What is drop-stitch fabric?

Two layers of coated base fabric joined by tens of thousands of internal threads of equal length. Inflated, the threads hold the two faces parallel and the panel becomes rigid.

How is drop-stitch fabric made?

The two faces and the connecting threads are produced together on a specialised loom or knitting machine, then coated. The thread structure cannot be added afterwards.

What thickness of drop-stitch fabric is available?

Commercially, roughly 5 cm to 30 cm of chamber depth. Anything outside that should be confirmed with the mill before you design around it.

Is TPU always better than PVC?

No. It is better in cold, in weight and in ageing. It costs more, has a narrower colour range and different welding parameters. For temperate seasonal use PVC is usually the right call.

MATERIAL · FOR MANUFACTURERS SPECIFYING FABRIC

PVC vs TPU drop-stitch

Same base fabric, same internal threads, different coating. The coating decides cold-weather behaviour, weight and cost.

Short answer

PVC is the industry default: cheaper, high-frequency welds easily, wide colour range, mature supply. TPU costs meaningfully more but stays flexible at low temperature, ages better under UV, and is lighter for the same strength. If your product works in the cold, needs to be light, or touches skin or food, TPU earns its price. Otherwise PVC is the correct commercial answer.

Side by side

Side by side
	PVC coated	TPU coated
Cost	Lower — the market default	Higher
Low-temperature flexibility	Stiffens in cold	Stays flexible
UV and ageing	Adequate	Better
Weight for equal strength	Heavier	Lighter
High-frequency welding	Mature, fast	Weldable, different parameters
Colour range	Wide	Narrower
Typical use	Shelters, boats, mats, general	Cold climate, lightweight gear, medical contact

Base fabric is the same conversation

Coating is only half the specification. The base cloth — commonly 1000D × 1000D polyester — and the thread density between the two faces determine strength and how flat the panel holds under pressure. A cheap base under a good coating is still a cheap fabric.

Ask any supplier for denier, thread density and coating thickness as three separate numbers. A single 'gsm' figure hides all three.

Thickness is where the market sits

Commercially available drop-stitch runs roughly 5 cm to 30 cm of chamber depth, which covers paddleboards, boat decks, gym mats and most shelter walls. Requirements beyond that range are unusual and should be verified with the mill rather than assumed.

If a supplier offers a depth far outside this band, ask how it is constructed before you specify it.

What the price gap actually is

The commonly quoted difference is that TPU runs 30–60% above PVC, but the real number moves with thickness, width, order size and the current resin market. Treat any fixed percentage as a starting point for negotiation, not a fact.

We do not publish a figure we have not verified with the mill.

Which coating to specify

Specify TPU when

The product is used below freezing
Weight is a selling point
Long outdoor exposure is expected
Skin or food contact is involved

Specify PVC when

Cost is the binding constraint
Use is temperate and seasonal
Colour matching matters
Welding throughput is a production priority

Common questions

What is drop-stitch fabric?: Two layers of coated base fabric joined by tens of thousands of internal threads of equal length. Inflated, the threads hold the two faces parallel and the panel becomes rigid.
How is drop-stitch fabric made?: The two faces and the connecting threads are produced together on a specialised loom or knitting machine, then coated. The thread structure cannot be added afterwards.
What thickness of drop-stitch fabric is available?: Commercially, roughly 5 cm to 30 cm of chamber depth. Anything outside that should be confirmed with the mill before you design around it.
Is TPU always better than PVC?: No. It is better in cold, in weight and in ageing. It costs more, has a narrower colour range and different welding parameters. For temperate seasonal use PVC is usually the right call.

Page updated 2026-08-28

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