PP spunbond for agricultural crop covers

What a crop cover does

A crop cover, also sold as frost fleece or floating row cover, is a light nonwoven laid over plants or supported on hoops. It lets light, air and water through to the crop while giving it a sheltered space underneath. Growers use covers to:

• protect young plants against light frost and cold wind;
• keep warmth near the crop and soil, to bring crops on earlier in the season;
• keep insects, birds and other pests off the crop as a physical barrier;
• shelter seedlings from heavy rain and wind.

Why spunbond suits crop covers

Spunbond is made from continuous filaments that are laid down and thermally point bonded, so even a light fabric is strong for its weight and does not unravel when it is cut. Polypropylene is light, does not rot and is not weakened by water.

Our PP spunbond has an even fibre lay-down for consistent strength across the width, with high tensile strength and elongation. That matters for a cover that is pulled over beds, pinned down and lifted again through the season.

UV stabilisation

Sunlight breaks down untreated polypropylene over time. A crop cover spends weeks or months outdoors, so it is normally made with a UV stabiliser. We make UV-stabilised spunbond on order.

Tell us how long the cover must last in the field and the climate it will be used in, and we will discuss the stabilisation with you before you order.

Choosing weight, construction and colour

Lighter covers let through more light and air and can rest directly on the crop. Heavier covers are tougher and give more shelter against frost, but let through less light. Our spunbond runs from 8 gsm (SSS) and 10 gsm (SS) up to 80 gsm.

SSS is made with three spunbond beams and SS with two. SSS reaches lower weights; for the lightest covers, compare samples of both.

White is the usual colour for crop covers. We can also make spunbond in any colour, matched to your shade with masterbatch.

Rolls for converting and packing

We supply rolls slit to width and wound to length, ready for your own cutting, folding and packing. If you sell packed covers, tell us the finished sizes so that roll widths can be matched to them, and tell us early which widths you need so we can confirm them with you.

Rolls are labelled and packed to your specification under your own brand. The minimum order is one 40'HQ container, and 5–6 different products can be combined in it.