The three parts, in one paragraph each
Frame: uPVC gripper extrusion cut to length and screwed to the substrate around the panel perimeter. Locks the fabric edge on all four sides.
Backing: acoustic infill (poly wadding, PU foam, rockwool, or fibreglass) inserted inside the frame. This does the actual sound absorption.
Fabric: acoustically-transparent decorative textile stretched over the frame and tucked into the gripper channel. The visible finish.
Why professionals use it over direct-fix panels
Serviceability: un-tuck fabric on one edge, access anything behind (wiring, infill, panel structure), re-tuck. No demolition ever.
Design flexibility: change fabric colour without touching acoustics. Change acoustic infill without touching design.
Long-term durability: a well-built gripper wall outlasts three redecorations. Direct-fix panels get replaced with the wall finish.
Where the system doesn't fit
Very tight budgets: gripper systems cost more than direct-fix PET panels. For value-engineered residential work, PET is the pick.
Very small rooms (bathroom-sized): the fabric-wrap system adds ~50 mm of wall thickness. In tight spaces, direct-fix wins on space.
Ceiling-only installations: baffle systems and direct-fix ceiling panels are more efficient than gripper-fabric for overhead work.