Sattler SUN-TEX: "A success story for almost 150 years! 

Since 1875, Sattler SUN-TEX GmbH - now with three subsidiaries - has been a leader in technical textiles for awnings, tarpaulins and textile architecture, among others. Spread across three locations, the company employs nearly 800 people. Sattler SUN-TEX's headquarters, as well as the production and finishing of its fabrics, is located in southern Austria. 

The SUN-TEX division and the US brand OUTDURA focus on the business market for awnings, tarpaulins and covers for boats, fabrics for camping and caravan applications and outdoor garden furniture fabrics. The highest quality, mass dyed acrylic fibers are used for these purposes. PRO-TEX is the perfect partner for industrial applications, such as the production of truck tarpaulins, which are exposed to extreme loads, as well as all other types of PVC-coated fabrics for textile architecture and a wide range of special applications. 

Sattler SUN-TEX is certified according to ÖNORM EN ISO 9001:2008 and ÖNORM EN ISO 14001:2004. "We combine traditional attributes such as quality, knowledge, flexibility and reliability with an innovative approach," explains Manfred Heissenberger, CEO of Sattler SUN-TEX. "This combination forms the basis of what our company stands for: Thinking HighTex."

Sattler fabrics are PFAS-free

"As one of the largest manufacturers of sun protection textiles in the world, Sattler SUN-TEX is one of the first suppliers to not only ban PFAS from its main products, but also to achieve leading and high-quality certifications in the area of sustainability," said Maximilian Keiper, Project Leading Senior Product Manager for Sustainability at Sattler SUN-TEX. 

PFAS, also known as perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, are a group of non-degradable chemicals that can accumulate in the environment and in the human body. These substances have been the subject of debate and criticism for years because of their potential harmfulness to health and the environment. Therefore, various organizations and governments around the world have taken measures to limit or ban the use of PFAS. PFAS also play a role in the textile industry. For example, they are used in the finishing of technical textiles to improve their functional properties, including oil repellency. 

"This is why we at Sattler SUN-TEX have worked intensively for several years to develop PFAS-free finishes for our cloths, while maintaining the same technical properties as before, says Stephan Ully, head of R&D at Sattler SUN-TEX. "We have now completed the research, checks and extensive series of tests with cloths - including made-up ones - and these have shown that all the relevant specifications of our TEXgard finish remain unchanged. Only the oil repellency has been reduced."

"Due to the excellent results, we have converted our ELEMENTS and LUMERA products to PFAS-free as of September 2023, that even before the new OEKO-TEX® certification guidelines take effect. Therefore, we are also proactively anticipating an EU regulation that is currently being developed. All other Sattler SUN-TEX grades will follow step by step by mid-2024."

Sustainability 'Made in Green'

"It has long been known that Sattler SUN-TEX polyacrylic, used for its products, is the most resistant outdoor fiber on the market," says Maximilian Keiper. "The consequent longevity of our fabrics is probably the strongest argument for sustainability. Consciously choosing a high-quality product that I can still enjoy in 20 or 30 years with care is one of the first steps toward more conscious consumption."

"In addition, all our processes in procurement, planning and production are also subject to extensive qualification and assessment," he continued. "This year we set further milestones in the area of sustainability. Thanks to the new OEKO-TEX® SteP certification, which verifies the sustainability of our processes and supply chains, our products are now also OEKO TEX® Made in Green. With the OEKO-TEX® STeP certification and the MADE IN GREEN label, we clearly demonstrate the sustainability of our products as well as our pioneering role within this industry." 

"These are just a few of the steps Sattler SUN-TEX is taking as part of its forward-looking product and corporate policies, bringing us step by step closer to our goal of being a truly green and sustainable company." 

Elements OEKO WEAVE, the new, durable fabric from Sattler SUN-TEX

Sattler SUN-TEX will launch a new, durable sun protection quality with Elements OEKO-WEAVE in early 2024. This fabric has a proportion of 30% ReUse fibers and the same high technical values as all other Elements products says Ibrahim Türköz, Managing Director of Development & Production at Sattler SUN-TEX. "We use high-quality acrylic fibers for this new product, which would be discarded in the 'normal' production process due to lack of color purity. Thanks to the Cross Fibre Process, we are breathing new life into these fibers. As the second highest level in the European Union's waste pyramid, reuse is even preferable to recycling. This product was developed as part of our overall sustainability project, Sattler Green Chain." 

CEO Manfred Heissenberger of Sattler SUN-TEX comments on current and future activities. "For Sattler SUN-TEX as a company that has been family-owned for five generations, the future of future generations is particularly important. Like links in a chain, our efforts on behalf of sustainable products, processes and developments are connected to all our improvement measures in the areas of energy, waste and water management. All this with the support of our employees, for whom we bear responsibility and whose innovative spirit stimulates and drives us. We are convinced that it is not enough to think about recycling, but that it is necessary to address every detail in the production chain, right down to our customers, to make sustainability not just a buzzword, but a reality."