Purishade®, our best waterproof fabric for shade sails

PURISHADE®

Our Purishade® is created from polypropylene fibres. This material is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer made from oil and natural gas production. Propylene gas was a waste product from oil and gas plants. In the late 1950s the Italian scientist, Giulio Natta, polymerised propylene gas and produced a plastic polypropylene at commercial cost.

TEXTILE PERFORMANCE

Purishade® is naturally water and stain repellent, resistant to mould, moths and bacteria like no other synthetic or natural fibre and is extremely resistant to acids and alkalis. It is also resistant to humidity and weathering. It doesn’t absorb water and dries quickly.

Polypropylene fabrics have a high resistance to damage from exposure to light and weather, maximum colour fastness to the action of sun, wind and rain, the ability to withstand high mechanical stress, the ability to absorb UV rays, the ability to respect the environment and the advantage of being 100% recyclable.
Abrasion resistance is measured by a test (UNI EN ISO 12947): Purishade® required 35000 cycles before being broken against 600 of famous polyester and 100 of famous acrylic.

The mechanical strength developed by the fabrics is measured through another laboratory test (UNI EN ISO 13934-2). Here, too, the results are very clear: Purishade® is 40% stronger than the famous polyesters and 3.7 times stronger than the famous acrylics!

OUR COLORS

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CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

Purishade® can easily be washed with neutral detergent. It can also be treated with products more suitable for removing stains on textiles. Leave to dry outdoors. Water-based stains can be cleaned with a detergent and white vinegar.

Mix 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of washing-up liquid (also dishwashing liquid!), 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of white vinegar and 1 litre ( 0.264 gallon ) of lukewarm water. Damp a cloth in the solution, rub lightly and pat the stain dry. Now use a damp sponge to remove the detergent. Dab the water with a dry paper towel and let the area dry for several hours.

For a really stubborn stain you can use this method.

Wear rubber gloves and a mask as the fumes are caustic so open a window or go outdoors. Use a thin household bleach solution of 35% and 65% tap water. Place it in a spray bottle. Cover the stain evenly and leave for 60 minutes. Use a brush if necessary to dissolve the fibres. Rinse with plenty of water.

ENVIRONMENT

The Higg index, strongly advocated by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, provides a tool for the apparel and footwear industry to assess sustainability throughout a product’s life cycle, from raw material to end-of-life. Polypropylene is listed as the most environmentally friendly fabric, with far less impact than polyester and acrylic, commonly used in shade sails.

Neither solvents nor acids are used, as is the case for viscose, triacetate, nylon and polyester. It does not need washing unlike the wool production cycle (so no ashing wastewater is produced) or bleaching procedures (unlike the cotton production cycle where wastewater containing chemical bleaching agents is produced).

Without the need for chemical additives, Purishade®’s polypropylene fibre has hypoallergenic and anti-odor properties and is food compatible. Due to its chemical nature, fabrics made from it don’t cause allergic reactions on the skin and mucous membranes, even in the case of particularly sensitive individuals or those with irritation or allergies.With its excellent resistance to acids a nd alkaline sweat, polypropylene provides a high level of comfort, convenience and hygienic safety even for contact with the skin of an infant under 6 months.
It is therefore classified as Oeko-Tex Class 1.

Due to its physical and chemical characteristics, its production requires lower temperatures than other synthetic polymers and therefore has a lower impact in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. It can also be easily shredded, made into granules and reused up to 10 times!
This feature enables the recycling of waste into printable and reusable material.

A quick example:
To produce a polypropylene T-shirt, 0.6 litres of water are used.
2700 litres are needed for the same cotton T-shirt!

BREATHABILITY

Purishade® is extremely breathable: laboratory tests have shown that the air circulation allowed by the fabric reduces the perceived temperature by 37% compared to fabrics with poor permeability.

This fabric quality was strongly sought based on the use for which purishade® was created. It required the perfect integration of textile and production characteristics. The feeling will be that of being protected by the airy shade of a tree!

Fabric comparison	Purishade®	Famous polyesters	Famous acrylics
Material	Solution Dyed Polypropylene	100% Solution Dyed PET	Solution Dyed Acrylic
Weight	270 gsm	300 gsm	295 gsm
Environmental Impact (HIGG)	37	44	52
Traction resistance	2400x1700	2100x1400	1250x880
Abrasion resistance (cycles)	35.000	600	100
Breathability(g/sgm/24h) (ASTM E96 BW)	2500	400	1400
Water column (mm)	375	350	350
UPF	50+	50+	50+
Colour fastness to light UNI EN ISO 105-B04	7/8	7/8	7/8