Vinyl Coated & Rubberized Webbing

Slip resistance, enhanced resistance to fluids & organic compounds, and also for texture and vivid colors, these are some of the properties added to webbing coated or interwoven with various polymers.

Rubber and polymer Vinyl Plastic Coated Webbing may also use Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) which is the same sort of rubberized plastic polymer used to make the cases and "skins" for many electronic devices and phones such as the iPhone. TPU has a rubber-like feel but technically it is a heat treated polyurethane, not produced from the sap of the rubber tree like true rubber. However, Polyurethane is considered a renewable resource because it can be produced from vegetable oils, cornstarch, sawdust, and other plant fibers.

Polyurethane has been made for centuries by ancient peoples in the Eurasian steppe, Valenki, a type of boot made by the indigenous people of Eurasia was made with wool felt and a coating of organic materials including animal urine that when combined and cooked with certain natural ingredients, coagulated and condensed into a crude form of polyurethane that kept the felt boots from getting waterlogged in the snow and slush.

Many people would refer to this coated webbing as vinyl strip, rubber strip, vinyl strapping, rubber strap or some other name that does not fully describe the nature of the material. all of our coated webbings are more than just a plastic or rubber coating, they all have a reinforcing substrate or base material from 13mm (1/2'') to 50mm (2'') that has a tensile strength of between 500 and 1,000 lbs. These reinforced polymer straps will not stretch appreciably like rubber or raw, un-backed PVC vinyl, these reinforced strap materials do stretch, but only very slightly. The rubberized coating is not primarily for stretch capability, it is primarily for water and chemical resistance, and easy cleanup when exposed to messy, bacteria filled environments, in fact, the polymer coating is highly resistant to chlorine bleach and most household and commercial kitchen and bathroom cleaning solutions.

The material also has a measure of flex and "springiness" to it, the wider and heavier weight varieties have have more stiffness to them which may be desirable in applications where a strap of a certain stiffness is required, such as water resistant harnesses, or some sort of flexible cage or strainer net.

These coated strapping materials may be especially useful in manufacturing emergency services equipment such as a harness, equipment and tool belts, or for bio-hazard applications where frequent sterilization or disinfection is required. The fiber in these composite webbing varieties is totally encapsulated by either TPU or PVC and can be repeatedly exposed to disinfecting solutions and chemicals without affecting the integrity of the plastic structure. The smooth coated varieties are especially well suited to messy and contaminated environments because the smooth surface does not provide crevices and tiny ridges where bacteria and contaminants can readily adhere to. The smooth black vinyl looking webbing is also ideal for theatrical and movie costumes and fantasy outfits that require a shiny black, futuristic look, that can be easily cleaned using mild soap and water. Also great for nursing homes and some medical use, as bodily fluids are easily washed off with soapy warm water, without scrubbing or soaking.

The textured and grooved varieties of this coated strip are excellent replacement for leather straps especially for the equine (horse) industry, many hours are spent by stable workers and horsemen maintaining and treating leather horse halters, harnesses and leads. Why would anyone spend extra time on this archaic leather care when a suitable, modern, maintenance free replacement is available? The textured, groovedRubber Duc™ Textured Grooved Rubber Coated Webbing even has grooves that make the strap appear to be stitched two ply leather; and if you want to make it two ply, the grooves also make the strapping easier to sew by creating a straight line to follow with the sewing machine, and creating a recess on the surface of the webbing that helps protect the thread from abrading and wearing out prematurely.

The leather textured embossed webbing both grooved and plain are also good for fashionable belts that are durable and don't need to be polished or oiled, can also be used to make long lasting replacement straps for designer purses and expensive women's bags. Another texture that this product comes in is an aggressive bumpy grip pattern that provides a high degree of slip resistance even when wet. This grip webbing has a really thick 1/4'' coating of specially formulated PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) that has a soft, very flexible rubbery feel to it. it has big hemispheric shaped dots molded onto it's surface that have a tendency to create friction when contacting many surfaces including fabric and even smooth materials like wood metal and hard plastics.

Search Terms / Common Product Names: rubberized webbing, rubber webbing, rubber coated webbing, plastic coated webbing, vinyl coated webbing