New Child Safety Regulations

By June 30 2011 all corded window furnishings must accompany a child safety warning label and be installed with a child safety restraint such as the Suntex cleat, r-clip, face fix or top fix chain tensioners.

You can find the regulation here including the exact wording required on the label.

The purpose of this label is to reduce the instances of child death caused by strangulation in blind cords and chains by introducing a national safety standard.

Labels and child safety devices can be purchased in bulk from Suntex.

Sunscreen fabrics

Sunscreen fabrics are suitable for areas effected by direct sunlight. The function of a sunscreen fabric is to control the amount of heat and light entering a room whilst maintaining outside views.

Sunscreen fabrics are typically made from a fibre glass or polyester core with a PVC or vinyl coating.

The amount of visibility is referred to as 'openness'. A 3% openness is a tight weave, views will be somewhat restricted, a 12% openness will allow for clearer views to the outside. The sunscreen fabric pictured here is Screen Opulence and features an openness of 12%.

Sunscreen fabrics are often rated according to their 'solar optical properties'; Rs (% solar reflection), As (% solar absorption), Ts (% solar transmission),  Tuv (% ultra violet transmittance) and shading coefficient. Typically darker colours will absorb more solar energy and as a result be less effective in reflecting heat compared with lighter coloured sunscreen fabrics. 

In an area where it is necessary only to control light, blockout and translucent fabrics will be sufficient. 

Flame retardant textiles - Trevira CS

Trevira CS is a flame retardant brand. The CS stands for comfort and safety. Fabrics that wear the Trevira CS logo have been manufactured using Trevira fibres and filaments.

A 100% Trevira CS fabric is fire retardant. Permanent fire retardancy has been achieved  by chemical modification of the polyester molecule in fibre production. Unlike fabrics that have simply been finished with a fire retardant coating, Trevira CS fabrics will not loose their fire retardancy as a result of use, washing or ageing.

Trevira CS is easy to care for, comfortable and colour fast. Applications include blinds, curtains, bedding, upholstery, awnings, room dividers and wall coverings.

For a demonstration on just how fire retardant Trevira CS fabrics are in comparison to standard curtain and upholstery fabrics, view this short movie http://www.trevira.com/en/textiles-made-from-trevira/home-textiles/flame-retardant-textiles-trevira-cs.html

Somfy wire free blind motorisation

Here is a fantastic video on wire free blind motorisation by Somfy. To learn more about the types of blinds that can be motorised and to see a demonstration on how wire free blinds operate, we suggest
you watch this video. Suntex is a registered Somfy reseller. If you have a project that requires motorisation please contact us to discuss your options. For more on Somfy motors please visit the Somfy website.

Roll direction

When you order a roller blind from Suntex we will manufacture it as standard roll unless you specify otherwise.

With a standard roll the fabric sits closest to the window. This assists in insulating the window and minimising light gaps. With a reverse roll the fabric sits away from the window leaving room for air to become trapped between the window and the shade. Trapped air can be hot in summer and cold in winter effecting the way your shade insulates the room. Ideally, the shade should be closest to the window allowing it to best reflect the hot sun in summer and the cool outside temperatures in winter.

If your client doesn't  like the look of the standard roll you might choose to cover the roll using a Suntex FRS valance with the option of fabric wrap or the Suntex head box system. Ask us for more information.

New website sneak peak..

We are busy working on our new website. The new Suntex website will feature; product information, colour chips, order forms, technical information, tips and advice and heaps more. Stage 1 is expected to launch in May 2011. We'd like to know what you are hoping to see on our new website..