DONALDB. PITMAN
`
`Twitchell Corporation
`Twitchell Road, P. O. Box 1566
`Dothan, AL 36301
`
`MANY USES OF PVC COATED POLYESTER YARNS
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`HE INTRODUCTION OF PVC coated polyester yarns in woven and
`knit fabrics for industrial uses is having an ever-increasing impact on
`cotton and nylon and acrylic fabrics which were formerly dominant in
`certain industrial markets. It seems that prior to the introduction of
`these woven and knit forms with their breathability, the primary reason
`for the fact that the superior abrasion and soil resistance of the various
`plastic films had not yet fully reached their volume potential in seating
`areas dominated by conventional woven textiles has been the lack of
`comfort because of the zero breathability and the consequent dis-
`comfort after any lengthy periodofsitting on those films.
`The reasons for the continuing and increasing market penetrationof
`the woven and knit PVCcoated polyester yarn fabrics are many: (1)
`Vinyl which is about 75% to 83%of the weight makes the fabric quite
`durable in all kinds of weathering conditions. The vinyl also makes the
`fabrics crock resistant and easily cleanable and the material
`is self ex-
`tinguishing in an era of more stringent laws concerning fire retardance.
`(2) Polyester core yarns give the fabrics excellent
`tensile and tear
`strength and the vinyl covering eliminates the UV degradation problems
`which uncoated polyester has in outdoor uses and, of course, the same
`problem with UV degradation would apply to cotton canvas or nylon
`fabric. (3) The fact that the individual yarns are coated before weaving
`or knitting makes for a truly breathable, comfortable fabric where seat-
`ing is involved and excellent air transmission in other non-seating uses.
`Another important feature is that the fabric can be dielectrically sealed
`to itself or to another vinyl to eliminate need for sewing in certain end
`use applications.
`We are currently making three standard sizes of PVC coated poly-
`ester yarns for weaving and knitting: First is .018 which has a core of
`S00 denier polyester with a ratio of 19% core to 81% coating and a
`
`Journal of COATED FABRICS, Vol. 9 (October 1979), p. 138
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`DBR Finance, Inc., Ex. 1010
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`ManyUses of PVC Coated Polyester Yarns
`
`yield of 2100 yards per pound with asingle strand strength of 7
`pounds. This yarn is used to knit and weave fabrics in a weight range
`from 8 ounce to 17 ounces per square yard for a very wide range of end
`uses.
`The second is .025 yarn which has a core of 840 denier polyester
`with a ratio of 23% core to 77%coating and a yield of 1250 yards per
`pound and a strength of 17 poundspersingle strand. These .025 yarns
`are used to weave a weight range of 10 ounces to 27 ounce per square
`yard in a wide variety of end use areas.
`The third is a .030 yarn with a core of 1000 denier polyester witha
`ratio of 21% core to 79%coating, a yield of 900 yards to the pound
`and a strength of 24 pounds per single strand. This yarn is used in
`woven form primarily in a 17 ounce per square yard weight for sling
`type chairs both indoor, outdoor and marine.
`These Textilene yarns are primarily consumedin our knitting and
`weaving operation but we dosell a small percentage to the manufactur-
`ers of braided electrical harness for heavy duty vehicles.
`
`HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT
`this stage a brief history of the genesis of these yarns
`Perhaps at
`might be in order:
`We cannot claim credit for the ideaitself as that really came from an
`Italian company which pioneered with the coating of rayon tire cord
`yarns about 1962 or 1963.
`We becameinterested in the process in 1964 and secured the North
`American license for its production. We quickly came to the conclusion
`that greater strength and better economics in this country dictated the
`use of nylon instead of rayon as the core yarn and we made use ofthe
`name “Nyloplast” for the yarn we produced. We made the decision in
`1965 to concentrate primarily as a yarn supplier to weavers who were
`already supplying some original equipment fabrics to Detroit and we
`worked jointly with them in the creation ofa fabric using the .018 size
`yarns for original upholstery in the Ford pick-up trucks. It enjoyed
`about 3 years of popularity and excellent field results there but was
`phased out partly because of the comparatively high cost but more
`importantly by reason of the fact that Ford Motor Company them-
`selves became the prime producer ofslit knit vinyl fabrics. It doesn’t
`take much imagination to realize what kind of competitive pressure
`that was!
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`Donald B. Pitman
`
`During that period from 1967 to 1969 we engaged the services of
`Paul Letz, a noted textile designer, to create a color line and a weave
`which was directed at the casual and office furniture markets. It was a
`rather expensive construction and its use was only in very, very high
`price lines, but it did give some people an idea of the exceptional wear
`life and excellent breathability and comfort and relative easy care. At
`that time we were part of the Borg Warner Corporation, and there was
`still
`in effect
`the decision not to weave the fabric in our own mill,
`partly because it was felt that our looms were not suitable.
`In April of 1971 when we became independent again, the decision
`was madeto actively forward-integrate on that productline and create
`some weaves and fabric constructions which we would process from
`yarn through finishing and actively pursue the athletic, outdoor furni-
`ture and safety markets. Since 1971 we have made rather rapid and
`successful penetration of several markets formerly nylons and acrylics.
`It should be pointed out that we developed in 1971 a new and more
`economic process of yarn extrusion for which we used our trademark
`“Textilene” and did not take over from Borg Warner the license for the
`Italian process which they had in their possession at that time. It was
`that economic break-through, coupled with a few imaginative fabric
`constructions designed to meet market needs, which made possible the
`ee rather swift growth in these PVC coated polyester yarn
`
`abrics.
`
`APPLICATIONS
`
`Wheelchairs For Paraplegics
`One of the oldest and continuing uses of these fabrics solved a prob-
`lem for paraplegics who were confined to possibly 16 hours per day in a
`wheelchair. To meet the low stretch requirements (it would be most
`uncomfortable and detrimental to have a fabric which would sag to any
`great extent) a rather unique weave structure was created and a very
`heavy fabric of 27 ounces per square yard using our .025 yarn size
`resulted, but it was one thatstill had great breathability. It permitted
`the wheeling of a patient into a shower where the water would flow
`through the seating, which then dried quite quickly and that same
`porosity made it possible for paraplegics to sit for hours without per-
`spiring and the consequent irritation. The same construction in three
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`Many Uses of PVC Coated Polyester Yarns
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`colors is being used today as was created for this 11 or 12 years ago.
`This is not a particularly large volumeuse but one whichgives us a great
`feeling of usefulness and need-serving.
`
`Breather Fabrics For Jump-pit -- Athletic Goods
`Not long after the wheel chair fabric came the more open weave, 14
`X 12 count,
`.025 yarn, 12 ounce weight which became the standard
`fabric for the “breather” layers on the jump pits which made possi-
`ble 18’ pole vaults and 7%’ high jumps without serious injury. This
`came into its own in the Mexico City Olympicsand has since been used
`widely in secondary schools and colleges throughout the world. The
`fact that the yarns will ‘give’? enough to permit enormous stress, and
`then return quickly to the original shape because of their remarkable
`memory makes this a most useful fabric, and since the cost of a jump
`pit is a rather sizeable expenditure, its long outdoor life is a key feature.
`The same fabric in a 20 X 12 count has been used in a neutral grey
`color as the backdrop in the Cincinnati baseball stadium behind the
`pitcher in the center field area to provide better ball visibility for the
`batter. The same construction is used for wrestling mats and side mats
`in gymnastics.
`
`Gym Divider Curtains
`We make a 10 X 10 count .025 yarn fabric for the upper portion of
`gym divider curtains above the opaquearea to give excellent air circula-
`tion along with great strength and durability.
`
`Fabrics For Infant Back Carriers And Fold-up Strollers
`In 1972,
`to meet a need for a lightweight, breathable and durable
`fabric which would withstand constant flexing and folding, we created
`a 17 X 12 count using the light .018 yarn whichisstill used on a great
`many of the “umbrella type” folding strollers. The same construction
`has found use as a replacement for vinyl coated fiberglass yarn fabrics
`in screening in collapsible tent units where its better flex life makesit
`desirable.
`
`Safety Fabrics
`A knit structure using an .018 fluorescent orange or red color was
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`Donald B. Pitman
`
`evolved about 1968 for use in safety vests for high visibility in daylight.
`The same vests, in some instances, have reflective strips sewed to them
`to give night visibility. The porosity of those vests madeit practical to
`enforce wear even in the hottest climates whereas the unbreathable
`films in fluorescent color tended to make the wearer very comfortable.
`In a fairly short period of time, the State of Florida Sign Department
`found that the same material would make an excellent temporary high-
`way construction sign. The primary reason for its success in that end
`use is the fact that it does not blow downas heavy trucks pass by at
`high speedsas is frequently the case with the rigid or non-porous signs.
`Also, these could be equipped with a collapsible frame and be folded up
`to take a small portion of the space in construction vehicles needed for
`the older type signs. These porous signs also require only 23 pounds
`ballast, compared to 75 pounds for the older type. This use has spread
`to Georgia, North Carolina and California and_ will no doubt grow
`rapidly as more and more highway departmentsare alerted to the bene-
`fits.
`The same 10 ounce and 12 ounce knit weights are used in other
`colors for special police force identification vests. We recently learned
`of a use of a green color for signs for ski slopes which could be a rapidly
`expanding market.
`
`Lawn Mower And Sweeper Safety Bags
`A knit construction similar to the 12 ounce highway sign material in
`white is made for use in an industrial lawn sweeper bag becauseit has
`such excellent outdoor life, good impact, resistance due to knit struc-
`ture, ease of clean up and good sewing qualities.
`
`Cushion Cover For Outdoor Furniture
`About 1972 occurred the first fairly large scale use of a 17 X 14,
`.025 construction as the covering material for bulky comfortable out-
`door furniture on a Plastic pipe frame created by Landes on the West
`Coast, and they named the fabric “Tuff Stuff”. This was used on rather
`high priced furniture so the market was somewhat limited at that time,
`but so was production and it worked out well for all concerned. The
`field results were excellent and acceptance grew.
`It was learned that
`with the porosity and comfort of breathability came another dividend
`in that the cushions would dry out fairly rapidly even after exposure to
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`Many Uses of PVC Coated Polyester Yarns
`
`rain. About two years later, one of the major producers of cushions in
`Florida decided to replace his canvas, unbreathable vinyl and nylon
`coverings with this Textilene, primarily for the hotel replacement pad
`market, and it would have to besaid that the real explosion in usage of
`Textilene type fabrics dates from then. They were put in the lines of
`several of the high quality casual furniture manufacturers in the South-
`east and by the middle of 1977 became a dominant factor in that use
`area, with manufacturers throughout the world, and the growth rate
`this year is on the order of 40/50%. New earth tone colors and checks
`and tweeds have brought
`it
`into use in den furniture as well, which
`broadens the market penetration greatly.
`
`Sling Type Furniture
`In 1974 a special size yarn and more open Weave was created to meet
`a need on a new type sling furniture brought out by Samsonite. This
`was an .030 yarn with 1,000 denier polyester core to give a minimum
`tensile over 200 pounds perinchin thefill direction and 270 pounds in
`warp direction on an open mesh 18 X 10 construction. This was to
`replace and look as openas a flat bed knit polyester they had put on
`the initial pieces of this furniture and the polyester without vinyl coat-
`ing was notsatisfactory. This sling fabric was an instant success, and the
`construction has since been used in many other ways and is a large
`volume item.
`The same construction is in use in some new K-D (Knock-Down)
`casual
`furniture units and we can foresee much wider use of it as
`knock-down becomes more popular in view of ever mounting freight
`costs due to energy problems.
`
`Sun Umbrellas
`
`A comparatively recent developmentis the use ofthese fabrics as sun
`umbrellas, using a 17 X 14 or 17 X 15 count, .025 yarnsize, the same
`as that used for cushion covers.
`One of our customers with more customer need know-how than we
`possessed, apparently was struck one day with the thought that beach
`umbrellas are not generally sat under in the rain and therefore the fact
`that one had some porosity would be no drawbackso long as the shade
`factor was adequate. He provedto be very right, and the 17 X 15 count
`apparently has about 90%to 93% shade factor; and provides some very
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`Donald B. Pitman
`
`the porosity
`useful characteristics to a sun umbrella. For one thing,
`makes it cooler underneath its shade than under an unbreathable viny!
`coated fabric umbrella. For another, the same porosity makes it more
`stable in a heavy breeze, permitting the wind to exit and not balloon or
`blow over. Moreover, it is now possible to match the color and pattern
`with the cushion or sling chair fabric. Its rapid growthin use for these
`umbrellas involves much yardage as it takes about 6 linear yards of 54”
`or 58” for today’s umbrella over a table and chair set. The same reason-
`ing regarding the porosity might apply to awning, giving shade without
`trapping hotair and if so, that would open up a very large market and
`an added advantage would be the fact that the stripes or check would
`not be prints which could be lost with wear, but colored through and
`through and last the life of the fabrics. There has been some use of a
`green color as a complete patio cover in the area around Houston,
`where the fabric’s porosity to permit rain through only as a fine mist
`instead of huge drops tended to protect delicate plants and at the same
`time provide adequate shade in that hot area.
`
`Seating In Crop Duster Planes & Helicopters
`We have been providing modest yardages of a 20 X 12 count, .025
`yarn fabric to Piper for use as a sling seat in crop duster planes whereits
`comfort, ease of cleaning and self extinguishing character and strength
`made it very useful. For helicopter seats in training planes the same
`fabric used for wheel chairs has proved quite satisfactory.
`
`Catamaran Trampolines
`
`Both the 17 X 14, .025 and 13 X 10 .030 yarn fabrics are being used
`successfully as the trampoline area (seating or standing area) in Cata-
`marans made on the West Coast and on the East Coast where their
`porosity makes them more comfortable, less apt to change stability of
`the craft, and permit rain or wave water to dissipate immediately. Add
`to that,
`long outdoorlife and its utility for that end use area is quite
`apparent.
`
`Safety Rail Cover In Houseboats And Large Yachts
`The 13 X 10 count fabric has found use asa replacement for canvas
`as the safety rail material on houseboats and large yachts. It provides
`great strength to keep young children from slipping through the rail
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`Many Uses of PVC Coated Polyester Yarns
`
`area and overboard, and at the same time,visibility is excellent, coloris
`good and outdoor weatherability at a level unobtainable in most fab-
`rics. Also for this marine use,
`its resistance to fungus and mildew
`growth because ofbuilt-in Ventron compoundsis a real advantage.
`
`Office Furniture
`A construction of 19 X 15, .025 yarn, somewhat heavier than casual
`cushion covering, is used on office chairs where the manufacturer wants
`a surface which will be extremely long wearing and enable the one
`sitting in the chair to be comfortable and not soaked with perspiration
`in a multi-hour meeting. Some conference room chairs made 11 years
`ago, which have daily use, show no signs of wear or color change and
`are as useful as they were 11 years before. Obviously,
`it
`is not as
`luxurious looking as a woolorlinen, but for comfort, long-life and ease
`of cleaning it shows up well.
`
`Some Applications of Textilene With Dielectric Sealing
`Textilene fabric, being composedof a coating of virgin vinyl extrud-
`ed over a core yarn, can be dielectrically or electronically heat-sealed
`either to itself or to a vinyl firm. Some of our customers such as the
`baby stroller manufacturers find it more economical to seal the fabric
`to itself in that manner rather than by traditional sewing methods.
`A major problem in electronic vinyl sealing are holes, weak spots,
`and tears. In many cases, these can be minimized by inserting a strip of
`Textilene between the two vinyl films being sealed. The core yarn in
`our material reinforces the seal and effects a very tough bond whichis
`much stronger than a seal of two or three layers of film alone. This is
`particularly true in those applications in which the vinyl film is rela-
`tively thin.
`Since the Textilene strip is not exposed, scrap fabric or seconds or
`material made of obsolete colors may be utilized. A similar application
`on heavy duty sling seating, such as that in airport lounges, makes use
`of our SM-757 in brown as the back andseat reinforcing element, and
`companies such as Leatherforms in North Carolina and the Wood Works
`in California are using it in that manner.
`
`Dump Truck Covers
`Many states in the U.S. and some provinces in Canada have laws
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`Donald B. Pitman
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`which require the covering of dump trucks with a cover to restrict
`spillage of loads on highways. Where those are enforced, an open mest
`fabric in a 14 X 12 construction .025 yarn has been foundto be most
`satisfactory. It permits air to go through preventing ballooning ofthe
`cover, and at the same time the meshis fine enoughtorestrict spillage.
`The extrusion coated yarns in a fabric weighing approximately 12
`ounces per square yard apparently last much longer in field use than a
`plastisol dipped scrim of weights from 6 ounce to 8 ounce. The primary
`reason for this is the fact that the usual ratio of core to coating on the
`extruded yarn is 80%vinyl 20% core, whereas on the dip-coatedplasti-
`sol,
`the ratio is usually 50% vinyl
`to 50% core, and under constant
`flexing, the extruded yarn holds up muchlonger infield life.
`
`Solar Shades
`
`A market which is only in its infancy, but which appears to us to
`have enormous potential
`is an energy-conserving window shading
`system which employs some fabric wovenin varying densities from our
`-O18 size yarns.
`It
`is called the Mecho Shade System and has been
`developed by Joel Berman Associates in New York City and we have
`created an exclusive group of fabrics for them which they use in their
`ownfabrication, and they will also sell all the components,
`including
`fabrics, to other contractors. Briefly,
`it
`is designed to insure environ-
`mental comforts for people at a window wall by reducing heat gainin
`summer and heat loss in winter with the overall benefit of reducing
`energy waste in these days of ever-increasing energy costs and the
`coming crunch onfossil fuels. When one thinks ofall the window-wall
`buildings which have beenerected in the past several decades whichwill
`have to be retro-fitted to conserve energy, the number ofshades in the
`potential marketis staggering, and we can visualize this as being perhaps
`our largest yardage market by 1984 or 1985.
`
`Miscellaneous Uses
`
`Other uses which are rather minor in volume are the 13 X 10 count,
`.030 yarn fabric in an accessory bag for scubadivers, and fabrics like
`the office furniture construction as a breathable sport shoe upper; anda
`cane-like weave now used as seat and back panels for a rocking chair.
`I’m sure there are others which our imaginative customers have not
`revealed to me, but from the catalog we have already given, youcan see
`that the fabrics which are being made from PVC coated polyester yarns
`have a remarkable number of diverse uses.
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