Our shade sails use a perimeter cable to provide tension to the sail. We sew a 2" pocket around the edge of the sail and insert 7x19 aircraft cable. When the cable is tightened it pulls evenly all along the perimeter of the sail. We use this method because it is more adjustable and forgiving than the webbing method of providing tension.
Corners
A shade sail corner is the most important part of the sail. It holds the key to the strength, ease of installation, and lifespan of a shade sail. We start with stainless steel hardware that we have made especially for us.
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We use 2" seatbelt webbing to attach the ring to the fabric. Even with a breaking strength of 4,000 pounds, the seatbelt webbing will start to degrade with exposure to the sun. With slightly more clearance between the rings on our hardware, we can completely cover the webbing with shade cloth. This not only protects the webbing, but it creates a cleaner look where the hardware meets the fabric.
Seam
Seams can look unattractive when they stand up like a shark fin or are wavy and irregular. Seams can also be a weak point on a sail if made improperly. Our sewing techniques fold the fabric over itself and prevent the seam from standing up. We combine the strength of the fabric and 4 rows of stitching to ensure that our seams will last a lifetime.
Stitching
We use Tenara thread on all of our products. Tenara is guaranteed to last as long as the shade cloth. In our experience, Tenara far outlasts standard awning thread.
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There are 2 types of stitching used in the shade industry, chain stitch and lock stitch. We use a lock stitch for several reasons.
A lock stitch does not unravel if one of the stitches is broken. Once a chain stitch is broken, the whole seam can be pulled apart, even if the thread itself is still intact.
A lock stitch is also more suited to using Tenara thread. Chain stitch sewing machines are difficult to adjust for the characteristics of Tenara.
Other manufacturers that prefer chain stitch usually use standard thread. The benefits of using a chain stitch are that you don’t need to change bobbins and the stitch is more flexible than a lock stitch.
The benefits of a lock stitch outweigh the benefits of a chain stitch and it is the lock stitch that we have chosen to base our warranty on.