Car Cover Related Definitions

Elements of Fabric Performance

RAIN: Condensed moisture that falls from the atmosphere. For car cover applications it is important to know how well a fabric resists the rain? The best fabrics will shed water, but in extended rain storms even the best fabrics will absorb varying amounts of moisture.
SNOW: How well does the fabric resist snow? Snow on the surface of a cover will eventually melt. On the best covers minimal amounts of moisture will seep through the cover.
ACID RAIN: Will the cover hold out the contaminants suspended in acid rain?
DIRT / DUST: Will the cover prevent dirt and dust, which settles on a cover, to sift through over time?
UV (sun) DAMAGE: How good is the fabric at blocking UV rays from the vehicles surface and interior? Best fabrics provide 100% UV protection.
BIRD DROPPINGS: Best fabrics will not allow bird droppings to permeate the material and get on the exterior of the vehicle.
TREE SAP: Tree sap is difficult to remove from exterior surfaces. The best fabrics will prevent most types of tree sap from reaching the paint finish.
BREATHABILITY: How easily can moisture, condensation and heat escape from under the cover?
HEAT INSULATION: Is the fabric thick enough to offer any insulating properties to reduce the vehicle temperature on hot days?
SOFT TOUCH: How soft to the touch is the fabric? Best fabrics provide a soft, silky finish against the paint surface.
DING PROTECTION: Based on the thickness of the fabric, will it provide some ding protection for the vehicle while parked?
EASE OF HANDLING IN THE WIND: How easy is the cover to install and remove in windy conditions? Generally, fabrics with higher weight per square yard are easier to handle.
STORAGE SPACE REQUIRE: How much trunk space is required for a stored, folded cover?
MILDEW / ROT RESISTANT: All Covercraft fabrics are treated with inhibitors to minimize mold and mildew.

Car Cover Related Names

Kimberly Clark: The same people who make Huggies diapers and Kleenex tissues, have a non-woven fabrics division that creates the Block-It line of fabrics we use to make car covers.
Block-It®: Fabric line by Kimberly Clark which includes Evolution® (Technalon®) and Noah® fabrics.
Covercraft Industries Inc.: The largest manufacture of car covers in the United States.
Sunbrella®: Woven acylic fabric by Glen Raven, Inc., available in 5 different colors: Pacific Blue, Sky Blue, Cadet Gray, Jet Black, and Toast. See additional Sunbrella details.
WeatherShield®
Noah®
Evolution®
Dustop™