Smart Fab Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smart-Fab and what’s it made of?
Smart-Fab is a disposable fabric substitute, which receives the characteristics of regular woven cloth during our unique non-woven fabric manufacturing process.
What can I do with Smart-Fab?
Smart-Fab is great for design, arts and crafts and decorating. If you can do it with normal cloth, you can do it with Smart-Fab – wall coverings and decorations, bulletin board backgrounds, tablecloths, drapes, room decor, signs and banners, stage design, costumes and more. For lots of ideas and examples, see the “Uses & Projects”section of this web site.
What colours and sizes does Smart-Fab come in?
Smart-Fab rolls come in widths of 1.22 metres and are 12.2 Metres long. All Rolls are available in a range of 15 vibrant colours – white, yellow, cream, orange, red, brown, dark pink, dark purple, dark blue, blue, sky blue, apple green, grass green, cranberry and black. The Smart Fab Product is also available in flat sheets in 3 colour combinations –Black, White and Assorted Colour Packs (all having 45 sheets per pack) and are 30.5cm x 45.7cm in size.
Do the colours fade?
No! Smart-Fab colours never fade, retaining their original hues even in the harsh Australian Environmental conditions such as dampness or direct sunlight.
How much do Smart Fab rolls weigh?
Smart Fab Rolls are light and easily handled, weighing only 726 grams (less than a Kilo).
How resistant is Smart-Fab to water, moisture and high humidity?
It’s very water resistant! Smart-Fab repels and is not damaged by liquids, including water. You can use it outside and even wash it.
Can I stretch, fold and crunch Smart-Fab like regular cloth without ripping it?
Yes, you can. Like regular cloth, you can fold and crunch Smart-Fab to easily create waves, ripples and draping effects. And, it won’t rip if you stretch it using a reasonable amount of force.
Can I use Smart-Fab outside?
Absolutely. Smart-Fab is durable and long-lasting in almost all normal weather conditions. It’s resistant to humidity and moisture and reasonable exposure to direct sunlight.
Will Smart-Fab rolls fit standard paper roll racks?
Yes, Smart-Fab fits all standard paper roll holders.
Is Smart-Fab washable?
Yes, you can wash Smart-Fab, but note that the fabric may wrinkle. After washing or laundering it, you can remove wrinkles by stretching it out for a while. When it’s highly wrinkled, you can iron Smart-Fab – but be careful to keep the iron at a very low temperature.
How can I eliminate wrinkling?
You can reduce wrinkling to the minimum by rolling and folding Smart-Fab carefully.
Is Smart-Fab fireproof?
Smart-Fab is not fireproof and should be used carefully. However, Smart-Fab is not flammable, and was tested and approved to be compatible with the USA Fire Flammability Act Standard (16 CFR, part 1610) per the Consumer Product Safety Commission directive. In practical terms, it means that Smart-Fab is safe for usage in all the applications mentioned on our website, including in close proximity to children (e.g. in classrooms, for Halloween costumes, etc).
Can Smart-Fab be recycled?
Yes. Smart-Fab can be recycled using PP-Code 5 recycling systems.
Is Smart-Fab approved for use in contact with food?
Yes. It has been approved by the Food Microbiology laboratory of Milouda Biological Industries Services and tested for Overall Migration in conformity with EU Directives by the Packaging Laboratory of the Technion Institute of Technology Research and Development Foundation.
Cutting, Punching and Sewing with Smart Fab
Can Smart-Fab be trimmed?
Certainly. It’s easy to precisely cut and trim Smart-Fab using regular scissors or cutting knives – and the cut edges won’t fray!
Please watch our How To Use video
Recommended cutting techniques and tools:•
Smart-Fab can be cut with almost any regular cutting implement – scissors, edge scissors, handicraft knives, utility knives (box-cutters) and paper cutters/trimmers (guillotines) • When using paper punches, we recommend placing a sheet of construction paper beneath the Smart-Fab and punching in a single, swift motion • Depending on the quality of the cutting tool, you can cut 10-15 layers of Smart-Fab simultaneously. • While trimming, we recommend keeping the Smart-Fab taut.
Does Smart-Fab work in die-cutting machines?
Yes, Smart-Fab can be used with most die-cutting machines, cutting up 10-15 layers simultaneously. We recommend placing a sheet construction paper beneath the Smart-Fab.
Can I sew Smart-Fab?
Yes. Like regular cloth, Smart-Fab can be sewn by hand or with a sewing machine. And, there’s one big plus: the edges won’t fray.
Can Small Children (K-2) Easily Cut Smart-Fab?
Yes, children can cut Smart-Fab, but they should use children’s safety scissors under appropriate adult supervision.
Can Smart-Fab be stapled or used with thumbtacks?
Yes. All kinds of staples and staple-guns work with Smart-Fab. And, thumbtacks won’t leave holes in it after use.
Colouring Smart-Fab
Can I draw or paint on Smart-Fab?
No problem. It’s simple and easy to work on Smart-Fab with markers, water colours, oil paint, gouache, acrylic paint, pastels, chalk, crayons and other familiar colouring tools. Allow appropriate drying time for various colouring materials. When using wet or liquid colours we suggest placing a sheet of newsprint beneath the Smart-Fab in order to keep the work surface clean. Please watch our How To Use video
Can Smart Fab be dyed?
Yes, Smart-Fab can be dyed. However, because it’s liquid repellent it requires an industrial on-line drying process. If this isn’t available to you, we suggest simply using other Smart-Fab colours or colour combinations.
Can Smart-Fab be used for batik?
No, you should not use it with batik or hot wax.
Gluing, Shaping and Laminating Smart-Fab
Can I glue Smart-Fab – and with what adhesives?
Of course. Smart-Fab can be glued to itself or to any other material, using all normal adhesives (except for hot glues). We especially recommend using fabric adhesives, which feature very quick drying times.
Can I use Tempera Varnish to glue Smart-Fab?
Yes, but allow for appropriate drying time.
Can I use Smart-Fab in a laminating machine?
Yes, you can laminate Smart-Fab much in the same way you would laminate regular paper.
Can Smart-Fab be layered over a plaster form?
Yes.