Invisible component in the seatback

The tape is one of the textile components in the vehicle that remain out of sight yet are crucial for function. It serves as a flap fastener for a card pocket in the seatback. Two combination tapes are installed in a crisscross pattern and hold the flap in place. For passengers, the non-elastic woven tape is only visible for a brief moment when the flap is opened, as one to two centimetres appear at the side.

The design combines an elastic woven tape with a non-elastic tape. By specifying the dimensions and materials of the elastic tape, the force-elongation behaviour can be precisely controlled. The non-elastic tape stabilises the rubbing points and contributes to quiet operation. The elastic tapes are hooked into precisely defined holes in the seatback. These holes are produced by laser cutting, and the sealed edges make them stable and durable.

Joint development for premium applications

Auto Leder Atelier GmbH (Alea) uses the functional tape in series production of high-quality interior components. The company specialises in interior finishing, from lamination through to leather upholstery, and supplies leather seats and trim parts for car manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers in the luxury and premium segments.

At the start of the project, the Jumbo-Textil development team visited Alea on site. Both partners jointly defined all specifications for the specialised tape, from strength-elongation behaviour and flame retardancy to surface characteristics. Jumbo-textil then developed several solution options with project-specific properties and tape widths, from which Alea selected the most suitable variant for the installation trials.

Specifications and configuration

The functional tape uses an elastic material based on natural rubber and features a flame-retardant finish. It is available in various widths and in customer-specific colours. The holes can be created either by laser cutting or interlaced during the braiding process.

Jumbo-Textil supplies the tape as a ready-to-use, pre-assembled component, for example with a sewn-on flat plastic profile or with sewable plastic. This allows Alea to integrate the tape directly into its interior components and align it with its production processes.