Information for the consumer
Awnings are designed to help protect people and living spaces from the effects of solar radiation. When properly specified, solar shading solutions can contribute to improved thermal comfort, visual well-being, and privacy.
TEMPOTEST® fabrics combine technical performance with aesthetic appeal and are tested through dedicated laboratory procedures to verify their suitability for the intended application.
Product technical characteristics and performance are subject to the terms and conditions set out in the applicable warranty documentation.
QUALITY, LIMITATION AND TECHNICAL POTENTIAL OF ACRYLIC FABRIC FOR SUN PROTECTION
Fabric weight, breaking load, elongation and tearing resistance, water column, water repellency, color fastness to light and weathering, solar energy performance and other characteristics are verified through specific technical tests conducted in accordance with internationally recognized standards.
Due to the inherent nature of the fiber, fabrics may exhibit minor aesthetic irregularities once installed on shading structures. These variations are considered normal characteristics of the product.
The examples shown below intentionally emphasize certain effects that may occur during use. Such effects are related to the intrinsic characteristics of the fiber, the fabric, and the awning structure itself, and may appear—with varying degrees of visibility—not only on TEMPOTEST® fabrics but also on comparable acrylic fabrics available on the market.
Proper installation can help reduce the visibility of these phenomena. The aesthetic variations described do not affect the technical performance of the fabric or its suitability for use as a solar shading and visual protection solution.
UNDULATIONS NEAR THE SEAMS
The continuous action of winding and unwinding the cloth may cause an over tension in the seams area, where the fabrics are overlapped and therefore thicker. This over tension could make undulations in the area near the seam. This phenomenon could be accentuated by humidity and may be more or less evident depending on the fabric colour or in different light conditions. The formation of undulations become more likely with the increase of the awning dimensions, or with the increase of the tension applied to the cloth. These undulations may also be known as “embossing”.
UNDULATIONS IN THE CENTRE OF THE CLOTH OR HONEYCOMB
It is possible that during winding and unwinding, the fabric can suffer some light movement. Over time, this can cause some undulations that may take the shape of honeycomb. The greater the number of fabric layers wrapped on the roll, that is the awning protrusion, the greater is the possibility of a movement of the fabric in the phase of opening and closing, and therefore some of these undulations can form. If the fabric is wound when still wet, these phenomena will be accentuated. Winding the fabric only when it is dry also prevents the formation of an environment suitable for the growth of mould, a phenomenon that can occur when there is organic dirt (pollen, tree resin, smog, etc.) on the awning, which becomes a breeding ground for mould, especially when the environment is hot, humid and poorly ventilated.
UNDULATIONS TO THE EDGES OF THE CLOTH
In a common awning the fabric is kept in tension simply by the winding roll and by the bar protrusion. Consequently it is possible that that there is not a uniform distribution of the tensions generated on the fabric in such a way that they discharge abnormally on the edges themselves. This phenomenon can be amplified when the awning is wound wet after being exposed to rain. We recommend to let the awning fabric dry before winding it again.
COMPRESSION FOLDS DUE TO WINDING
These folds can be formed during the manufacturing or the assembly of very large awnings. In light colours the phenomenon can be amplified and may show on the surface, beside the fold, some darker colour effects that look like dirt. The movement of the fabrics may accentuate this effect in the long term. Many installers and retailers adopt techniques to transport and install larger fabrics that now minimise the possibility of these unsightly effects. However, a fold is still often unavoidable for fabrics made for awnings or structures longer than 6 metres.
LINES AND WRITE AND EFFECT "PLASTER"
Coating products used to guarantee the performance of sun protection fabrics can cause some light-colored stripes. These stripes, also named “writing effect” are formed through the handling of the fabric. This is an effect more visible on colours of medium intensity.
MICROHOLES IN THE BASKET AWNINGS
Acrylic fabric is treated with a particular finishing that, in addition to ensuring the well-known technical features, makes it rigid and flat, characteristics that allow the fabric to remain well stretched during exposure when installed on traditional awnings. However this kind of fabric, when used for the manufacture of basket awnings, can give rise to the formation of micro-holes in correspondence with the folds of fabric that are formed due to continuous mechanical action of opening and closing.
“LIGHT-DARK” EFFECT
TEMPOTEST® research has developed more and more fabrics with special textile structures in which warp and weft threads of increasingly contrasting colours and shades intersect each other to form pleasant optical effects. It is possible that during the making-up of the fabrics, a “light-dark” effect is noted near the seams that join the fabric panels making up the awning. These effects are impossible to eliminate as they are intrinsic to the structure of the fabric, being the result of this new combination of different tones and do not compromise the technical characteristics of the fabric installed on the sun screen.
STARS EFFECT
TEMPOTEST® products have a textile structure in which warp and weft yarns intersect to form the fabric: it is perfectly normal that in backlighting there is a passage of light through the points of intersection of the threads. This type of effect does not compromise the technical characteristics of the fabric.
