Applications:

Tents:

Tents and shelters were probably the first constructions in which textiles were used as building materials. Tents have been traditionally used as building materials. Tents have been traditionally used for various purposes by nomadic people, traders, military, explorers and campers. New tent constructions were developed for building construction, business, exhibitions, entertainment, leisure and recreation. The most widely used fabrics for tent walls are polyesters and vinyls.

Clear-Span structures:

Clear-span structures provide clear space beneath the fabric, free of poles and other supporting elements. Clear span tents are more permanent than tents and less permanent than air or tensile structures. Clear spans can accommodate doors, flooring, insulation, electricity and HVAC easier than tents. PVC coated polyester is the most widely used fabric for clear span structures.

Tension structures:

In tension structures, metal pylons, tensioning cables, wooden or metal frameworks are used to support the fabric. A relatively minimal support system, which must be rigid, is required for these structures because the fabric carries most of the load.

Air Structures:

Air pressure inside the envelope provides tensioning and maintains required configuration and stability. The main components of an air supported system are the envelope (fabric), inflation system (fans), anchorage system (cables and foundation) and doors and access equipment. PVC coated polyester is the most widely used fabric. There are approximately 150 big structures in the world which were built within the last twenty years including Silver Dome in Detroit (where Teflon coated glass fabric was used).

Geotextiles:

An important branch of civil engineering dealing with the behavior and usage of soils is known as geo-technology and the textiles used in this area are known as Geo-textiles. Geotextiles are a member of a larger family called geosynthetics. Geotextiles are the largest group of geosynthetics in terms of volume. They are used in geotechnical engineering, heavy construction, building and pavement construction, hydrogeology and environmental engineering. Geotextiles are traditional textile products such as woven and nonwoven fabrics.

Awnings and Canopies:

Awnings are widely used in commercial and residential buildings for decoration, protection or visibility. Canopies, patio covers and porch awnings are the leading products in awning business. Fabric awnings and canopies are the most common types of shading structures. The main difference between an "awning" and a "canopy" is that a canopy requires support in addition to the anchoring that attaches it to a building. A fabric canopy is defined by BOCA as "an architectural projection that provides weather protection, identify and/or decoration and is ground supported by the building to which the canopy is attached."

Textiles as Roofing Materials:

Single-ply and multi-ply materials are used in the roofing market to protect buildings. In traditional built-up roofing (BUR), alternating plies of felts, fabrics or mats are assembled in place and bonded together with layers of bituminous products such as asphalt or coal tar.