When you specify a protective treatment for a fabric, the treatment itself is only part of the equation. How that treatment is applied can make an enormous difference to the finished result.
A coating applied unevenly, or one that sits primarily on the surface of a textile, is very different from a treatment that has been engineered to penetrate throughout the fabric.
That distinction is particularly important when fabrics need to meet demanding performance requirements or specified Australian and International Standards.
For more than 35 years, Australian Hi-Tech Fabric has treated fabrics and wallpapers for projects requiring specialist performance characteristics. Over that time, we have developed considerable technical expertise in applying treatments consistently across a wide variety of textile constructions.
Rather than relying on a simple surface spray, our process uses purpose-built machinery to fully immerse the material in a treatment bath. The fabric then passes through large polyurethane rollers applying up to eight tonnes of pressure before being cured and dried in temperature-controlled heating bays.
It is a carefully controlled process designed to achieve thorough penetration, consistent application and a durable bond between the treatment and the textile.
Here is how it works.
Why the Application Method Matters
It is easy to think of fabric treatment as simply applying a chemical product to the surface of a textile.
In practice, achieving reliable performance is considerably more involved.
Fabrics are three-dimensional structures. They are made from individual fibres spun or formed into yarns, which are then woven, knitted or otherwise constructed into the finished textile.
This means that applying a treatment only to the visible face of the material does not necessarily mean the treatment has penetrated evenly throughout its construction.
Different fabrics can also behave very differently during treatment.
Fibre composition, weave, weight, density, absorbency, backing and finishing processes can all influence the way a textile accepts a treatment.
This is one reason the application process is so important.
Australian Hi-Tech Fabric has spent more than 35 years working with fabrics and wallpapers that need to satisfy specific performance requirements, including projects where compliance with Australian and International Standards is required.
Our experience has shown that achieving those results requires more than simply selecting an appropriate treatment.
The application method is fundamental.
Step 1: The Fabric Is Fully Immersed
The FabricSeal application process begins by passing the fabric through purpose-built treatment machinery.
Instead of spraying the treatment onto one exposed surface, the fabric is fully immersed in a treatment bath.
This is an important difference.
Full immersion allows the treatment solution to surround the textile and penetrate into its structure rather than simply being deposited onto its outermost surface.
Think about the difference between spraying water onto the outside of a sponge and completely submerging that sponge in water. The two processes produce very different levels of penetration.
Textiles are obviously far more complex than a sponge, but the basic principle is similar.
By passing the entire material through the treatment bath, the FabricSeal process is designed to achieve a more complete and even distribution of treatment throughout the textile.
This also helps minimise one of the challenges associated with surface-only spraying: variations in application.
With spraying, factors such as spray distance, angle, coverage, overlap and the physical construction of the fabric can potentially influence how much treatment reaches different areas.
Immersion provides a controlled alternative.
The whole width of the fabric passes through the treatment solution as part of a continuous process.
But immersion is only the first stage.
Step 2: Up to Eight Tonnes of Roller Pressure
Once the textile has passed through the treatment bath, it travels between two large polyurethane rollers.
These rollers can apply up to eight tonnes of pressure.
This stage performs an important role in the application process.
Rather than allowing the treatment to remain predominantly around the surface of the textile, the roller pressure helps force the treatment deeper into the fabric structure and into the individual fibres of the yarn.
The combination of immersion and pressure is a defining feature of the process.
First, the textile is completely exposed to the treatment solution through immersion. It is then subjected to controlled pressure to encourage deeper and more consistent penetration.
The polyurethane rollers also assist in controlling the treatment across the width of the material.
The objective is not simply to put treatment onto the fabric.
It is to integrate that treatment as thoroughly and uniformly as possible through the fabric.
This is particularly significant when dealing with commercial textiles where consistency matters across many metres of material.
A fabric may eventually be divided between multiple chairs, wall panels, curtains or other finished products. Significant variation from one section of fabric to another can therefore become a practical problem.
A controlled machine process helps reduce that variability.
Why We Don’t Rely on Surface-Only Spraying
Spraying certainly has applications in the textile industry, particularly where an installed product needs to be treated or where immersion is impractical.
For our factory-applied FabricSeal treatments, however, we use an immersion and pressure process because of the level of control it provides.
Surface spraying fundamentally approaches the material from the outside.
The effectiveness of that application can depend on the operator, equipment, spray pattern and ability of the treatment to penetrate the particular textile.
There can also be a difference between how much product reaches exposed yarns and how much reaches fibres deeper within the construction.
Our process takes a different approach.
By immersing the material and then passing it through polyurethane rollers under substantial pressure, we can encourage the treatment to penetrate much further into the textile.
This approach helps deliver a more uniform and durable result while reducing the inconsistencies that can occur with surface-only spraying.
It also means the treatment process can be controlled as part of a repeatable production method rather than relying primarily on what is deposited onto the visible face of the fabric.
Step 3: Controlled Curing and Drying
Applying the treatment is not the end of the process.
After immersion and pressure application, the fabric moves into temperature-controlled heating bays, where it is carefully cured and dried.
This stage is essential.
The heating process is designed to chemically bond the treatment to the textile, producing a permanent treatment rather than leaving a temporary product sitting loosely on the fabric surface.
Temperature control matters because textile treatment involves a combination of chemistry and material science.
The process needs to provide the conditions required for the treatment to cure correctly while taking the characteristics of the textile into account.
The material therefore passes through controlled heating bays rather than simply being left to air dry.
This completes the three fundamental stages of the FabricSeal application process:
Full immersion. High-pressure penetration. Controlled curing.
Together, these stages are designed to create a consistent, durable treatment throughout the fabric.
More Than 35 Years of Textile Treatment Experience
Specialist machinery is important, but machinery alone does not provide technical expertise.
Australian Hi-Tech Fabric has been treating fabrics and wallpapers for more than 35 years.
That longevity matters because textiles vary enormously.
Natural and synthetic fibres behave differently. A lightweight decorative fabric does not necessarily respond in the same way as a dense commercial upholstery textile. Wallpaper presents different considerations again.
Experience helps us understand these variables and how they interact with different treatments and performance requirements.
Over more than three decades, Australian Hi-Tech Fabric has developed specialist knowledge around textile treatment, application, testing and compliance.
Today, the company is recognised throughout the industry for its technical expertise and longevity.
Our role is not simply to supply treatment products. It is to apply them using a controlled process developed specifically for professional textile treatment.
Meeting Australian and International Standards
For many commercial projects, fabric treatment is not simply an optional extra.
Architects, interior designers, specifiers, manufacturers and other industry professionals may be working with textiles that are required to satisfy particular Australian or International Standards.
Those requirements can relate to the intended use of the textile and the treatment being specified.
In these situations, consistency becomes particularly important.
A treatment cannot be considered in isolation from the way it has been applied.
The performance of the finished material depends upon factors including the original textile, the appropriate treatment, the application process and, where required, the relevant testing procedure.
Australian Hi-Tech Fabric’s application method has been developed to provide the controlled and comprehensive treatment necessary for these demanding applications.
For more than 35 years, we have treated fabrics and wallpapers to meet strict Australian and International Standards.
The only way we can consistently work towards these requirements is through a controlled application method.
That is why all suitable fabrics processed through our system are run through purpose-built machinery rather than relying on surface-only treatment.
What Does “Permanent Treatment” Mean?
The curing stage of the FabricSeal process chemically bonds the treatment to the fabric.
This is what we mean when describing the process as producing a permanent treatment.
It is an important distinction from a product that is simply sprayed onto the textile and left as a surface deposit.
The combination of saturation, pressure and curing is designed to integrate the treatment with the fabric.
Of course, “permanent” should not be confused with “indestructible”.
A treated textile remains a textile.
Its useful life can still be influenced by wear, physical damage, cleaning practices, environmental conditions and the characteristics of the original material.
The objective of the FabricSeal application process is to create a durable, chemically bonded treatment rather than a temporary surface application.
Can Every Fabric Be Treated?
Textiles vary considerably, which is why professional assessment is important.
The suitability of a particular FabricSeal treatment can depend on the construction, fibre content, backing, existing finishes and intended application of the material.
This becomes especially important when a project has specific compliance requirements.
Rather than assuming that every textile will respond identically, our team can consider the fabric and the treatment required for the project.
This is another area where more than 35 years of experience makes a difference.
Understanding how different textiles behave during treatment is part of achieving a reliable finished result.
What Happens to the Fabric During Processing?
Although the exact requirements can vary according to the textile and treatment, the fundamental FabricSeal process can be understood in four stages.
1. The material enters our purpose-built treatment equipment.
The textile is fed through specialist machinery designed to provide a controlled application.
2. The fabric is completely immersed in the treatment bath.
This allows the treatment to penetrate throughout the material instead of being applied only to the exposed surface.
3. The fabric passes through polyurethane pressure rollers.
Two large rollers apply up to eight tonnes of pressure, helping force the treatment into the fibres and yarn structure while controlling the application across the textile.
4. The material is cured and dried.
Finally, the fabric travels through temperature-controlled heating bays. The treatment is cured to chemically bond it to the textile, completing the permanent treatment process.
This combination of mechanical and chemical processes is what differentiates professional factory treatment from a straightforward spray application.
Consistency Across the Entire Fabric
One of the less obvious advantages of a purpose-built treatment line is consistency over length.
Commercial textile projects can involve substantial quantities of material.
A single fabric might ultimately appear across dozens or even hundreds of pieces of furniture. Alternatively, it may be installed across curtains, acoustic panels, wall coverings or other interior elements.
In these applications, consistency matters.
The treatment process needs to work across the width and length of the material rather than producing isolated areas of heavier or lighter application.
Running the textile continuously through an immersion bath, pressure rollers and controlled heating bays provides a repeatable process from one section of fabric to the next.
It is this combination of complete immersion, pressure and controlled curing that helps us achieve a uniform finished treatment.
Why Factory Application Makes a Difference
There are situations where on-site treatment may be the only practical option, particularly for materials that have already been installed.
Where a textile can be professionally treated before fabrication or installation, however, factory application provides important advantages.
The material can be processed under controlled conditions using equipment that would simply not be practical to reproduce on site.
Most importantly, the fabric can be immersed completely.
Once material has been manufactured into furniture, curtains or other finished products, full immersion is generally no longer practical. Treatment is therefore more likely to be limited to accessible surfaces.
Factory processing allows the textile to be treated while it is still in a form that can travel continuously through specialist equipment.
That enables us to use the complete FabricSeal process rather than relying solely on external surface application.
The FabricSeal Difference Is in the Process
When comparing fabric treatments, it is natural to focus on the treatment product itself.
But the chemistry is only one part of the finished result.
Application matters.
Australian Hi-Tech Fabric has spent more than 35 years developing the technical expertise and processes required to treat fabrics and wallpapers for demanding residential and commercial applications.
Our FabricSeal treatments are not simply sprayed onto the surface.
The material is fully immersed in a treatment bath, passed through polyurethane rollers applying up to eight tonnes of pressure and then cured and dried through temperature-controlled heating bays.
This process helps the treatment penetrate into the individual fibres of the yarn before being chemically bonded to the textile.
The result is a controlled, uniform and durable treatment designed to become part of the fabric rather than simply sitting on its surface.
For projects where performance, consistency and compliance matter, that application method makes a significant difference.To discuss the appropriate FabricSeal treatment for a particular fabric, wallpaper or project, contact the Australian Hi-Tech Fabric team.
