Cotton webbing is a durable, versatile material used in a variety of applications in both domestic and commercial settings. In this post, we explore common uses of this type of webbing in both environments.
Domestic Applications
Cotton webbing has many practical and decorative uses in a domestic setting, easily cut, sewn and dyed to offer a versatile finish to a wide range of projects.
Cotton Webbing & Cotton Webbing Tape for Furniture, Home and Workwear
Cotton webbing is an invaluable addition to any household and can be used in a wide range of applications for homeware and furniture making. These include aprons and home textiles, as it is a strong and sturdy material.
Cotton Webbing for Clothing and Apparel
High quality flat and tubular cotton webbing is a popular and reliable material that can handle the pressures of weight and pulling for many years, offering resilience and longevity in any finished product. Every haberdashery will hold a large stock of cotton webbing, such are the multitude of uses in clothing and apparel. Tubular Cotton webbing is a common element in most belts, and bag handles from large luggage to small handbags and backpacks.
Easy to work with, with a soft texture that can be worn against the skin without aggravation, cotton webbing is a great choice for clothing and apparel.
Commercial Applications of Cotton Webbing
Cotton webbing is used in a large number of commercial sectors, offering a multi-purpose, lightweight narrow fabric option.
Most heavy duty commercial webbing is polypropylene, nylon or polyester, however more lightweight and less technically demanding webbing requirements are often fulfilled using a cotton alternative.
Cotton Webbing for Sport & Leisure Equipment
Marine – The marine industry uses industrial plastic-based webbing for a plethora of applications, but cotton webbing for decorative features and designs where comfort is paramount and waterproofing less of an issue.
Caravan & Motorhomes – In a similar way cotton webbing is used in the production of furniture cushions, curtains and other soft furnishings designed for caravans. More comfortable than nylon or poly-based alternatives, the flexibility of cotton webbing can be utilised to create attractive finishes with high durability and comfort.
Camping Gear, Sports Equipment & Canopies – Cotton is also a common webbing or ‘tape’ which can be used in camping gear, sports equipment, and leisure clothing due its breathable structure and comfortable feel. It is a key component in a wide range of leisure clothing and equipment, as well as of canopies of many types including tents, awnings and marquees.
Cotton Webbing & Cotton Webbing Tape for Furniture
Furniture construction and design projects almost exclusively use cotton webbing tape. This type of webbing tape and strap offers a strong load capacity, while remaining flexible and offering good support to seats and parts of furniture where strapping is required. Cotton webbing used for furniture may undergo processing (also known as ‘finishing’) to make it fire retardant or self-extinguishing to meet safety requirements.
Cotton Webbing for Pet Leads & Leashes
Whilst polyester is usually the main choice for these products, cotton webbing offers a particular flexibility and strength which makes it ideal for pet collars, dog leads and leashes and horse reins. Its soft and breathable texture means it causes minimal discomfort to pets and animals when compared to other types of webbing such as nylon and polyester.
Cotton Webbing for Uniform & Workwear
Due to its unique features and benefits, cotton webbing is an essential component of a vast range of uniforms and workwear. Commonplace in all forms of commercial and professional clothing from blazers to trousers and apron straps and belts, cotton webbing provides a soft fabric against the skin helping to reduce irritation, and its hygroscopic nature means it draws moisture away from the skin and dries reasonably quickly.
Cotton Webbing for Promotional Use
Cotton webbing is used more and more in eco-friendly wedding and event bunting as more users turn to eco-friendly cotton products over their plastic-based alternatives. Cotton has inherently different properties to polypropylene and may be better for these types of products. Cotton is a cellulosic fibre and paper is a cellulosic material. As such, they will both decompose at a similar rate and can be composted together. One disadvantage to this is that as cotton is a natural fibre, it will have a shorter useful ‘outdoor’ life than polypropylene as the material can be attacked by micro-organisms.
In bunting production, care must be taken that the thread used to sew the product is also biodegradable to ensure a fully recyclable product.
How Does Cotton Compare to Other Types of Webbing?
Cotton webbing is vastly different to polyester, polypropylene and nylon alternatives, offering a different range of features and benefits.
While cotton webbing is usually a little more expensive than its plastic-based counterparts, it offers a softness, versatility and wearability that cannot be matched. It can be cut, sewn, shaped and dyed in ways other webbing materials cannot, and unlike its counterparts can be worn against the skin for long and regular periods of time without causing irritation.
The webbing you need depends on the type of project being undertaken, and the role of the webbing within it. For furniture, fabric, high-end bag straps and belts, home and workwear-based applications, cotton webbing is often the best option. To find out more about how our cotton webbing products, speak to a member of the team today.
Posted 18th March 2022 by Bowmer Bond
