When you choose a material for straps, you have many options. Flat nylon, polyester, ribbon, patterned, flat or tubular, before you can make a strap there are materials and hardware that you must decide on. If you have not yet decided on what kind of material will be best for your particular application, then consider polypropylene webbing for these three reasons.
- It stands up to harsh conditions.
- It is strong.
- It looks great.
Not all materials are water resistant and UV resistant, but polypropylene is. Because it resists water, and therefore also resists mildew and rotting, it it ideal for use in outdoor applications.
Polypropylene webbing generally comes in two strengths, heavyweight and lightweight, and both are considerably stronger than you might think. It takes 300 to 1,200 pounds to break lightweight webbing, and 675 to 1,800 pounds to break heavyweight webbing. Both strengths are resistant to stretching, and have a 330 degree Fahrenheit melting point!
Polypropylene webbing is a popular choice for many straps because it comes in a wide variety of colors, and depending on your supplier, you could have a choice of more than 24. Polypropylene is also colorfast, so you can be sure that even after the sun, wind, and rain have had their chance, your straps will still be looking great.
Sporting goods, cars, pet accessories, transportation, and furniture are all applications that might have a need for this material. If there is any downside to polypropylene as a strap material, it is that it does not have a high resistance to abrasion, making it better for medium duty applications where it is not used against rough edges. Remember that the webbing is just the strap material, and you will need to decide what kinds of hardware rings, buckles, and loops are necessary to turn the webbing into exactly the strap you need.
