| 
The earliest awnings were designed along the sunny, salty coast of the Mediterranean about 2000 years ago, and Europe remains the epicenter of awning style and design.
Para Industrial Group started as a family company in Sovico, Italy, in the province of Milan, in 1920. Ninety years later, it is still a family company and still manufacturing all of their fabrics in Italy.
Para emphasizes the drama and vitality of fabric, experimenting on colors, patterns, and textures so that their fabrics have a sensual, visceral appeal. Para calls this effect their "strong Italian stylistic identity," and Para fabrics stylistically define the identity of whatever awning they're on.
The premier awning fabric from Para is their unique Tempotest line. Tempotest is a solution-dyed acrylic fabric, so it is a woven material made of manmade fibers. The dye is actually imbued in the fiber when it is created, so the color has a natural resiliency. Acrylics have an advantage over natural fibers like cotton in being naturally mold- and fungus-resistant. With Tempotest, Para has partnered with Dupont Chemicals to create a specialized Teflon treatment for their fabrics which enhance the attributes of solution-dyed acrylic:
- Water repellent
- Oil repellent
- Stain resistant
- Salt resistant
- UV resistant – in fact, sunlight actually strengthens the Teflon finish and keeps it active
- The treatment process coats the entire surface of every fiber and is permanently adhered to the fiber. Unlike many other fabric finishes, the Tempotest Teflon coating doesn't wear off.
- Para offers an 8-year warranty against all basic wear – even fading or fraying – in normal conditions, from salt spray on boats to sunlight.
FIND YOUR FABRIC
- RetractableAwnings.com offers 146 different Para fabrics in 20 different styles. With so many options, RetractableAwnings.com is committed to helping you find the perfect style for you and your home or office. We offer a number of tools to guide your choices:
- Our exclusive 3D-rendering tool uses pictures of your home, your exact location, and allows you to picture any awning frame or fabric in any size at your location.
- Our intuitive fabric selector helps you filter fabrics by color and style.
- We always supply free samples of any retractable awning fabric, valance fabric, or trim, so you can see and touch your options before you make up your mind.
- Repellent to normal dirt formation.
- Water-repellent.
- Excellent dimensional stability.
Due to normal weather, some microholes or tears can occur in the fabric of canopies and valances as a consequence of the mechanlical action.
In our coted/waterproof fabrics, the water-proofing can be comproimzed in case of mould formation. Design colors shown in the paper catalogue, on cd, on the internet site and in any other support media may not comrrespond with the real shade of the fabric; therefore it is recommended to select from teh textile pattern book.
However it is advisable:
- Tempostest® fabric should be regularly cleaned
- Remove brushing any marks of diret and wahs with a simple solution of light soap and lukewarm water. For strong stains and mould, wash with a solution of 240 ml. pre 1/2 pint bleach and 60 ml. per 1/8 pint mild soap diluted in 4 letres per 1 gallon of water. Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove soap. Dry the fabric in open air.
- To never use any other chemical products.
- To close the awning in presence of strong wind or rin
- Not roll up the awning when it is wet, but only if necessary; open it to make it dry.
- To avoid the bullid up of water puddles in the middle of the awning, keep the fabric always in tension and with an adequate gradient.
- Retractable awnings are inherently energy-efficient. Simply – and effectively – blocking sunlight reduces heat gain and UV damage. Para has tested their Tempotest fabrics to determine accurately what their effectiveness is at blocking sunlight.
- Depending on the color, Para's Tempotest fabrics block anyhwere from 93% (light) to 98% (dark) of UV rays.
- Likewise, Tempotest fabrics reduce indoor heat gain anywhere from 20% (light fabrics) to 30% (dark fabrics). This can result in saving almost 10 degrees in indoor heat gain and reduce air conditioning use as much as 40%.
- Para has targeted several areas in their manufacturing process where they can decrease their environmental footprint and increase livability:
- Enhanced water purification process, treating 2000 cubic meters of water daily
- An onsite co-generation plant for heating and electricity
- Continuing testing for harmful materials used in manufacturing (Oeko-Tex® Standard 100)
- Using ecologically-friendly products, such as Sanitized's registered antimicrobial active ingredients for fabric finishing
| ACRYLIC STAIN CLEANING CHART | |
| STAIN | CLEANING SOLUTIONS |
| WATER COLOR | Liquid detergent, water, white vinegar |
| BUTTER | Volatile solvent |
| BEER | Liquid detergent, white vinegar |
| COFFEE | Detergent, white vinegar, volatile solvent |
| GREASE | Volatile solvent |
| CHEWING GUM | Volatile solvent |
| CHOCOLATE | Liquid detergent, ammonia water |
| SHOE POLISH | Volatile solvent |
| WAX (CANDLE) | Volatile solvent |
| INK OF BALLPOINT | Paint remover, volatile solvent detergent |
| CRAYON | Paint, oil or grease remover |
| OIL | Volatile solvent |
| ORANGE DRINK | Liquid detergent, water |
| MILK | Liquid detergent |
| MASCARA | Paint remover, volatile solvent detergent, water |
| MILDEW | 1/2 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup natural soap for 3 litres of water |
| EGG (RAW) | Liquid detergent |
| WET PAINT | Liquid detergent, water |
| DRY PAINT | Paint, oil or grease remover |
| TREE SAP | Turpentine, liquid detergent |
| LIPSTICK | Paint, oil or grease remover |
| IRON RUST | Oxalic or citric acids, water |
| BLOOD | Detergent/ammonia (3-6% water) |
| GRAVY | Liquid detergent |
| TEA | Liquid detergent |
| TOMATO JUICE | Liquid detergent |
| URINE | Liquid detergent, white vinegar |
| WINE | Liquid detergent/ammonia (3-6% water), white vinegar |
| VOMIT | Detergent, water, white vinegar |
- TUV
- Oeko-Tex® Standard 100
- Tempotest collection is certified according to the UNI.EN.410 standard for solar radiation
- Info
