Even the most waterproof fabrics and materials will leak through stitched seams if not sealed properly. If a product leaks, customers don’t care if it’s from the fabric or the seam – all they know is they’re getting wet. Garment manufacturers want to keep a sewn product watertight and protect the durability and soundness of their weather-worthy gear.

Bemis Associates has been leading the industry in manufacturing adhesive products and solutions for more than 110 years. Their portfolio of 2-layer, 3-layer, and customizable Seam Tapes are specially designed to maintain the integrity of a garment without allowing moisture to leak through any stitched holes. Seam Tape is best described as a slit-multilayer material with a proprietary adhesive engineered to bond to a variety of fabrics with waterproof membranes for many different waterproofing applications across the apparel market. The Seam Tape can be applied to a product’s seams by using any of the commercially available hot air taping machinery to block water from entering the needle holes and making its way through to the garment or accessory. The tape acts like a dam. Bemis’ Seam Tapes are comprised of an adhesive layer along with a barrier layer and many of their tapes are polyurethane based.

Types of seam tape

With waterproofing solutions for a variety of 2-layer and 3-layer fabrics and materials that use a wide array of coatings, Bemis’ range of Seam Tapes are the key to protecting the integrity of weather gear.

• 2-Layer Seam Tapes

2-layer Seam Tapes are engineered for applications using light to medium weight PVC, vinyl, or polyurethane coated 2-layer materials. Engineered to have a minimal footprint on a garment and a soft hand feel, the collection of tapes won’t allow moisture to leak in and do not distract from a product’s sleek look and agile feel.

In addition, Bemis offers two recycled choice 2-layer Seam Tapes. These tapes are Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) Certified and are made from 20% post-industrial recycled content while maintaining the benefits and quality customers have grown accustomed to with Bemis’ Seam Tapes.

•3-Layer Seam Tapes

Engineered to bond through the bulk of thicker materials, 3-layer Seam Tapes provide a reliable seal on medium to heavy weight 3-layer fabrics with a polyurethane membrane. Bemis’ tapes utilize a jersey knit or nylon tricot face fabric, a waterproof barrier, and an adhesive film backer. Their portfolio consists of colored options that can add a design element or blend in with the interior of a garment as well as improve next-to-skin comfort of stitched seams.

Two of Bemis’ 3-layer Seam Tapes use a GRS certified face fabric made of 100% post-consumer recycled polyester, ultimately boasting 10-15% recycled content by overall weight without compromising waterproof performance.

•Customizable Seam Tapes

Customers can customize their Seam Tapes, a unique opportunity that allows users to print colors, patterns, or logos to match their designs or incorporate custom face fabrics to ensure the Seam Tape does not distract from the overall design of the garment or equipment without compromising the performance of the product or the integrity of their gear.

Outerwear brands have an assortment of options to choose from and can be confident that their waterproof garments and equipment will weather the storm, from drizzle to downpour.

Popular applications

Since Bemis Seam Tapes adhere to a wide variety of fabrics and materials, they have been proven in many garment applications. Manufacturers apply Bemis Seam Tapes in technical outerwear and activewear for activities such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, cycling, golfing, fishing, boating, and hunting. It’s also ideal for any rainwear and industrial workwear.

Beyond use in consumer garments, Seam Tapes have commercial applications in goods including footwear, tents and packs, military garments and gear, and protective suits and equipment.

Bemis offers an extended portfolio beyond Seam Tape – their Sewfree ecosystem, reflective films, reinforcing tapes, and decorative bonding solutions, means brands can count on a cohesive collection of high-quality adhesives to elevate their finished products’ performance and appearance.

Key requirements

Bemis is always improving their Seam Tape portfolio with ongoing product development to meet new applications, evolving demands, enhanced technical support, and progressive validation processes. They also work hard to educate the brands and factories on bonding techniques, advising four key factors when qualifying the right seam tape.

•Waterproofness

This goes without saying - testing the waterproofness of a bonded tape before and after wash is critical in determining if the tape and material are a good match. The membrane or barrier of the waterproof fabric and the tape’s adhesive should have complementary chemistries to create a secure, waterproof bond.

•Footprint

After seam tape is bonded and washed, the seam and the tape, should lay flat. If the right adhesive and waterproof membrane chemistry work well together, the tape will leave an almost invisible footprint on seam of a garment

•Hand Feel

The agility and movement of the final product should not be affected by a bonded seam tape, the wearer shouldn’t even know it’s there. The thickness of the tape along how soft it is and ability to stretch should be taken into consideration.

•Appearance

Brands always pay close attention to appearance and how any component works with their final designs. Bemis offers color matching but also advises customers to watch for grin through and avoid puckering when testing a tape.

For more information on Bemis’ Seam Tapes and applications, visit bemisworldwide.com.