J. Ennis Fabrics' Guide to PU Upholstery Fabrics

A GUIDE TO: Residential and Contract Polyurethane Upholstery Fabrics PUBLISHED:

AUGUST 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

The Manufacture of Polyurethane Fabric: Steps 1 & 2

p. 3–4

The Strengths of J. Ennis Fabrics’ Polyurethanes

p. 5

The Environmental Benefits of Polyurethanes

p. 6

Hydrolysis & the Hydrolysis Test Method

p. 7

Contract Upholstery Material Comparison

p. 8

Upholstering with Polyurethanes

p. 9

Care & Cleaning

p. 10

Endurepel™ Armour

p. 11

The Manufacture of Polyurethane Fabric

Polyurethanes (PUs) are polymers that are durable, supple and hard-wearing. Different combinations of these polymers change the characteristics of the PU—from soft and silky, to rubbery, to flexible with excessive stretch, to hard and stiff, even to spongy. PUs coated on fabrics are used in various markets including clothing and shoes, recreational end uses such as bags, and residential and contract upholstery. Benefits include flexibility, durability, breathability, faux-leather hand and appearance.

STEP 1

BACKING THE PU

PU STABILITY

PU SOFTNESS

FABRIC ROLL UP

The backing fabric is adhered to the PU base layer.

The fabric is run through various processes to make it soft and flexible.

PU Base Cloth rolled in preparation for finishing treatments.

COATING BLADE

FABRIC PREPARATION

COAGULATION

WASH CYCLE

DRYING CYCLE

Prepares fabric to receive PU coating.

Thickens and solidifies the PU coating.

Removal of impurities and further conditioning of the PU base.

Curing and final adhesion of the PU coating to the fabric.

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The Manufacture of Polyurethane Fabric

This diagram depicts a condensed version of the manufacture of Polyurethane fabrics for demonstration purposes. There are numerous variations of this manufacturing process which should be taken into consideration, dependent on the requirements of any one given Polyurethane on a case by case basis.

STEP 2

PU BASE FROM STEP 1

PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT

DRYING PROCESS

The addition of the PU Skin Layer improves abrasion and durability of the final product.

The combined PU Skin and PU Base are heat-set, fixing the design, color, hand and texture into the final product.

COATING THE PU SKIN

FINISHED PRODUCT

Applying the surface color and finish.

ADDING THE PU SKIN

MAGNIFICATION OF THE FINISHED PU RELEASE PAPER

LAMINATING

Gives the PU its texture and design elements.

Bonding the PU Skin with the PU Base Fabric from Step 1.

4

The Strengths of J. Ennis Fabrics’ Polyurethanes COMFORT SUPERIOR HAND PUs offer a variety of soft, leather-like, and supple upholstery seating surfaces.

BREATHABILITY PUs offer a measure of breathability, whereas PVC surfaces are not.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL PUs are cooler on the surface, and remain comfortable to sit on even after long periods of time.

PERFORMANCE DURABILITY & STRENGTH J. Ennis Fabrics uses a number of combinations of high grade resins to achieve the highest levels of durability, hydrolysis, abrasion and overall toughness. The cost of the PU is directly correlated to the quality of the resin and performance additives that are used in production to make it suitable for its intended market. It is important that both the base layer and the skin layer are correctly formulated to ensure fabric longevity. This is even more critical for contract end uses due to higher levels of wear and tear.

RESISTANCE TO STAINING Polyurethanes automatically provide very good inherent stain resistance. Certain products offered by J. Ennis Fabrics, like Premier and Ultraleather® Pro have an additional top coat that offer extra protection to even the harshest staining including ink and blue jean dyes.

RESISTANCE TO CLEANERS PUs should be cleaned with warm water and diluted detergent. It is always important to wipe the PU with a soft dry cloth immediately after washing. This process will extend the life of the PU. High Performance PUs, such as Premier, with Endurepel™ Armour technology, are also resistant to the most aggressive detergents, including Sodium Hypochlorite, Triad III, Virox 5 and other peroxide-based cleaners, diluted bleach, and various alcohol-based cleaners. Even with these cleaners, it is important to adhere to the process of wiping dry with a soft cloth immediately after washing.

5

Environmental Benefits of Polyurethanes

PUs have have the following environmental advantages over PVC based faux leathers: • Polyurethanes decompose over time whilst PVCs do not.

• PUs can be incinerated without releasing any harmful chemicals. In comparison, PVCs may release toxic compounds.

• PUs mostly contain lower levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) than PVC fabrics.

• J. Ennis PUs are manufactured in energy and water efficient production, with the recycling of both raw materials and water throughout the manufacturing process.

• PUs are Phthalate-free, whereas PVCs contain Phthalates.

• J. Ennis PUs are either free of, or have only trace amounts of Lead and Heavy Metals depending on the PU offered.

• BPA (Bisphenol A)-free • Formaldehyde-free • REACH-compliant • J. Ennis PUs do not contain any Conflict Minerals.

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Hydrolysis & the Hydrolysis Test Method

HYDROLYSIS Polyurethane Hydrolysis resistance is the primary factor used to determine whether or not a PU is suitable for upholstery applications.

Hydrolysis is the process by which heat and humidity break down the cell structure of a PU, resulting in delamination, flaking, and brittleness. The best way to maximize hydrolysis resistance is to use strong combinations of high grade resins in the base and the skin layers of the PU.

THE TEST METHOD USED TO DETERMINE RESISTANCE TO HYDROLYSIS The test standard used to measure hydrolysis resistance is ISO 1419 (Tropical Test Method C)—commonly referred to as the Jungle Test.

In this test, a sample swatch of the PU is placed in a controlled humidity & convection-oven apparatus. The PU is subjected to relative humidity of 95% and a temperature of 70°C (158°F) over a period of several weeks. At the end of this period, the test sample is compared to the control standard sample for degradation, abrasion and flexibility.

Each week provides an indication of the number of years that the PU will remain resistant to the effects of hydrolysis. Note that this is not considered to be a 100% correlation. One week approximates one year.

HYDROLYSIS TESTING The PU fabric is subjected to a temperature of 70°C (158°F) and a relative humidity of 95%.

For residential purposes, J. Ennis Fabrics supplies PUs with a minimum of a 3 weeks hydrolysis test. For contract purposes, J. Ennis Fabrics follows the guidelines of the Association for Contract Textiles (ACT), offering PUs with a minimum of 5 weeks hydrolysis testing.

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Contract Upholstery Material Comparison PU

8

PVC

WOVEN TEXTILES

LEATHER

ABRASION RESISTANCE

High (Contract)

High (Contract)

Low to high, dependent on construction and yarn

High (Contract)

STAIN RESISTANCE

High inherent stain resistance. Additional resistance with top coat

High inherent stain resistance. Additional resistance with top coat

Low stain resistance unless treated with Endurepel™ Shield

Medium

RESISTANCE TO AGGRESSIVE CLEANERS & DISINFECTANTS

Yes, when using high quality resins, and Endurepel™ Armour top coat

Yes, when using high quality resins, and Endurepel™ Armour top coat

Yes, when using high No quality resins and Endurepel™ Shield Finish

BREATHABILITY

Yes

No

Yes

SEATING COMFORT

Soft, comfortable, temperature control

Firm, Gets hot quicker Comfortable, soft

Comfortable, soft

PRICE COMPARISON

Low to high, dependent on quality and hydrolysis resistance

Low to medium

High

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Environmentally friendly, Pthalate-free, high recycling

Does not decompose. Fabric dyeing is utilizes Contains Phthalates large quantities of water and energy

All price levels dependent on construction and yarn content

Yes

The tanning process uses aggressive chemicals, utilizing large quantities of water and energy.

Upholstering With Polyurethanes

PUs typically stretch more than PVC fabrics. This may lead to puddling or sagging if not upholstered correctly.

To mitigate this issue: • Reduce the sewing pattern to allow for PU stretch.

• Do not railroad the PU. • Use good quality high density foam.

• Cut the foam 1” oversize in length and breadth.

• Allow for additional breathing holes for faster foam recovery.

• Wrap the foam to reduce friction between foam and PU, to prevent creasing and bunching of the PU. • Note: No one PU is the same as another. Treat each PU individually to ensure best performance is achieved.

When sewing, it is important to remember to follow the practices as laid out below: • We recommend the use of a minimum of six stitches per inch using a light ball tip (leather) needle.

• Consider double stitching key seam areas.

• Take extra care when sewing with a top-stitch technique, as this may stress the PU skin.

• We recommend to avoid the extreme folding of the PU around tight corners without foam backing, as this will put excessive stress on the PU topcoat, therefore creating a potential wear point.

• Polyurethane is not recommended for use on welt cord due to its thin surface structure.

9

Care & Cleaning

Wash Polyurethanes with warm water and diluted mild detergent. Wipe dry immediately with a soft dry cloth.

For Polyurethanes that have been rated for aggressive cleaners, wash using the recommended dilution as described for each PU, wipe with clean water to remove the cleaning chemicals, and immediately wipe dry with a soft dry cloth.

Note: Do not leave excess liquid on the polyurethane for extended periods of time as this may speed up the effects of hydrolysis.

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Endurepel™ Armour

J. Ennis Fabrics’ proprietary performance finish, Endurepel™ Armour, provides tough anti-stain, antibacterial and antimildew properties. This finish ensures mild soap and water will clean most stains.

Due to the finish’s enhancement of Contract-rated polyurethanes, Endurepel-treated PUs are safe to clean using alcohol-based or peroxide-based cleaners, and other industry-standard cleaning products such as Virox 5, PCS Sodium Hypochlorite and Triad III.

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