance. Those were Roc-lon blackout and a top selling brand of woven blackout. Both fabrics are put to cover a box that`s made out of glass with a light bulb inside. Lights bulbs are on and the light inside the room are out. As result, no light were coming out of 100% blackout fabric from Roc-lon. And there was a little bit of light coming from the other box which is 99% blackout.
For the second test, the noise reduction is tested. To do this they need a glass box, fabric and a phone. Music is playing in the box while the fabric is covering the box. They test the noise reduction by comparing the noises when the fabric is covering the box and when its` not.
In a sleep study, researchers determined that noises while you sleep can significantly increase blood pressure. Every time noise occurred, blood pressure went up.
During the Energy saving test, heat lamps are aimed directly at Roc-lon fabric. This is to see how well it blocks out the heat from outside.
As result, Roc-lon keep the room cooler in the hot weather and warmer when during the cold weather.
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So after this educational video let's have a look at some products in the Bru range. Doze is an example for a product that has a 100% blackout. It is created by three pass coating, the mid layer is a black coating which is based on a silk look fabric. This combination makes visually decorative
The other product group is the woven dim-out. Dim-out means, by weaving we cannot achieve 100% blackout. Regarding this product group, this is more attractive as a decorative element. On this kind of qualities, we also can achieve room high solutions up to 300/310 cm which is another advantage compared with 100% coated blackout where we only can work with narrow width under the 40 under the 3 cm.
The next category of intelligent fabric is the outdoor fabrics considered to be UV pro as a brand of Bru. These fabrics are made from yarns. It is very challenging, because of its` high colour fastness. Let's have a look at the video of Dolan one of the branded outdoor products.
Video Dolan
Dolan was developed to withstand the toughest weather conditions. The fibre is noted for having 5 unique properties which can be seen and felt. Dolan is used in indoor and outdoor fabrics for garden furniture, awnings, boat companies, canopies and soft-top roofs for cars.
The outstanding properties of Dolan are the result of continuous research and strict quality assurance.
By undergoing the Zenon test, fabrics will be tested on its ability to withstand natural sunlight and rain.
Dolan special colour fastness comes from the special dying process used the weather fast colour pigments are embedded directly into the fibre structure during the production process. There for, the colours do not fade even in the strong sun light. This means that garden and furniture upholstery fabrics awning sunshades and sunscreens retain their intense colour year after year.
There are over 2000 colours available in Dolan`s colour library. The fibre is equipped to withstand the utter most extreme weather and environmental conditions, whether it`s snow, rain or UV
Moreover, the special acrylic fibre has a rotten resistance, such as: rot, mold, fungal infestation and insects. To be awarded the Oeko-Tex label for environmentally responsible textiles. The fibres are manufactured in an environmentally friendly process.
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This video illustrates the solution dyed acrylic, the basic tool to build up UV Pro textiles. The next category we are going to look at is fibre guard. Fibre guard is an added value to make fabrics stain free. This kind of technology adds a certain value at end-user level. In the next video we are going to have a look on the demonstration of fibre guard.
The fibre guard offers a value that makes living easier. One of the examples of fibre guard product in the Bru range is the product called Braveheart; Braveheart is a lovely wool imitation. it is protected by fibre guard and still has an extreme comfortable feel and touch experience as if it is the original authentic very soft wool upholstery fabric.