Abbreviations
- PP M: Polypropylene multifilament yarn
- PP F: Polypropylene fibrillated yarn, sometimes also called raffia
- PA: Polyamide
- PES: Polyester
- PE: Polyethylene
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene is a synthetic fiber, primarily used where durability and moisture resistance are required. Featuring outstanding weather resistance, it is both abrasion- and boil-resistant as well as rot-proof. In addition, the fiber is able to withstand acids and alkalis in lower concentrations.
Thanks to these properties, polypropylene is particularly suitable for hygiene-relevant applications, such as our egg conveyor belts and our elastic yarn designed for bundling and portioning in the food industry.
PP can take on many forms. ALATEX mainly processes multifilament (PP M) and fibrillated yarn (PP F), as well as bulked continuous filament (BCF) for filling sealing ropes.
Polyester (PES)
Polyester is very elastic, wrinkle-resistant and dimensionally stable. The material develops electrostatic charge and features acid and abrasion resistance as well as high light and heat stability. It absorbs very little moisture, but is able to transport moisture easily. Due to its properties, we use polyester mainly to manufacture strapping band for securing cargo.
Jute
The fiber is obtained from the stems of the jute plant, a member of the linden family. As it is a natural fiber, it is completely biodegradable. It has a high water absorption capacity, while also being very robust with a low elasticity.
In the past, jute webbing was used on seat and backrest surfaces of upholstered furniture. Though there are alternative and more durable upholstery straps available today, ALATEX still offers jute webbing for antique seating to authentically reflect the charm of this furniture.
Yarn count
The yarn count is also referred to as yarn strength or titer and is a feature of the fiber quality. The fineness of the yarn is based on its length and weight. To determine the count, the decitex (dtex) and denier (den) units are used.
1 dtex = 1 gram per 10,000 meters
1 den = 1 gram per 9,000 meters
Formula to convert dtex and den
dtex = den / 0.9
den = dtex x 0.9
Tenacity at break
In lifting technology and load securing, the breaking tenacity determines the maximum load bearing capacity of a strap before it breaks. We test our straps for each lot on their breaking tenacity. To determine the maximum load bearing capacity, we use the unit kilonewton (kN).
1 kN = 101.97 kg
As a rule of thumb, 1 kN corresponds to about 100 kg of maximum load.
UV stability
Exposure to UV radiation has an effect on plastics. Depending on the duration of exposure to the sun, the intensity of the radiation, the temperature and other chemical and mechanical influences, plastic materials lose their color, stability or breaking tenacity. This may have serious consequences, especially for heavy-duty lifting straps on big bags.
To prevent the decomposition process caused by sunlight, our PP yarn is manufactured with a UV stabilization of 200 kilolangley (kLy).
Kilolangley is the unit used to measure the intensity of the solar radiation energy. UV radiation is measured globally on an annual level and visualized on charts. Webbing with a UV stabilization of 200 kLy should still have 50% of its original breaking tenacity after irradiation with the same 200 kLy sun intensity after one year according to the standard. In Central Europe we have solar radiation of 80 to 100 kLy, which means you are always on the safe side with yarn and webbing from ALATEX.