Fabric Odor??

[jojo]

Just opened a roll of Sunbrella Surlast that arrived today, and the stench coming off the fabric is unbelievable!! Has anyone ever experienced this before? Will the smell go away?

[ahkahn]

It is common for material to have a smell to it - sometimes pleasant, sometimes not so pleasant, and sometimes even fowl. 

Often times you will only notice this on NEW unopened rolls from the manufacturer, as cut yardage has had time to air out on our shelves.

A really strong material may take 30-45 days for the smell to completely dissipate.  I have told customers (and customers of customers) in the past to wait a couple of months, and if the smell hasn't gone away, bring it back and I'll replace it.  I've never had one come back.

-Andrew

[jojo]

Thanks Andrew. What a relief! This is without a doubt the worst smell on earth.

[Mike]

surlast is the worst ive smelt

[kodydog]

Last month I upholstered 2 wing chairs in a COM cotton blend type fabric. When I finished I put them in the van to store till delivery later that week. The next afternoon I went into the van to get something out of the glove box and noticed a strong musty type smell. At first I thought it was something wet in the van then my wife thought it was the plastic bags covering the chairs. We traced it to the fabric. We didn't notice while we were working with the fabric but in the heat of the day inside the closed van it gave a very strong odor.

[gene]

I had some fabric last week that stunk. I can't remember the last time I had something like this. I have had a mildew smell a few times. I wonder if fabric companies are cutting corners by eliminating chemicals that used to keep the stink down???

This would not be good for business if more and more fabrics stink. I would have to start smoking, stop bathing, and eat a lot of beans just to cover up the stench coming off the fabric.

I have never had Sunbrella stink. And I've used a lot of it. I do appreciate your explanation, Andrew. That's a good possible explanation for any customer who has stinky fabric.

My grandmother used to always say, "If you're the only one who smells it, it must be you." I could hang this sign in my studio and then when folks complain about the stench coming off the fabric, I would say, pointing to the sign, "I don't smell anything!"

gene

[ahkahn]

Gene,

As far as fabric companies go, it has to do with the chemicals they use to manufacture their fabrics.  Most Chinese fabrics are the worst as far as smell goes - mainly because they're using inferior (and sometimes illegal) chemicals to manufacture their fabrics and vinyls.  You may remember years ago that vinyls were often very strong smelling.  Over the past 5 years or so that smell has tempered away... mainly because of changes in chemicals.  

What do you think the famous "new car smell" is, or the famous "leather" smell?  All chemicals.  

-Andrew

[gene]

My brother in law flys for Fed Ex international. He said when he fly into Beijing, China, he can start smelling the pollution in the cabin around 18,000 feet as they are descending.

gene

[ahkahn]

How nasty, Gene!  We have a certain urethane that we get from a Chinese importer and every time we open a roll it stinks up half the warehouse.  Smells like dead animal.  Nasty stuff!

-Andrew