The performance gap in support surface materials is becoming a hidden yardstick for long-term care quality. China Customs data shows that imports of medical coated fabrics grew about 12% year-on-year in 2023, with high-value PU-coated products taking a rising share. As aging populations and chronic disease management converge, traditional PVC materials—poor in moisture permeability and conformability—can no longer meet care scenarios that demand both frequent cleaning and skin safety.
Background
Pressure ulcers are not purely a nursing issue but an intersection of materials science and clinical needs. Published medical research indicates that local pressure exceeding capillary closure pressure (about 32 mmHg) can induce tissue ischemia, while ordinary mattress fabrics often create stress concentration points under body weight. Trelleborg's Dartex by Trelleborg® PU-coated fabrics use high elasticity to conform to mattress contours, distributing pressure more evenly and reducing the physical risk of pressure ulcers.
Compared with PVC, PU coatings contain no plasticizers and offer 30%-50% higher moisture vapor transmission rates, meaning sweat and humidity are expelled faster from the skin microenvironment. For bedridden elderly individuals, moisture is the second leading cause of skin breakdown. The breathability of PU fabrics directly mitigates maceration risk, thereby lowering secondary infection rates. This technical pathway has been incorporated into procurement standards by several European care institutions.
Industry Impact
Material upgrades are reshaping the operating cost structure of care facilities. Traditional support fabrics typically last 2-3 years, but frequent disinfection accelerates aging. Trelleborg's Dartex® Endurance series addresses this by enhancing chemical resistance, withstanding multiple daily chlorine-based disinfectant wipes without coating delamination or hardening. For a nursing home serving dozens of patients daily, each additional year of fabric life can cut per-bed annual replacement costs by roughly 15%-20%.
Community and home care scenarios follow a different logic: cost-sensitive yet safety-critical. The Dartex® Care series targets light-to-moderate care markets with an economical position, maintaining liquid barrier performance while pricing about 30% lower than typical imported PU fabrics. This enables small and mid-sized care institutions to upgrade without sacrificing protective performance, directly boosting penetration into lower-tier markets.
The introduction of smart fabrics elevates competition from physical protection to data services. The Dartex® Smart series integrates pressure sensors directly into the PU-coated structure, eliminating the need for additional sensing layers while enabling real-time monitoring of body position, humidity, and incontinence status. For solitary elderly or dementia patients, this integrated design avoids the foreign-body sensation and additional pressure ulcer risk of separate sensor pads. From an industry perspective, fabric manufacturers are transforming from mere raw material suppliers into providers of care data entry points.