FAQs
Q: What is the significance of the YES Essentials® name?
A: The YES Essentials® brand refers to a family of high-performance, aesthetically-pleasing vehicle surfaces that Milliken & Company created through the application of patented stain repellency, stain release and antimicrobial technologies. The creation of YES Essentials product lines is another example of Milliken’s global leadership in textile and chemical industries, including a half-century of service to the automotive industry. The mission of YES Essentials fabrics and carpets is to make vehicle interiors virtually worry-free from the standpoint of care and cleaning. YES Essentials car floor mats and seat covers represent the first time that Milliken has made this technology available directly to consumers.
Q: What is YES Essentials® technology?
A: Milliken & Company’s YES Essentials is the only high-performance line of automobile fabrics and carpets that resist stains, odor and static, keeping car seats and carpets clean and fresh longer than ever before. YES Essentials combines three proprietary technologies including AlphaSan®, ShockShield™ and StainSmart® designed to provide both the OEM and the consumer high-performance, durable interior features for their automobile.
No stains. No smells. No worries.®
Q: Could you tell me more about the components of the YES Essentials® technology?
A: The unique combination of the three patented polymer technologies (StainSmart®, AlphaSan® and ShockShield™) engineered in YES Essentials, give it the power to repel and release stains, resist odors and reduce static shock.
Milliken’s antimicrobial agent, AlphaSan®, inhibits the growth of mold, mildew and other microorganisms that can cause odors or product discoloration. AlphaSan is a silver-based technology, which makes it safe, effective and long-lasting. It is used in a wide variety of consumer and commercial products, from sportswear to cutting boards.
Milliken's StainSmart® technology provides YES Essentials products with their ability to repel stains by causing liquids, such as coffee, juice, water or sodas, to bead up on the surface where they can be easily wiped away. StainSmart’s stain release features mean that a broad array of common stains – dirt, motor oil, permanent markers, lipstick – can be cleaned with soap, water and a vacuum should they penetrate the carpet or fabric’s surface.
Milliken’s ShockShield™ anti-static agent improves comfort and reduces static shock. It actually reduces static in YES Essentials surfaces by more than 50%. ShockShield technology is used only in YES Essentials seating surfaces.
Q: Who invented YES Essentials® technology?
A: YES Essentials was created and developed by a team of researchers at Milliken & Company with significant input from consumers. The process, from inception of idea to implementation in vehicles, took about three years.
Q: Why did Milliken create YES Essentials® technology?
A: Milliken & Company is always looking for ways to add value to its customers. We engaged in studies of the automotive interior end-user to uncover unmet needs. We heard what consumers had to say and developed a set of technologies to target those needs.
Q: What is Milliken & Company?
A: Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, Milliken & Company is one of the largest privately held textile and chemical manufacturers in the world. Milliken is widely acknowledged as an international leader in research, technology innovation and customer service. Milliken is strategically focused on combining textile and chemical technology in unique ways to serve a vast array of markets and industries.
Q: More about Milliken & Company ...
A: Milliken provides more than 50 percent of the seating upholstery fabric for vehicles made in North America. The average person will touch Milliken products more than 50 times per day. Milliken innovations protect soldiers, keep major league baseball players comfortable, and ensure luxury experiences at hotels and restaurants around the world. Chemicals developed by Milliken give crayons and markers their color and automobile dashboards their durability. Also, Milliken chemicals are used in transparent food storage containers and DVD cases.
Q: Where is YES Essentials® used?
A: YES Essentials technology is found in car seats, custom-fit floor mats, side panels, car accessories and anywhere consumers want worry-free, easy-to-maintain, stain and odor resistant surfaces in a car.
Q: How does one identify a YES Essentials® product?
A: Look for the tag. YES Essentials is easily identified by the sewn-in tag.
Q: How many consumers currently own vehicles equipped with YES Essentials® products?
A: YES Essentials will be incorporated into more than 1 million vehicles by the end of 2007.
Q: How easy is it to remove a stain from a YES Essentials® product?
A: Liquids that are spilled on a YES Essentials product – coffee, soda, water, juice – will bead up harmlessly on the surface where it can be easily blotted away. Should a stain penetrate the surface, it can be cleaned with soap and water. Milliken has tested the cleaning of YES Essentials products with virtually every stain imaginable – mud, coffee, soda, juice, baby food, motor oil, lipstick and permanent markers. All of these stains can be successfully removed from YES Essentials car floor mats and seat covers by following the easy cleaning instructions. See YES Essentials in action by viewing our demo or at splatthemat.com .
Q: How long do the performance features of YES Essentials® products last?
A: The technology in YES Essentials products is deeply embedded, which means it will last the life of the product. You can count on stain repellency and release, antimicrobial protection, and static reduction in YES Essentials products for as long as you own them. Don’t waste money using spray-on stain repellents and other performance enhancers – they aren’t necessary and may adversely affect the YES Essentials performance and will void your limited warranty. See our warranty page for full details.
Q: Where are YES Essentials® products made?
A: The fabrics and carpets that go into YES Essentials products are Made in the USA using premium materials and the best manufacturing facilities. Our aftermarket floor mat products ship from Global Accessories' Fremont, Ohio location. Our aftermarket seat cover products ship from Coverking's Anaheim, California location. Global Accessories and Coverking are leading suppliers of automotive accessories in North America.
Q: Where can I find YES Essentials® products?
A: YES Essentials products are currently available from the factory in many Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles. YES Essentials aftermarket floor mats and seat covers are available on the web in our Shop Online section for most of the makes and models made in North America.
Q: How long does it take to receive YES Essentials® aftermarket floor mats and seat covers after placing an order? A: YES Essentials aftermarket floor mats and seat covers are custom-made for you once you place your order. YES Essentials custom-made car floor mats will ship within a few days of placing your order and YES Essentials custom-made seat covers will ship within 3 weeks of placing your order. Shipment upgrades are available to speed up the shipping time once your item is manufactured. Please note: shipping upgrades do not alter the time it takes to manufacture your custom-made product.
Holiday Shipping Exceptions
Custom-made floor mats:
- Orders placed between 12/20/07 and 12/25/07 will ship on 12/28/07
- Orders placed between 12/26/07 and 01/01/08 will ship on 01/04/08
- Normal shipping schedule resumes for orders placed on or after 01/02/08
Custom-made seat covers:
- Orders placed between 12/24/07 and 01/06/08 will ship on 01/25/08
- Normal shipping schedule resumes for orders placed on or after 01/07/08