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- Which is better Alcantara or Jacquard?
Durability, aesthetics, comfort - you want to see all this in a material for a car. However, there are other attractive characteristics, such as ease of use, breathability, health safety, etc. There are materials that combine such characteristics, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. For example, Alcantara. Buyers who choose original Alcantara here do not have to be disappointed in their choice. But what if, in addition to it, you are attracted to another good material, for example, jacquard? Let's figure out which is better - jacquard or Alcantara?
History of jacquard used for car seats
Jacquard fabric begins its history in 1801. French weaver Joseph Marie Jacquard invented a loom that produced complex multi-color weaves. The resulting fabric was called jacquard in honor of Jacquard.
Jacquard fabric is very durable
Important! Jacquard covers have appeared recently. However, they have gained enormous popularity for their characteristics: strength, good ventilation, beautiful appearance.
Auto-Jacquard in Moscow: features and advantages of the fabric
Auto-Jacquard consists of a layer of jacquard, a fire-resistant foam layer and a fabric base. Triplex technology allows you to create a material with excellent consumer properties.
The advantages of such upholstery for car interiors and seats are:
- long service life while maintaining the original appearance;
- high wear resistance and strength;
- breathability;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- stability of color and shape;
- ease of care;
- environmental safety;
- fire resistance.
These qualities explain the great popularity of auto jacquard as a material for sewing covers and creating upholstery.
Manufacturing of automotive jacquard fabric
What kind of material is jacquard for covers? This material is modern and environmentally friendly. It is produced using a special weaving technique. Cotton, synthetic or blended yarn is used. The thicker the thread, the stronger the fabric. When dyeing fabric, two methods are used:
- Dyeing threads in advance. This makes the fabric even stronger.
- A drawing is applied to the finished material. Then, using dyes and impregnations, the fabric with a pattern is dyed.
Important! In the production of jacquard fabric for car seat covers, high-twist thread is used, which increases its wear-resistant characteristics. The material is coated with a fire-resistant foam coating and a backing made of hot-press fabric to protect against wear and tear. No loads or stretches are applied to automotive jacquard. For this reason, the material is very mobile, soft and elastic.
The production technique provides for the formation of micropores. This ensures good permeability and hygroscopicity.
Fabric is divided into two types:
- The surface is smooth and lint-free.
- The surface is embossed.
The type of weaving threads can be:
- Simple - a system with one plain and one weft thread is used.
- Complex - the warp and weft threads are made up of several layers.
A special weaving technique is used in the manufacture of jacquard
Variety and price of auto jacquard
The price of auto jacquard depends on the characteristics of the raw materials used, technologies and design solutions. Manufacturers use threads of various thicknesses. The density, and therefore the strength of the material itself, will depend on this parameter. The fabric base can be either cotton, synthetic or combined. A special type of auto jacquard is in demand, which contains stretch threads. They give the fabric elasticity and softness.
Depending on the chosen jacquard weaving technology, smooth or textured fabric is obtained. The choice of one option or another depends entirely on the buyer’s taste preferences or design ideas. The same applies to the color scheme of the material. The assortment includes both neutral fabrics and fabrics in extravagant shades. Classic colors are gray, beige, brown, black. In combination with a structured surface, auto jacquard of any tone looks more impressive and original.
Properties of car seat covers made of jacquard
Jacquard car covers have the following characteristics:
- the material is durable and wear-resistant. Due to its high strength, it can be used for a long period of time. If there is a special impregnation, it is possible to use the covers even longer;
- long period of use;
- beautiful appearance. The fabric is pleasant to the touch. She looks very aesthetically pleasing;
- low cost. This quality has caused great popularity;
- good thermoregulation. This is a material that breathes. When it's cold outside, jacquard is able to accumulate heat;
- abrasion resistance, does not lose color when exposed to sunlight;
- it's easy to take care of. It tolerates washing and cleaning.
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Making a choice: which is better
Each material has both advantages and disadvantages. When making your final choice, you should focus on your aesthetic preferences, as well as certain characteristics of the car. For cars equipped with heated seats and air conditioning, you can give preference to covers made of practical and pleasant to the touch eco-leather. Do you like the feel of the slightly rough surface of velor? It will be perfectly replaced by the more practical and no less impressive Alcantara.
It is also worth considering the nature of transport operation. If you often transport animals or children, or install child car seats on the seats, choose durable and affordable jacquard covers.
And the main point that you need to pay special attention to is the correspondence of the size of the clothes to the seat on which they are put on. With strong tension or crumpling, any material quickly loses its appearance and becomes covered with creases and cracks. That is why it is recommended to purchase car seat covers from the manufacturer Chekhler Factory, made by professional craftsmen using individual patterns from high-quality environmentally friendly materials.
Types of automotive jacquard fabric
Other types of material are also used for covers:
- Tweed is a soft and woolen material. Some lint and some metallic thread. It is durable, fireproof and wear-resistant. High price.
Tweed covers are very soft
- Eco-leather is a combined material. It combines the characteristics of genuine leather and upholstery material. It is resistant to burning, stretching, tearing and getting wet. Has a solid appearance.
Their eco-leather cases look solid
- Supplex is a knitted fabric. It is composed of nylon and lycra. The material is durable, elastic and practical. Cons: ability to accumulate static electricity, average degree of airtightness.
Supplex covers are practical
- Cotton - made from special fabric for car seats. In winter they heat up well, and in summer they absorb moisture. They are fireproof, resistant to dirt and moisture.
Cotton covers are moisture resistant
- Alcantara is artificial suede. It is made of plastic threads. It is difficult to distinguish it from natural material, so it is often used for business class car covers.
Alcantara covers are used for business class car seats
- Velor is one of the popular fabrics used for car seats. The covers are made from several layers of fabric. There is velor on top, then foam rubber, and thick padding on the bottom.
Velor for seats is made from several layers of fabric
- Knitwear is a fabric fabric that has a short pile. It is made on a polyester basis. This fabric is often used for upholstery of furniture and seats with complex shapes. It stands out for its particular reliability and practicality. The covers are easy to remove and wash.
Knitted covers are especially reliable
- Polyester is a material of synthetic origin. It looks like wool, but its characteristics are similar to cotton. Very smooth. It's easy to care for. Dries quickly, does not stretch, shrink or wrinkle. The material does not absorb moisture well, accumulates static electricity, and has poor breathability.
Polyester covers are very smooth
Comparison of jacquard with other materials
Let's look at the comparative characteristics of jacquard with some other fabrics for car seats.
Jacquard or eco leather
What is better, jacquard or eco-leather? To answer the question, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of eco-leather. The advantages include:
- good tolerance to heat and frost;
- good air tightness;
- does not change color when exposed to sunlight;
- easy to clean;
- hypoallergenic.
Minuses:
- requires special care when using;
- can get very hot in the sun;
- Over time, the material darkens.
Thus, eco-leather jacquard covers are less practical.
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The Seintex company produces various products for cars, including seat covers. Seintex jacquard covers are particularly durable and practical. They also have an affordable price. This company also produces Seintex eco-leather covers. Another famous one. We produce covers for famous domestic car brands. For example, for the fret grant.
Alcantara or Jacquard
Alcantara or jacquard, which is better? Advantages of Alcantara:
- strength;
- fire resistance;
- ease of care;
- beautiful appearance;
- It has the same temperature at any time of the year.
There is only one drawback - high cost. Thus, Alcantara is superior to jacquard only because of its beautiful appearance.
Velor or jacquard
Velor or jacquard, which is better? Advantages:
- retains heat in winter and does not heat up in summer;
- prevents slipping;
- ease of care;
- low price.
Flaws:
- attraction of dust and wool;
- accumulates static electricity;
- wears out quickly.
Thus, jacquard covers are superior to velor in strength and durability.
Alcantara
Soft and delicate in appearance, Alcantara has amazing durability.
It is also called ultramicrofiber. It is made from polyester and polyurethane fibers, which undergo a whole cycle of processing, and then using the technique of wet viscous weaving, a fabric is produced that is subjected to various treatments. The whole process is known only to the manufacturer, which is the Italian company Alcantara SpA. Gorod LLC is the official distributor, the only one in Russia from whom you can purchase original Alcantara for the car interior.
If you buy the material elsewhere, it means it is a fake, the characteristics of which are far from the original. You can feel all its charm if you buy here.
pros
Alcantara has so many advantages that there is no reason not to choose it. The fact is that this material combines all the characteristics that a car interior needs. Alcantara is suitable not only for covers, but also for covering other interior elements: doors, speakers, ceiling, etc. The fabric fits perfectly on the surface, follows any shape, and does not wrinkle.
Some of the benefits of Alcantara:
- Doesn't slip.
- Doesn't absorb odors well.
- Resistance to mechanical stress.
- Very pleasant sensation upon contact.
- Breathability. Correct behavior in the cold (keeps warm) and in the heat (keeps cool).
- Convenient to clean. Can be cleaned with a dry brush, damp sponge, hand washed or machine washed on a delicate cycle.
- Elasticity. As we have already said, this property allows Alcantara to be used not only for the manufacture of car covers.
- High strength, wear resistance. Alcantara is not afraid of the sun's rays, daily and active use. It will serve you for a very long time, without losing its shape, color and other properties, 10 years or more. Jacquard cannot boast of such durability, not to mention maintaining its characteristics.
Don't you want to see material with such characteristics in your car interior? But there is a “minus” that may prevent you from choosing Alcantara.
The only problem
The high price is exactly what can cause doubts on the way to purchasing such a wonderful material as Alcantara. However, the cost is many times offset by its impressive service life and other characteristics. Having paid once for such truly high-quality material, you can forget about replacing it for a long time. This is a bargain!
Reviews
Ramil, Kazan: “I have been a car owner for ten years. I used velor covers in my car for five years. The material has accumulated a lot of dust. The appearance has also deteriorated greatly. Then he began to use jacquard material. So far everything is fine.”
Alexander, Kyiv: “Autopro for 15 years. I have been using jacquard seats for six years. Everything suits me. I wash it once a year. The seats look like new."
Nikolai, Kirov: “The car has jacquard covers. The material is durable, does not heat up in the sun, and retains heat in winter. I'm happy with everything."
Jacquard car seat covers have been used recently. They have many advantages over other types, which is why they have gained wide popularity among consumers.
Types of auto fabrics
Car covers are made from technical, reinforced fabrics. Quality products have several components:
- Upper layer. The central part is made of the most dense, durable and wear-resistant fabrics, and the side parts are made of elastic. With this combination, the load on the seams is removed. Car covers fit well, do not “ride” and do not form wrinkles.
- Middle layer. Consists of foam rubber 3-6 mm thick. The soft porous material creates additional thickness and increases riding comfort. In addition, the foam insert allows you to give the seats an aesthetic and comfortable shape.
- Bottom layer. To protect the foam from destruction, a mesh is sewn underneath. It acts as a backing and increases the durability of the covers.
To sew car covers, 3-4 types of materials are used. The work is considered difficult. In addition to choosing fabrics, it is important to correctly measure the seats and think through the fastening system.
Eco leather and Alcantara
To protect the natural leather interior, drivers often purchase car covers made of eco-leather or Alcantara. Analogues - vinyl artificial leather and vinyl lux. The materials have no equal in wear resistance and strength.
Eco leather:
- Wear-resistant. It is very durable, resistant to abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes, heat and cold. In addition, the material is fire-resistant.
- Breathable. High-quality eco-leather “breathes” better than natural leather. Sitting on it is very comfortable - the body does not sweat or stick.
- Does not absorb dirt. You can simply brush the snow off the eco-leather and blot the coffee stain with a cloth. This number will not work with fabric car covers.
- Does not collect animal hair and is easy to clean from dust.
- It looks solid and expensive.
Eco-leather has few disadvantages. The main disadvantage is the cooling of the material in winter. Like natural leather, it becomes cold. Heated seats solve the problem, but not immediately. In the morning, when you get into the car, you will have to endure discomfort for some time. Alcantara doesn't cool down as much. Both materials are expensive and cost approximately the same as genuine leather.
Jacquard
The second place is rightly occupied by jacquard car covers. Jacquard fabric has a special type of weave, making it very durable and wear-resistant. The surface of the material can be corrugated or smooth.
Jacquard:
- very durable;
- does not stretch;
- resistant to abrasion, high and low temperatures;
- does not collect wool;
- absorbs moisture well;
- easy to clean, dries quickly;
- comfortable in winter and summer;
- "breathes".
Automotive jacquard is most often produced on a foam base. This is the most “calm”, practical fabric in the mid-price category. Its disadvantages include perhaps its unassuming appearance.
Velor and flock
The fabrics have a pile surface. In appearance they resemble velvet. The length of the pile is usually very short. Velor covers are distinguished by the characteristic shine of the fibers, while flock ones are more matte. They are usually chosen by women motorists, as well as those who take animals on trips.
Advantages:
- They do not heat up in summer and retain heat in winter.
- Pleasant to the body.
- Resistant to mechanical damage and scratches from animal claws.
- Weakly absorb moisture.
- They look impressive.
- Easy to care for.
Flaws:
- They attract dust and become electrified (in the absence of viscose or cotton in the composition).
- They collect wool.
- They wear out faster than eco-leather and jacquard (they go bald and stretch out).
Questions and answers
Question: How long do car seat covers last on average?
Answer: A high-quality car cover has a service life of 5-8 years. The simplest, thinnest fabric covers last much less. After 1-2 years, they stretch and lose their presentable appearance.
Question: What are the reviews for fabrics for car seat covers?
Answer: Most buyers are inclined to choose covers made of Alcantara and eco-leather with perforations. Reviews on them are mostly positive. The main thing is not to run into a fake and choose high-quality fabric. Car owners also praise jacquard for its practicality. Velor and flock are much more controversial fabrics. Many people don't like the fact that they collect dust and wear out faster.
The comfort and safety of a car is influenced by the technological and functional state of many elements. Car seat covers play an important role. The correct selection of products allows you to extend the life of the upholstery, transform the appearance of the interior, simplify maintenance and increase the comfort of driving in the car.