Guides
What we've learned, written down
Straight answers on materials and methods, from nearly four decades of making canvas and PVC products in Levin. No sales pitch — just what we'd tell you if you rang and asked.
5 min read
How long does outdoor fabric actually last in New Zealand?
Realistic service lives for shade cloth, architectural membrane, canvas and clear PVC under New Zealand UV — what kills each one, and what genuinely extends it.
Read it5 min read
Ziptrak® vs café blinds vs PVC curtains: what is the actual difference?
Three ways to close in a deck or veranda. How each one works, how they compare on cost, and which suits a windy site, a tight budget, or a space you close every day.
Read it6 min read
Shade sail, tension canopy or solid roof: which one for your space?
Three ways to cover an outdoor area, what each is genuinely good at, how they compare on cost, and how to tell which one your site actually needs.
Read it6 min read
Consent, PS1 and shade structures: what actually gets asked for
When an outdoor structure needs building consent in New Zealand, what a producer statement is, and why a PS1 is usually the thing holding up a school or commercial project.
Read it5 min read
Waterproofing industrial textiles: what actually keeps water out
Coating, laminating, waxing or tight weave — the four ways fabric is made waterproof, what each is good at, and which one your job actually needs.
Read it5 min read
Fire retardancy in industrial textiles: inherent vs treated
What fire-retardant actually means, the difference between fibres that resist fire by nature and fabrics that are treated to, and why that difference decides whether the property survives washing.
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