What types of fabrics can be sewn or RF-Welded?

sewing with red fabric
rf welding illustration

Fabrics

Bullet Point Spacing Example
  • Coated fabric sewing
  • Laminated fabric sewing
  • Coated fabric RF-welding
  • Laminated fabric RF-welding

This material is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated or laminated polyester, which makes it water- and air-tight. However, sewing the seams can cause leakage due to needle perforations. For this reason, we opt to weld PVC-coated and PVC-laminated materials when a completely leak-proof seal is required.

vinyl sewing

Vinyl

  • Flexible Vinyl fabric sewing
  • Flexible Vinyl fabric RF-welding
Vinyl is also made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a synthetic plastic polymer. The production process for vinyl involves two main components:

    Ethylene: A hydrocarbon derived from crude oil or natural gas.

    Chlorine: Extracted from salt (sodium chloride) through a process called electrolysis, which separates chlorine from sodium.

Nylon

  • Nylon and polyester sewing
  • Nylon and polyester RF welding

Nylon and polyester fabrics can be coated with Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) on one or both sides. As previously stated, RF welding requires these thermoplastic layers; otherwise, the nylon or polyester material must be sewn.

Canvas

  • Canvas sewing contractor
Canvas is a heavy-duty, plain-woven fabric typically made from cotton, linen, or sometimes polyester blends. It is known for its strength, durability, and versatility. Historically, canvas was made from hemp, but cotton and linen are now more commonly used.

Thermoplastic

  • Thermoplastic sewing
  • Thermoplastic RF Welding
Thermoplastics also come in films without a reinforcing scrim, which provides stability to the material. A pure thermoplastic film is stretchable depending on the density of the plastic. We do not recommend sewing plastic films, as the perforations from stitch holes can lead to easy tearing. However, if the thermoplastic contains a polyester or nylon scrim, the material can be sewn or RF welded.