Schlappi Awnings: 'Our awnings are totally in tune with the times'

"The awning has a classic look, but that certainly does not mean that this form of sun protection would be out of date," says Dennis Schoormans, director-owner of Schlappi Awnings in Tilburg. "On the contrary. Awnings also combine excellently with modern architectural styles. Moreover, a awning is also very effective and ideal for naturally blocking solar heat." 

"Summers are getting hotter," Schoormans continued. "To still keep it cool inside, air conditioners are often used. Milieucentraal has calculated that an air conditioner emits 70 kilos of CO2 during the summer. By comparison, it takes a tree three years to store that much CO2." 

"Awnings naturally block UV rays that cause heating. Whereas other types of awnings only block the sun's rays that come in from the front, awnings also offer protection against sunlight from the sides. Trade association Romazo gives awnings the maximum score for heat protection. With awnings, the temperature in a room can be kept naturally up to 5 degrees below the outside temperature." 

For Schlappi Marquees, sustainability is more than a business strategy. For Dennis Schoormans, it is a personal mission. "When we look around us, there is only one conclusion: it can't go on like this! In 2021, we started taking sustainability seriously and that has already paid off. For example, we set up a line to recycle usable materials from discarded awnings: think wood, aluminum and cloth. That provides raw materials to make new products from. But we are doing more." 

"Awning fabric stays good for ten years on average, but the frame of an awning has a lifespan of at least twenty years. It therefore pays to reupholster an awning. Through our dealers, we promote this fully. The end customer receives, without having to worry about it, an awning with a brand new fabric that will last for another ten years. At the same time we save on wood and/or aluminum. We now re-clad many awnings each year, saving thousands of kilos of wood and aluminum. Good for the environment and advantageous for the customer!" 

"For two years we have been producing awnings with integrated LED lighting, an in-house innovation. This lighting enables catering entrepreneurs to extend terrace time and - thanks to the dimmable light - create atmosphere on their terraces, all at minimal energy costs. The result: more turnover for the entrepreneur at lower costs. A win-win situation." 

"Schlappi is the exclusive distributor for the Netherlands of Starlight blue cloth made from PET. PET bottles are processed into fibers that are the main raw material for the cloth: as much as 85% of the cloth is made from this recycled polyester. The environmental impact is corresponding: 60% energy savings, 45% less CO2 emissions and 90% less water consumption. Performance does not suffer: the fabric is elastic and offers more resistance to the force of wind, for example." 

"It's buzzing with new ideas at Schlappi," Schoormans observes. "We have many more sustainable plans for. To give you a hint: we are currently working on a sustainable alternative to the large amount of plastic packaging materials. We are also looking at a new, energy-efficient approach to our logistics." 

"Furthermore, Schlappi Marquees also has product news to report," concludes Dennis Schoormans. "We are introducing eight new standard RAL colors for our aluminum frames. And we are coming out with our own collection of blended fabrics. A big advantage of these canvases is that they look 'clean' for longer and creases are less visible and noticeable. In short, when it comes to our product news, we are also right up to date!"