A lot has changed in the way cars and designed and manufactured today. Everything from the material for the frame and body to the seating is lightweight and designed to be more durable. New upholstery seat fabrics are made fron 100% woven polyester. The softness can range from soft to extra firm. Fabrics that are unbound can come in a variety of widths and weights. The widths range from one inch to 204. The weights range from 12 to over 300 gsm. A relatively new automotive fabric is Dymetrol.
Dymetrol is actually a seat suspension system. It is a combination of polyester yard and DuPont Hytrel. Hytrel is an exclusive elastomeric sheath core yarn. When the two yarns are heated together, they fuse to create an industrial textile with bond points that perform like spring sets. The resulting suspension system is stronger and more resistant to deformation than other suspension systems. It will neither sag nor deform over time.
Dymetrol fabric is incredibly light weight itself but also reduces the weight of the vehicle by the parts that it replaces. When these kind of automotive fabrics are used in a car, this auto fabric replaces springs, wires, clips, and insulators and the amount of foam needed in seating is reduced. This means cars made with this automotive fabric are lighter making them more fuel efficient and cheaper to operate.
These automotive fabrics also improves the comfort of the car. The bond points created by fusing the two polyester yarns also serve to disperse the weight of anyone sitting in the seats, which makes the ride more comfortable. With the weight distributed evenly, pressure points on the body are avoided reducing any pain associated with them.
The automotive fabrics are also incredibly durable. The Dymetrol system can last six times longer than a more traditional auto upholstery fabric. This is primarily due to the material’s resistance
to deformation or sagging, two things that are common causes for fabrics to wear or break down over time. Auto manufacturers pre-stretch the fabric by about 5% when they install the seating. This makes the seats more comfortable and gives them a comfort level they will maintain for the entire lifespan of the vehicle.
The Dymetrol fabric was recently tested on taxis in several states. The Dymetrol seating remained comfortable and was deformation free after 80,000 miles and 24 hour a day, seven day a week usage. At least 21 million cars has this automotive fabric and there has yet to be a warranty claim against it.
Providing superior comfort for car owners is an essential part of designing a great car. It is therefore important to use an automotive fabric that is durable and does not sag.