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Fabric light structures and shade sails offer beauty and protection to all types of areas and environments. This also means the fabric they’re constructed from needs to be able to endure harsh conditions while still maintaining an attractive appearance. Safety Components WeatherMax fabric combines both qualities.
WeatherMax is already used extensively in Europe for shade sails and light structures. While it is dimensionally stable, it also has some elasticity, as well as high UV resistance and color retention. In contrast, acrylic fabrics often have poor dimensional stability, and solution-dyed polyesters cannot hold up to the sun. For many light structures, PVC and meshes are used. However, PVC is heavy and has a certain appearance that is not right for every application. While meshes work well, they offer less UV and water protection.
“Weathermax is ideal for residential installations and architectural applications where a less industrial look is wanted. It’s a beautiful alternative to PVC and knitted shade cloth,†said John Pierce, WeatherMax product manager. “On a recent tour of European WeatherMax shade structure installations, I was amazed at the creativity and beauty that they provided. We are excited and confident that this success will transfer to the U.S. as well.”
WeatherMax has twice the strength and six times the abrasion resistance of acrylic, according to the manufacturer, and is completely recyclable. Its tightly woven, solution-dyed SaturaMax yarns resist fading for five years or more. The HydroMax finish repels water and is breathable to limit the growth of mold and mildew. An improved C6 chemistry formula makes HydroMax more eco-friendly than other finishes. WeatherMax is offered in 24 rich colors.