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We offer a range of fabrics that are durable, practical and great looking
Before we sold a single bed, we tested fabrics for two years to make sure they performed as we wanted. Those that made the grade have now been in service for over ten years. The very first beds we made are still in use. We are confident that you will not be disappointed in the durability and stain resilience of the covers or the support provided by our foams.
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Waterproof
What does waterproof mean? We read the technical information on outdoor jackets that they are waterproof to 3000 or 5000mm. In reality, what does this mean?
Waterproofing is measured in terms of the pressure of a column of water, termed hydrostatic head. So, a coat that is waterproof to 3000mm has passed a test that is equivalent to having a 3000mm ie 3m tall column of water sat on it before it leaked. In coat terms, rain blown by a strong wind can exert the same amount of pressure as the column of water used in the test.
Our fabrics vary in their level of waterproofness. Nobel and Laurel are waterproof to 1000mm head equivalent, while the Elements and PU fabrics are waterproof to more that 10,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) equivalent.The faux leather vinyls are similarly waterproof to 10,000mm head which is effectively 100% waterproof. When buying a waterproof dog bed, make sure the level of waterproofness is declared by the retailer.
THE COVERS RE MACHINE WASHABLE AND 30 DEGREES CENTIGRADE
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Hardwearing
Dog bed covers need to be hardwearing. They are occupied for many hours a day – basically, the equivalent of your sofa and bed put together, plus a bit more, probably.
Your dogs’ coat may have grit trapped in it which will wear the fabric surface. They may like to have a little dig before settling down or a rough and tumble game on their bed. You have to be confident that the cover fabric and cover manufacture will withstand everyday dog use.
The upholstery fabrics we use are termed severe contract grade, meaning they tolerate constant use, such as would occur in a bar, restaurant or care home.The Martindale abrasion rub test is a measurement of the durability of fabric according to the amount of times discs can oscillate sandpaper or wool across the fabric before it starts to show wear. The rub test score is internationally recognised and measures the durability of upholstery fabric for general domestic or contract use. Fabric is categorised by a numerical score to show how durable it is. A good quality domestic upholstery fabric should score more than 25,000 rubs. All our fabrics score 80,000 or more.
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Antimicrobial, antifungal, urine and stain resistant
The fabrics we use are designed for use in the healthcare sector or for exterior use. As you would expect with any good quality upholstery fabric, they are treated for stain resistance. The dyes used will not fade if exposed to urine and the fabrics are treated so they will not support microbial or fungal growth including Salmonella, E Coli and MRSA. This limits the extent to which odours develop in the cover of your dog bed which, along with their waterproof characteristics, means you do not have to wash the cover frequently as the beds do not smell.
View the technical details and care instructions for our fabrics here.
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We make beds that last
The fabrics we use on our domestic dog beds are hard wearing upholstery fabric designed for heavy wear situations. They are all waterproof, breathable, urine and stain resistant, antibacterial and antifungal. They are also machine washable.
All materials used in the bed covers and fillings meet the same domestic furnishings fire regulations as your sofa. Most other dog beds do not.
Our veterinary products and incontinence beds use a tough stretch PU fabric. This is waterproof, antimicrobial and tolerates 90oC. The seams of covers made with this fabric are welded so no moisture can enter the bed, making them ideal for use where infection control is a high priority. They are also well suited for dog who are dealing with incontinence. In groomers crates, they can be wiped clean between clients.Below we describe the fabrics characteristics and the colours offered in each fabric type. We can also offer additional colours to those illustrated below and faux leather vinyl fabrics. Email us with your requirements if you cannot see what you want below.
We recommend
- Nobel and Laurel fabrics for normal indoor use.
- Elements and PU for car and kennel use, though both can be used indoors as well.
- PU fabric for dogs that are regularly incontinent and for grooming crates.
- Vandal-proof for kennels where bed damage is expected.
Fabric Descriptions
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Nobel
a very fine textured microfibre fabric with a subtle herringbone pattern. 100% polyester. 1 m HH
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Laurel
a tactile fabric with a chenille like finish. 100% polyester. 1 m HH
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Elements
a fine textured outdoor canvas with high UV resistant and extremely waterproof. 10 m HH
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PU fabric
this coupled with welded seams give a completely watertight dog bed that can be fully immersed in water without the inner cushion becoming in wet. Ideal for doubly incontinent dogs. 2 m HH. This is a very utilitarian fabric which is you probably won't want to have in your living room
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Vandal-proof
stab-proof, woven fibreglass. Moderately stiff. 3 m HH.
This is a special request fabric, please email if you are interested in this option. -
Hydrostatic head
HH indicates hydrostatic head – ie the level of waterproofness. The larger the number, the more waterproof is a fabric .
Fabric colours
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We have tried to provide accurate illustrations of the fabric colours, but it is incredibly difficult to ensure that what you see on your screen is the same as the fabric itself. For example, Nobel Sage is a beautiful soft green, but it looks grey in all the photos. We are happy to send out small samples of fabrics to customers who want to be sure the colour will fit its surroundings.
Some of the fabrics we use are available in additional colours - if you have a project that requires a very specific colour, contact us to discuss your needs.If you would like a sample or samples sent, please indicate what you would like here
Nobel fabric colour description
Laurel fabric colour description
Elements fabric colour description
PU
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Please do not feel limited by the colours shown here. We have many more we can offer. We also have a selection of faux leather vinyls. Contact us with your requirements.
