Every boat owner knows the problem: if they forget to get the outer cushions from the cockpit, cockpit or foredeck into the interior of the boat in good time before it rains, or if a salty sea washes over the seat and lounger cushions, it is often difficult to get them dry again. Unpleasant waterlogging, condensation and mold are often the result. SeaHelp member Wolfgang Bauer from Radolfzell on Lake Constance therefore invented the Perltex cushion “to leave outside”.
Wolfgang Bauer from Radolfzell on beautiful Lake Constance is a gifted inventor. And he has owned a boat for many years. Like many other water sports enthusiasts, he discovered that sun and sunbathing cushions on yachts are a very “special topic”.
The problem: once his standard cushions got wet, it was difficult to get the moisture out of the cushions again. “Unpleasant waterlogging, condensation and mold were often the result,” said Bauer.
Bauer wanted to develop a simple and sustainable seat cushion and reclining cushion for everyday use that would work without foam
The inventor from Radolfzell did not want to settle for that. His goal: he wanted to develop “a simple and sustainable seat and reclining cushion for everyday use” that would work “completely without foam”. His focus was always on optimized “moisture management and the room climate inside the upholstery”.
After several years of development and many tests, he finally succeeded at the end of 2023: at this year’s boot in Düsseldorf, he presented his cushion “to leave outside” to the interested public for the first time.
“The innovative cushion does not require any foam at all”, says Wolfgang Bauer, and there is even a “solar thermal heat accumulator” inside the cushion that keeps the cushion core dry – “every day anew and completely without electricity”, says the inventor.
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The area of application is in the maritime, outdoor and camping, wellness and home sectors
Bauer calls his special upholstery Perltex; the boater sees the area of application not only in “year-round maritime use at sea”, but also “for the demanding outdoor and camping sector, for the wellness and spa sector and for the home sector”.
His promise: the Perltex he has developed is “one hundred percent sustainable”, as the textile (the raw material) is shredded during recycling and can thus be “returned to the same production cycle without further processing”.
The inside of the cushion consists entirely of polyester fiber, which is obtained from recycled PET bottles. Its hard-wearing seat and reclining cushions, which are around five centimetres thick, are also FC-free, as its textile coating is water-based, says Bauer.
The padding is constructed like a polar bear skin and consists of different HiTec membranes
And this is how it works: “The solar thermal Perltex pad is constructed like a polar bear’s fur”, says Bauer; “it consists of layers of different HiTec components, each of which has extraordinary physical properties”.
“A wide variety of combinations were tested in many series of trials, and the composition with the best efficiency and maximum seating comfort was finally selected”, explained Wolfgang Bauer at the presentation.
The new upholstery is equipped with a “translucent cover fabric”, which consists of a high-quality polyester fabric with a water-repellent coating and an integrated membrane function, says Bauer; “the surface is slip-resistant, the cover fabric is robust, light, tear-resistant, and the whole thing is dirt-repellent and self-cleaning as well as seawater and UV-resistant”.
The heart of the new Perltex upholstery is a three-dimensional spacer fabric that is structured like a plush or velour fabric
The main reason for the positive properties of its seat cushions is a three-dimensional spacer fabric, which is constructed like a plush or velour fabric and is said to be able to provide softness and pressure elasticity.
“The resulting air circulation prevents the accumulation of moisture in the cushion”, promises Bauer; it is also permeable to air and light. This completely eliminates moisture in the cushion.
Another advantage of the new type of cushion is that there is a “textile latent heat accumulator” inside, says Wolfgang Bauer. This collects the heat inside the cushion during the day and releases it back to the surface of the cushion in the evening. According to the manufacturer, this ensures “maximum seating comfort deep into the night”.
The upholstery core is available in various degrees of firmness, whereby the restoring forces of the fibers are always supportive and pleasantly noticeable
The newly developed thermoelastic, air-permeable upholstered core is also designed to enable “long, centered and comfortable sitting”. The upholstered core is available in various degrees of firmness and the “restoring forces of the fibers are always supportive and pleasantly noticeable”.
Positive side effect: with the new Perltex cushions patented by Bauer, every user receives an “elegant massage for the lymphatic vessels” and “the pelvic area, the spine and the entire back are centered”.
Contact: Wolfgang Bauer, Mail: info@perltex-polster.de. Fabric samples can be sent on request. Perltex upholstery is supplied individually according to customer requirements in various colors, sizes and degrees of hardness.
Special service: If the upholstery needs to be changed over time, Bauer will be happy to take it back.
