Attività

Disadvantages of bamboo as a textile

Nothing comes without its disadvantages. As you decide which type of reusable bag you want your company to invest in, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons.

While the bamboo fabric is cleaner, more environmentally friendly, and more durable than many other textiles, it is more difficult to care for. It’s inadvisable to machine wash bamboo fabric; the liquid detergent and the fact that the fabric will sit in water for a long period of time both serve to break down the textile and reduce its lifespan. It’s highly recommended, therefore, that owners carefully follow the cleaning instructions that come with their bamboo product.

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)

PTFE, or Teflon® to you and me, is a non-flammable, very flexible, non-toxic and environmentally safe material that can be used in demanding conditions. It can operate at temperatures from -75°C to +200°C, or up to +250°C short term. It is also unaffected by most fuels, oils and fluids. 

FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene)

(Teflon® variant) It is a type of fluoropolymer that has very similar properties to PTFE such as operational temperatures and low-reactivity to chemicals.

Rubber

Natural rubber that ensures flexibility, even at sub-zero temperatures. Rubber is waterproof, chemical resistant, extremely flexible and retains it's flexibility over a wide range of temperatures. Due to it’s high cost, synthetic rubber compounds are available to create more economical solutions which offer very similar performance. 

Neoprene

Synthetic rubber that provides good oil and chemical resistance, tensile strength, as well as flexibility, even at low temperatures.

Silicone

For high or low temperature applications, operates from -50°C to +180°C. Excellent UV resistance and when exposed to fire does not produce any smoke or toxic gases. The soft material is however prone to damage and must be installed with care.

PUR (Polyurethane)

Offers good mechanical and chemical resistance. Its anti-kink characteristics make it ideal for high flexing automation applications. Depending on the blend, Polyurethane can be halogen free and flame retardant although not ideally suited for use in extreme temperatures due to the operating temperature range, typically between -40°C and +125°C.

LSHF cables are those which emit no more than 0.5% HCl when burned. Whilst more expensive than PVC/LSF cables LSHF provides improved building safety and are often specified for use in public buildings such as hospitals and airports etc. There is also CPR cable material.