Material Properties Available in a wide variety of designs and colors, Sling is a generic term for a woven, open-mesh fabric made from a vinyl coated, high strength polyester yarn. For Gloster sling furniture they use only the highest quality Textilene and Batyline woven vinyl.
Historically, slings are found combined with powder-coated aluminum frames. However, due to its inherent good looks, exceptional comfort and practicality, Gloster also has designed products that combine sling with both teak and stainless steel frames. One of the main benefits of sling is comfort. When stretched taught between two side frames, sling provides a yielding seating surface that moulds to your individual body shape. Gloster's Textilene and Batyline woven vinyl is resistant to fading, mildew and wear & tear under even the most severe weather conditions.
Gloster Slings are made exclusively of high-performance Ferrari Batyline slings, a PVC coated polyester yarn. Each yarn contains a polyester core, over which a colored PVC coating is extruded. Ferrari sling is most well-known for its patented system of pre-tensioning of the sling, which prevents sagging. All Ferrari slings are also Phthalate free. PVC is impervious to UV, chlorine, salt and most other pollutants and contaminants, and it is also easy to maintain and clean.
Cleaning Sling We recommend that slings are cleaned using
Gloster's Sling & Woven Cleaner, following the instructions detailed on the label. It is important to use a non-foaming cleaner on slings, as a foaming product will leave residues in the gaps in-between the weave which will then attract dirt. A pressure washer should not be used on sling as it may damage the fabric.
Frame Material Properties Aluminium is a light and tough metal with an excellent strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance - making it an ideal material for
outdoor furniture. The aluminium is coated with an electro-statically applied, powder coat finish. The electro-static application method
ensures 100% coverage of the metal’s surface area and provides a consistent and tough finish that far exceeds other conventional paint
finishes. The resulting finish is knock and scratch resistant, impervious to moisture, highly resistant to corrosion and easy to clean.
The process of powder coating involves a lengthy pre-treatment process. First, the material is thoroughly sanded with abrasive paper
much in the same way that wood is sanded. Then the frames and components are immersed in a series of chemical baths to clean and
degrease the metal before the corrosion resistance of the aluminium is enhanced by pre-treating with a chrome conversion coating that
deposits a thin layer of chrome on the surface. The powder coat (normally this is Polyester) is then applied using electrostatic spraying
equipment. A thin layer of powder is deposited over the entire frame before the frame is put into an oven at approximately 200°C (392°F)
for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the component.
The advantage of using powder coat over a paint finish is that the coating is harder and can be thicker than that of paint. Also, there
are no solvents involved. The disadvantage of powder coat over paint finishing is that powder coat is very difficult to repair if it becomes
damaged. It is not possible to perfectly match the appearance of powder coat with a repair made using a liquid paint.
Cleaning AluminumPowder coated aluminium should require very little maintenance, other than to gently clean with water and a mild liquid detergent to
remove any dirt or splashes. A microfibre cloth or sponge should be used to wipe over the surfaces of the furniture. Removing surface
water with a drying cloth (like you would use on your car) will help avoid water spots. Avoid using any abrasive cleaning agents or
materials, as these could mark the surface of the powder coat. Do not use steel wool or Scotchbrite on powder coated surfaces.
