The structure of Stain Free Technology: engineered by textile scientists

FibreGuard’s promise to our customers is the highest quality…but how can we calculate ‘quality’?

The perfect formula for world class fabrics is based in engineering and textile science, through tracking proven performance metrics across a range of criteria. Our team of textile designers collaborates with textile engineers to perfect and achieve this standard every day.

Today we look at the textiles lab behind our performance fabrics and their role in the production of our Stain Free Technology guarantee.

How FibreGuard fabrics are made

No forever chemicals or harsh cleaning products allowed

Designed in Europe, FibreGuard fabrics bring our love of high quality (and great experiences!) to the table. Unlike other easy-to-clean fabrics, the stain-resistant effect with FibreGuard performance fabrics is permanent.This means that the stain-free properties in our fabrics will not deteriorate after washing or prolonged use.

We coat the yarns with a solution that acts as a barrier against stains, preventing fabrics from retaining them. The stain cannot penetrate into FibreGuard yarns and are easily removed using water and soap if it’s an oily stain. This hydrophobicity increases surface tension and prevents liquid stains like blood, coffee or wine from penetrating into the fabric. It also forms a layer on the fabric surface to help keep solid stains like pen, ketchup, or lipstick on the surface of the fabrics where it’s easy to clean.

The FibreGuard promise: aesthetic beauty, technical beauty, inherent beauty

You might have noticed that FibreGuard fabrics work on three different levels at the same time:

1. Aesthetic beauty: the hand-feel, the visual effect, the distinctive softness
2. Technical beauty: the performance standards, the durability stats, the structural excellence
3. Inherent beauty: our permanent stain-on-stain resistance technology

To meet this delicate balance, we developed testing procedures as a customised project together with Labotex, an independent, fully accredited textiles laboratory.

Textile laboratories like Labotex ensure that FibreGuard fabrics meet the highest standards: yours.

Textile engineers, such as those at Labotex, design, create processes and procedures for the whole scope of the textiles industry from fabrics to yarns and fibres.

They concentrate on the sciences bound up in all aspects of the textiles manufacturing industry. In FibreGuard’s case, proven performance is at the core of what our designers do, resulting in our easy clean fabrics ranges and their stain resistant properties.

They don't stop there, because at FibreGuard, the more peace of mind we can afford our customers, the better. That's why all our upholstery fabrics are free of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS/PFCs): otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals’. Read more.

The textiles laboratory behind FibreGuard’s stain resistant fabrics

Our work with Labotex ensures that we keep our quality promises through extensive textile testing that can certify our fabrics as meeting the highest standards.

Led by a team of highly skilled specialists with advanced, industry-standard testing equipment, Labotex takes fabric quality to the next level with scientific-level understanding of textile performance.

Laboratory technicians and assistants perform a wide range of technical testing for FibreGuard, including:

• Washability standards (ISO 3759). FibreGuard fabrics are fully washable at a range of temperatures and methods.
  
• Dimensional stability (measurements according ISO 3759) testing, which evaluates the dimensional stability of the fabric when hanging.
• Martindale and Wyzenbeek abrasion testing (EN 14465, ASTM D4157) and Pilling testing (ISO 12945-2, ASTM D 3511). These tests evaluate how our fabrics will look and perform even after prolonged use.
• Tensile strength (ISO 13934-1) and Tearing strength (ISO 13937-3). The tensile strength test measures the fabric’s strength and percentage of elongation until rupture (mainly for upholstery fabrics). The tearing strength test measures the amount of force needed to tear the fabric (mainly for upholstery fabrics).
• Seam slippage (ISO 13936-2). The seam slippage test measures the fabric’s movement at the seam (mainly for upholstery fabrics).
  
• Colour fastness to light (ISO 105-B02). The CFL test records the fading of the colour of the fabric when exposed to light. Check out FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics and their robust colourfast to light-resistant qualities.
• Stain removal fabrics testing. FibreGuard has developed a unique set of testing criteria to guarantee ultimate cleanability, stain-on-stain removal, wash after wash. Read more about this here.

Interested in a dive into the deep end of textile testing? Explore our Mechanical Tests.

Strict performance and impartiality standards

Labotex operates under a laboratory-specific certification (the ISO 17025) that identifies strict requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of laboratories. It’s an international standard that is applicable to all organisations performing laboratory activities, regardless of the number of staff.

On top of this, their ISO 9001 certified Quality Management system is a globally recognised specification based on several quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement.

Why this matters to our customers

Here’s the important question though: why are these standards important for your business?

Working within internationally recognised systems like these ensures that our customers receive consistent, high-quality products and services, which in turn can then bring them a host of business benefits.

As we've seen, the perfect formula for world class fabrics is based in engineering and textile science. With the work of our partners at Labotex, FibreGuard fabrics are ready for a huge range of end uses, from hospitality settings and leisure retreats (#vanlife, anyone?) to healthcare environments, restaurants/bars and even your own home.

Ready when you are.

Let’s get to work.