The paperwork is not an afterthought. It is the product.
A material that cannot clear customs, pass your restricted-substance screening or satisfy your customer's auditor is not a cheaper material. It is a liability with a delivery date.
Held at company level, reissued per shipment
Company certificates prove capability. Shipment certificates prove your goods. We issue both, and the batch numbers on the second match the rolls in your container.
What we measure, and to which standard
Run in our own laboratory before dispatch. Where a buyer specifies third-party verification, we arrange SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas and share the report unedited.
| Property | Method | Typical requirement | Why buyers ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abrasion resistance | ISO 12947-2 (Martindale) | 30,000 – 300,000 cycles | Contract seating specifications are written in Martindale cycles. |
| Tensile & elongation | ISO 1421 / ASTM D751 | ≥ 180 N, ≥ 200% | Predicts behaviour under cut-and-sew tension and upholstery pull. |
| Tear strength | ISO 4674-1 | ≥ 25 N | Governs how a puncture propagates in service. |
| Cold flex / crack | ISO 4675 | -10 °C to -40 °C | Critical for automotive and outdoor use in cold markets. |
| Hydrolysis ageing | ISO 1419 (70 °C / 95% RH) | 3 – 7 weeks pass | The single most common failure mode in humid climates. |
| Colour fastness to light | ISO 105-B02 | Grade 4 – 7 | Fading is the complaint that reaches the brand fastest. |
| Rub fastness | ISO 105-X12 | Grade 4 – 5 dry / wet | Colour transfer onto clothing is a returns driver. |
| Flammability | FMVSS 302 / BS 5852 / CAL TB 117 | Pass to stated schedule | Non-negotiable for transport, contract and public-space use. |
| Anti-microbial efficacy | ISO 22196 | ≥ 2 log reduction | Required by healthcare and long-term-care procurement. |
| Adhesion / coating peel | ISO 2411 | ≥ 3 N/cm | Delamination is the defect that gets an entire lot rejected. |
Figures shown are the range across our catalogue. Article-specific values appear on each product card and on the technical data sheet issued with your quotation.
What is not in the material
Increasingly this matters more than what is. Our water-based and DMF-free lines exist because European and Californian buyers were being caught out by declarations that turned out to be aspirational.
DMF (dimethylformamide)
Not used anywhere on our water-based lines. Where a solvent line is used, residual DMF is tested and reported against your limit rather than simply declared absent.
Phthalates and heavy metals
Screened against REACH Annex XVII, CPSIA and CA Proposition 65. Phthalate-free constructions available across the PVC range on request.
PFAS and fluorinated finishes
We do not apply PFAS-based water repellents. Where repellency is required we use silicone or non-fluorinated chemistry and state which.
ZDHC MRSL alignment
Partner lines operate to ZDHC MRSL Level 3 conformance, with wastewater testing results available to buyers who require them for their own reporting.
The four-point system, applied honestly
Every roll is inspected and scored. A roll that fails is not quietly shipped to the bottom of the container — it is pulled, and you are told before the vessel sails.
1 penalty point
Defects up to three inches in length in either direction.
2 penalty points
Coating pinholes, embossing skips, minor colour variance.
3 penalty points
Backing show-through, edge damage, adhesion weakness.
4 penalty points
Holes, tears, delamination. Rolls exceeding 20 points per 100 yd² are rejected.
Compliance questions we are asked most
We will tell you what passes.
Send your restricted substance list, your flammability schedule or your customer's audit checklist. We will come back with which articles clear it and which do not — including the ones that do not.