Why Weather Shield HP? Over 25 years ago Cover craft partnered with Nextec Applications, a technology leader that pioneered a new process for creating performance fabrics used primarily in the outdoor clothing industry. By using precise polymer placement and special chemistries, they were able to place protective finishes inside the fabric, encapsulating the actual woven fibers to transform ordinary fabric into extra-ordinary! The encapsulation processes, methods and equipment are protected by more than 51 patents issued or pending in the U. S. and internationally.