Harsh weather conditions and environmental elements can be debilitating to automobiles. The vehicle's looks and performance are at risk when it is resting at the frontage or under the tree. Car covers were made to address this problem. A lot of car accessory companies endeavored to provide this kind of protection to different car makes and models. One such company, the Covercraft Industries, opened up way back in 1965 to manufacture all-weather Performance Parts, particularly custom-patterned car covers. The company has since amassed a library of over 67, 000 Covercraft car cover patterns. It pioneered the market for custom-fit vehicle covers and over the years has added programs for a wide variety of products for exterior and interior protection - seat protectors, front end masks, tonneau covers, window heat shields and pet travel items.

"Universal and semi-custom covers had been around quite a while and began catering to enthusiasts who wanted a more ""perfect fit"" for the cover being used to protect their pride and joy. Back in the 60's, the most popular covers were made for British and European sports cars and they were called ""mittens."" There are several kinds of "customized" covers, which do not just fit a specific automobile but also provide unique protection."

Custom Cab Coolers allow pickup and SUV owners to protect the interior of the vehicle, even if there is no room to carry around a full-size cover. Cab Coolers protect against the heat and UV rays of summer, as well as frost and snow during the winter. They are easy to install and held in place with hook & loop straps, usually at the door handles and under the mirrors.

Interior Covers protects convertibles when the top is down. Interior covers protect the windshield and interior from UV rays, airborne pollutants and droppings from trees and birds. Installation is easy, with hook & loop straps for door handles and/or mirrors and most include anti-theft tabs that are secured inside the trunk lid. These covers are great for summer use and are compact for easy storage. A full cover is always the best answer, but for protection on quick trips interior covers do the job.

When the weather is great, Hardtop Covers are used to protect both the inside and outside while the hardtop vehicle is not in use. The cover also uses hook & loop fasteners to attach the outer and inner portions of the cover together and it can be used with most hoists that are used to remove hardtops.

Over the years, car covers' importance has been widely recognized. For one, they can help prevent vehicle from being stolen. A car cover takes a few minutes to remove, so a thief's exposure time is increased. With so many cars uncovered, why would a thief want to increase the risk of being caught? A cover also helps protect the contents of a vehicle. When radios and other items are out of sight they are less likely to tempt a thief.

In protecting versus other harmful elements, however, car covers count on their fabric make to deliver the goods. Different fabrics offer different levels of protection performance and some focus on protecting from a specific element, like intense sun exposure or dust. The best car cover fabrics hold up well against the worst circumstances. There are, however, factors to be considered in the selection of car cover material. For example, the best fabrics will shed water, but in extended rain storms even the best fabrics will absorb varying amounts of moisture. Other factors include the fabric's breathability, eat insulation, protection, weight, size, and resistance to contaminants such as acid rain, tree sap, dirt dust, mold or mildew, and even bird droppings. For instance, rain water might not hurt a vehicle's finish, UV rays and pollutants may. Most fabrics are degraded by the sun's UV rays. So, to slow down the degradation process, chemicals are added during the production of the fabric.

Some car cover makes use of unique processes to deliver versatile protective performance. One of these is WeatherShield's immersion encapsulation, which uses heat and pressure to permanently encapsulate the fibers of the fabric to shed moisture and block dust, dirt, bird droppings, tree sap and grime. This encapsulation process places an ultra-thin coating around the fabric fibers and at the same time creates a durable, breathable barrier within the woven polyester fabric to complete the intricate process. The result is a fabric that provides maximum protection, but it is not bulky and hard to store.