At Applied Textiles, we know textile performance can get technical fast. From stain repellency and fire code compliance to lead times, testing, and fabric qualification, our team helps customers navigate complex textile challenges every day.
Below in our FAQ are answers to some of the most common questions about Alta™, Alta™ dwr, Applied Lab, textile engineering, distribution, and our processing capabilities.
What does Applied Textiles do?
Applied Textiles engineers performance into fabrics. We work with textile mills, distributors, furniture manufacturers, hospitality groups, healthcare providers, and commercial interior designers to enhance fabric performance through advanced textile technologies, testing, and supply chain solutions. Unlike traditional textile manufacturers, we do not manufacture fabric. We help other companies’ fabrics perform better.
What industries does Applied Textiles serve?
Applied Textiles supports a wide range of industries, including: Hospitality, Healthcare, Senior Living, Workplace, Higher Education, Cruise Ships, Restaurants, Residential Interiors, Commercial Furniture, and Places of Worship
What is Alta™?
Alta™ is a permanent textile performance technology developed by Applied Textiles. It enhances fabrics with advanced repellency, cleanability, and durability while maintaining the original look, hand, and softness of the textile. Alta™ is engineered for real-world performance without compromising design.
How is Alta™ different?
Alta™ is designed specifically for each application, ensuring the right level of performance and fire code compliance at the most economical cost, so you only pay for what you need. Alta™ uses more water and less chemistry than other finishes, delivering exceptional repellency against water- and oil-based stains, dust, and dirt. It's a water-based technology that improves abrasion resistance, pilling resistance, seam strength, and fray resistance in upholstery. Alta™ is engineered for each fabric and application and is designed to bond effectively to most fibers, including natural, cellulosic, and synthetic fibers.
What types of stains does Alta™ repel?
Alta™ helps repel both water-based and oil-based stains, including: coffee, wine, soda, oils, food spills, and everyday dirt and grime This allows spills to remain closer to the surface for easier cleanup and maintenance.
Is Alta™ permanent?
Yes. Alta™ is engineered to provide permanent performance for the life cycle of the fabric when properly maintained.
How does Alta™ achieve its repellency?
The Alta™ technology changes the fiber’s surface energy to repel water- and oil-based stains, dust, and dirt.
Can Alta™ be applied to luxury fabrics?
Yes. Alta™ Luxury was specifically developed to engineer performance into high-end textiles such as: Velvets, Bouclés, Chenilles, Linen blends, Mohair, Textured woven fabrics, and Natural Fibers Alta™ Luxury helps these fabrics achieve enhanced cleanability and durability while maintaining their elevated aesthetic.
Does Alta™ support fire code compliance?
Alta™ technologies are engineered with end-use applications in mind, including environments with demanding fire code requirements. Our team can help customers qualify fabrics for various commercial applications and testing standards.
What is the difference between Alta™ and generic soil and stain finishes?
Generic soil and stain finishes are topical and temporary, and they wash off or wear off. Alta™ is bonded permanently to the fiber and will last the life of the fabric. Unbranded soil and stain treatments can often make fabrics burn. Alta™ ensures fabrics comply with applicable fire codes. Unbranded soil and stain finishes make no claims regarding efficacy.
What is Alta™ dwr?
Alta™ dwr is Applied Textiles’ PFAS-free water repellency technology designed to provide advanced repellency to water-based stains, dust and dirt without intentionally added PFAS chemistry. It delivers durable water repellency and meets evolving environmental and regulatory demands.
Is Alta™ dwr PFAS-free?
Yes. Alta™ dwr is a PFAS-free textile repellency technology.
What is Applied Lab?
Applied Lab is Applied Textiles’ accredited textile testing laboratory. Applied Lab provides certified textile testing for performance, flammability, durability, and colorfastness.
What types of textile testing do you offer?
Applied Lab performs more than 90 standardized textile tests, including: Wyzenbeek Abrasion, Martindale Abrasion, Pilling, Flammability, Colorfastness, Seam Slippage, Crocking, Breaking Strength, IMO Testing, and Stain Testing
Can Applied Textiles help qualify fabrics for specific markets?
Yes. We regularly help customers qualify fabrics for hospitality, healthcare, cruise ship, workplace, and senior living applications through engineered performance solutions and certified testing.
Can Alta™ help me pass IMO Upholstery Testing?
What is your minimum order quantity?
Applied Textiles offers low minimums, with many programs starting at just 2 yards.
What are your standard lead times?
Many Alta™ orders are processed within 2–3 business days. Expedited options, including 24-hour turnaround, may also be available depending on the program and material availability. A standard 24-hour turnaround time is available for customers who warehouse with us.
Can Applied Textiles process large-volume orders?
Yes. Applied Textiles can support projects ranging from small sample runs to large commercial production orders.
Does Applied Textiles offer warehousing and fulfillment services?
Yes. Applied Textiles offers warehousing, inventory management, memo sample fulfillment, distribution, import/export logistics, and textile supply chain support.
Can you warehouse our fabric inventory?
Yes. Many customers warehouse inventory with Applied Textiles to support faster turnaround times, expedited processing, and streamlined distribution.
Is Alta™ environmentally friendly?
Yes, Alta™ complies with CAL Prop 65, EPA, and European Union REACH standards for safe chemistries. Alta™ dwr is water-based and uses less chemistry than competitive products. Alta™ dwr does not contain PFOS, PFOA, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), heavy metals, formaldehyde, or phthalates.
Is Alta™ bad for my health?
No, Alta™ is not toxic to humans, animals, or the environment. Alta™ will not bio-absorb, is not carcinogenic, does not bio-accumulate, is not biopersistent, and is not mutagenic.
Are there any fibers you cannot treat?
We can process 98% of all textiles, but to do so, we need to know the fabric’s fiber content. We will not run an order without knowing the fiber content. If you have a question about a specific fabric or fiber content, please contact us, and we will review your fabric specification with you.
What if a fabric already has a finish on it? Can I add Alta™?
Yes, Alta™ can be applied over all finishes. Alta™ provides these fabrics with a more durable, permanent repellent against water-based stains.
Can you treat coated fabrics?
Presently, we cannot treat faux leathers made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Polyurethane with Alta™.
What is the minimum yardage needed to treat with Alta™?
We ask for 2 yards to maintain pattern and weave alignment. Special accommodations can be made by contacting your account manager.
Can you treat a bleach cleanable fabric with Alta™?
Yes, Alta™ will not affect the properties of a bleach-cleanable fabric.
Can Applied Textiles work with wide width fabrics?
Applied Textiles will support rapid service for standard-width materials, 53” usable, 59” overall. Fabrics that vary from standard processing widths will incur a special setup/processing fee.
Does Alta™ meet fire codes for various applications?
Yes, Alta™ is designed to provide high-performance repellency and meets fire codes. Please contact us with any questions or for more information.
Can Alta™ help natural fibers pass 701 drapery testing?
Yes, Alta™ drapery typically helps linen, wool, or cotton fabrics pass 701 drapery testing.
How do I clean fabric treated with Alta™?
1.) Gently absorb liquid spills with a dry, clean, absorbent cloth. 2.) If any residual spot remains, flush with warm water and then blot with a dry, clean, absorbent cloth. Repeat, if necessary. 3.) For stubborn stains: follow the steps above, then mix 2-3 drops of a mild detergent with a cup of water and apply to the soiled area. Gently work the solution into the area, wait a minute, then blot the spot with a clean, dry, absorbent cloth. Repeat until the spot is gone. 4.) After cleaning, be sure to rinse thoroughly with water and blot to remove soap residue.
Does Alta™ help fabrics last longer?
Yes. By improving repellency, cleanability, and physical performance properties, Alta™ can help extend the usable life cycle of fabrics in demanding environments.
Since Alta™ provides repellency, why do I need a liquid barrier for Alta™ dwr F+B, Alta™ dwr Healthcare, or Alta™ dwr Senior Living?
Liquid barriers are critical for keeping high-use areas clean and preventing stains from being pushed below the surface of the fabric and into the cushion. We recommend using liquid barriers for food and beverage areas, healthcare and senior living environments, and other areas where constant cleaning is required. Our proprietary liquid barrier is called Durablock® and is very durable to cleaners, including bleach and other healthcare cleaners.
When do I need to have a heavy acrylic backing added?
A heavy acrylic backing is typically applied to thick fabrics that require extra stability, or to fabrics used for wallcovering that need increased stiffness.
How is acrylic backing added?
Acrylic is aerated and applied to the back of the fabric in a thin, even layer using a knife edge.
What’s a laminated backing, and how is it applied?
A laminated backing is a layer of material bonded to the back of a fabric to improve its durability, water resistance, and stability. This is achieved by fusing the backing to the fabric using either a heat-activated adhesive or a heat-set method. This enhances properties for applications such as upholstery. This creates enhanced properties for applications like upholstery.
Has Alta™ been tested with healthcare cleaners?
Yes, healthcare environments use three families of cleaners: quaternary, bleach, and peroxide. Alta™ has been tested and is durable to all these types of cleaners.
What is the antimicrobial used in Alta™ Healthcare and Alta™ Senior Living?
We add a durable antimicrobial effective against bacteria, microbes, mold, mildew, and fungi. We also add the antimicrobial to Alta™ Outdoor to help prevent mold, mildew, and fungi from forming on outdoor fabrics.
How durable is the antimicrobial in Alta™?
The Alta™ antimicrobial technology has been tested in over 75 healthcare launderings with a 99.5% efficacy rate.
My healthcare client does not want an antimicrobial. Can Alta™ be specified without it?
Yes, Alta™ Healthcare or Alta™ Senior Living can be specified without antimicrobial if the client prefers not to have it.