Technical Textiles Executive

Coatings can be applied at the yarn stage for a number of reasons. Yarn coatings might be used to enhance properties without compromising the textile-like characteristics of the fabric. For example, a filter fabric might be woven from coated yarns rather than being coated in the fabric form in order to maintain permeability.

A coated yarn might be incorporated as a minor component of a fabric to achieve a particular requirement. For example, a small percentage of silver coated fibres can confer antibacterial properties to a fabric.

Other properties achieved through coating include flame retardancy, thermal stability, chemical resistance, and dielectric characteristics.

Frequently used coating materials include PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and silicone.