The use of Biothane material is so widespread that many people refer to their harness as Biothane. One can infer the popularity of Biothane from the fact that this synthetic material is robust, durable, tolerant to weather elements, easy to maintain, and shiny. In addition, many users prefer Biothane harnesses over other harnesses since it remains stiff in the winter. However, when it comes to Biothane material, there are various misconceptions. For example, some think Beta is more desirable than Biothane for its matte finish and softer texture.
While all harnesses are synthetic, not all synthetic harnesses are Biothane. Biothane is the brand name for synthetic coated webbing material and products manufactured by BioThane Coated Webbing Corp. The company started its manufacturing in 1977.
The polyester webbing with PVC coating makes Biothane material extra-strong, long-lasting, waterproof, and easy to maintain. Biothane is manufactured for various industries including, equine, sporting goods, safety, military, medical, canine, and more. Amongst them, Biothane is prominently used in the animal industry.
Biothane produces a variety of coatings and webbings. Different type of coating is used for different purposes. Some most popular coatings available are Granite, Gold, and Beta.
Depending on the end-use of the material, some coatings offer better application over others.
Biothane products are thoroughly tested and evaluated based on cold flex, hand tackiness, abrasion resistance, hardness, weather resistance, flex, coating tear strength, acid resistance, oil resistance, and peel adhesion.
Biothane product that has high gloss level is the hardest with least amount of flex. Generally, Gold and Diamond level Biothane products fall in this category. On the other hand, semi-gloss or no-gloss Biothane products have better cold flexibility and are softer.
While making strong synthetic harnesses, the maker should pick the right BioThane product. The choice of the product will largely depend upon the intended use of the saddle.
For instance, straps holding buckles are vulnerable to abrasion. Thus, a biothane product with a more robust coating should be used to make the straps.
In the equine industry, the use of Biothane for making saddles, harnesses, and straps can be traced back to many years. Initially, Biothane products were used to make equine tack. The end product would have a shiny finish and was called Biothane. Then, gradually, Biothane products in matte finish started to appear in the market. This was referred to as Beta.
When getting any equine products made, people had to specify whether they wanted a glossy or matte finish. Eventually, people simply started to call shiny synthetic material Biothane and matte-finished synthetic material Beta.
BioThane is a leading manufacturer of synthetic materials. And just like the brand, their products have acquired leadership status. Think of BioThane in the equine industry as what Kleenex is in tissues. Almost everyone refers to tissue paper as Kleenex, even if the tissue is manufactured by some other company.
While it’s true that Biothane has become synonymous with all synthetic materials, one must be aware that not all synthetic material is Biothane. Therefore, one must be careful when investing in synthetic material and make sure it’s genuine Biothane.