How Cold Lamination Creates PVC Tarpaulins

What is Cold Lamination?

Cold lamination was the first method invented for making PVC tarpaulins, and it’s still widely used today. Despite its name, the process actually uses heat—just not as much as other methods. It’s popular because it’s fast, costs less to run, and works well for many everyday products.

How It Works

Imagine making a sandwich. The polyester fabric is like the bread in the middle, and the PVC films are like two slices of cheese on top and bottom. Here’s how it comes together:

The machine has large heated drums (think of big metal rollers)
The polyester fabric passes through the machine with PVC films on both sides
The heated drums warm up the PVC just enough to make it soft and slightly melty
As the materials pass through under pressure, the softened PVC from both sides squeezes through the tiny holes in the polyester fabric
When the PVC from the top and bottom sides meets in these holes, it bonds together
After cooling, the three separate materials become one unified product

Sometimes manufacturers add glue to this process. The glue helps the PVC stick better to the polyester and makes the final product more waterproof by sealing gaps in the fabric.

What It’s Good For

Cold-laminated PVC tarpaulins work great for many everyday uses:

Advertising banners you see at stores or events
Awnings that shade windows or patios
Lightweight covers for trucks and equipment
Temporary shelters at construction sites
Outdoor event tents

Our SKP Materials and Custom Designs

Our SKP materials excel at custom pattern design, making awnings exactly the way you want them. We can create unique patterns, colors, and designs to match your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for striped awnings for a restaurant patio or custom-branded coverings for an outdoor event, our cold lamination process delivers excellent results for these applications.

The Limitations

The main limitation is that the drums can only get so hot and apply so much pressure before damaging the materials. This means cold lamination can’t create the strongest possible bond between the layers.

Think of it like making grilled cheese—a regular pan on medium heat will melt the cheese enough to make a decent sandwich, but it won’t create the super melty, perfectly crispy sandwich that a professional panini press would make.

Because of these limitations, cold-laminated products typically last for a shorter time than those made with more advanced methods. They’re perfect for many uses, but not ideal for heavy-duty industrial applications.

When Stronger Materials Are Needed

When higher tensile strength is required for heavy-duty work in PVC tarpaulin, we have solutions available. For these demanding applications, reach out to see what we have available or send us your design specifications. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities can produce industrial-strength tarpaulins that meet the most challenging requirements.

For heavy-duty applications that need superior strength, the manufacturing process gets more complicated. When manufacturers use higher-quality polyester fabric with smaller holes, the PVC has trouble forming strong bonds through these tiny openings. In these cases, more advanced machines and techniques are needed.

Our Manufacturing Capabilities

Our company makes both types of products. We use cold lamination for standard applications at our facilities in China, and soon in Vietnam. We also have advanced manufacturing capabilities for premium, heavy-duty tarpaulins.

All our products meet international quality standards including EN71, SGS certification, and JFRA fire retardancy requirements. Whether you need a simple banner or a heavy-duty industrial cover, our international team can help you find the right solution.

Links: Contact us, Learn about Semi Coating Technology, Learn about PVC Coating Technology,

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