3 SIZES AVAILABLE

HexaYome
6-sided (150 sq. ft.)

SeptaYome
7-sided (200 sq. ft)

OctaYome
8-sided (265 sq. ft)

Red Sky Shelters is committed to offering materials that yield the best performance, durability and safety with the least environmental impact. Close to a decade ago we phased out the use of PVC-coated fabrics for our Yome coverings. This decision left us with very few options and we have had to pioneer and develop our own alternative materials. From our silicone Legacy roof fabric to our Sunglow sidewall fabric, we have developed a set of fabric options that are suitably durable and functional yet environmentally friendly.

Roof Fabrics

What roof fabrics does Red Sky Shelters use for the Yome?

Our standard roof material is our Legacy silicone-coated polyester roof covering.

What is silicone?

Silicone is a polymer made from silicon, oxygen, and various organic compounds. Silicone is unaffected by ultraviolet radiation, oxygen, ozone, or high temperature – all these agents that degrade most other polymers. Furthermore, silicone filters out harmful UV-B rays, the type of UV rays that damages materials including our skin.

As far as we know, pure silicone is a completely environmentally “green” substance. Not only is silicon the most abundant mineral on earth, but throughout silicone’s life cycle, from its manufacturing to its disposal, no harmful byproducts are produced. Unlike PVC, silicone when burned (at high temperature, given its high flame resistance) produces merely an ash of silica dioxide, a.k.a., sand.

If silicone is “green,” why does it have a bad environmental reputation?

It is possible to dilute silicone rubber in its liquid state with solvents. Years ago, in many processes involving silicone, these solvents were allowed to escape into the environment. It was these solvents that cause environmental concern. Although there are now solvent recovery systems, these are technically-complicated and it is not necessary to use solvents at all when coating with silicone. We use only solvent-free silicone with 100% rubber solids to coat onto our roof fabric .

What is your silicone-coated Legacy roof material?

For our Legacy roof material, we start with an extremely tough, plied-polyester base fabric (the same fabric used for conveyor belts) and incorporate a newly developed, environmentally-sensitive, flame–resistant compound. We then bond a heavy layer of silicone rubber to the exterior and our ceramic-acrylic coating (see below) on the interior. The result is an extremely durable and strong material that keeps the weather out. This material will out-perform any PVC-coated architectural fabric in its class in strength, tear-resistance and longevity.

If silicone coated fabric makes such a great architectural material, why isn’t it used more often?

Good question! The main answer is probably the cost. Silicone coating is 5-6 times more expensive than PVC coating. However, if PVC’s true environmental cost were factored in, silicone would be considered a bargain.

Why can’t you offer a silicone coating that can be applied by the customer for Yome kits?

The process silicone requires isn’t really suitable to be applied by the customer. While the ceramic-acrylic coating can be brushed on like thick paint and will air dry, silicone is a liquid rubber that requires a unique and controlled application and curing process, so much so that we don’t do it ourselves in-house; we have it done for us .

Sidewall Fabrics

What sidewall fabrics do you offer?

Sunforger is our standard wall fabric which is suitable for dry climates. For most environments we offer Sunglow, our completely synthetic acrylic-coated option. Both materials are fire, water, and mildew-resistant. Our Sunforger  sidewalls are breathable, and both are translucent. Their natural color allows filtered light to enter and bathe the Yome in a rich and elegant glow. It’s like living in a cloud !

What is your Sunforger wall fabric made of?

The Sunforger treatment (formerly known as Vivitex) has been used for decades and has proven itself to be a utilitarian material that offers great value. However, recent changes to the treatment to make it more environmentally friendly have rendered it less suitable for non-arid environments. The fabric’s natural off-white color changes somewhat unevenly over time. We add an environmentally-friendly fire-resistance treatment to make our sidewall material safe.

What about your SunGlow sidewall option?

Our other premium sidewall option is a polyester material that has been coated on both sides with an acrylic. Off-white in color, it is comparable in weight and feel to PVC-coated fabric, yet it is completely PVC-free. Being completely synthetic yet also flame-resistant, SunGlow does not breathe like Sunforger, but it is more mildew-resistant and very cleanable, making it the best option for most environments.

If you’re interested in purchasing a Red Sky Shelters Yome package or product, please contact us so that we can properly assess your needs and fulfill your order as soon as possible.