A Guide to Buying Outdoor Fabric for Cushions and Pillows

Assess Your Skills

Be realistic about your sewing or upholstery-making skills before starting this project. If you have some sewing skills and select a pattern marked "simple" or "easy", can follow instructions, and have patience and determination, then it's feasible to make new cushions, pads, or pillows for your patio furniture.

If you're bursting with confidence or become inspired and determined after watching several episodes of Project Runway—go for it. Use a pattern or instruction and don't get too crazy with accessories and embellishments.

Pick the Right Fabric

A general rule for choosing any kind of upholstery is to find a fabric that will hold up to the stress of being sat upon. If searching in-store or online, look for the terms:

• Indoor/outdoor fabric
• Outdoor fabric
• All-weather fabric
• Home decorator fabric
• Waterproof fabric
• Weatherproof or weather-resistant fabric

Other options: consider vinyl or oilcloth, which is often used for retro-style tablecloths and tote bags. If you want to get creative, you can try recycled materials, but there is no guarantee it will be easy to work with or how long it will hold up. However, if you can come up with something that is repurposed or recycled, you should be commended for creativity and eco-mindedness. 

Consider Weave and Dye

Woven acrylic fabrics are more fade-resistant than printed acrylic or polyester print fabrics. To give a fabric its color, fibers are woven into yarns that are then dyed and woven into the fabric.

Solution-Dyed Acrylic

With this type of fabric, the dyeing occurs before the yarn is made. Liquid acrylic and color are mixed and formed into fibers. Then the colored fibers are spun into a yarn already permeated with color. The fabric is made to be colorfast after exposure to the elements, along with ordinary wear and tear. Solution-dyed acrylic is usually soft, breathable, water-resistant, and quick-drying. Acrylic should not allow the growth of mold.

Printed Acrylic or Polyester

Polyester or acrylic fabric is screen printed with fade- and weather-resistant dyes. In addition, a water-repellant guard is factory-applied in the final stage to add protection to the fabric. Both synthetics are strong, durable, and resistant to wrinkling, fading, shrinking, mold, and mildew.

Research Water and Mildew Resistance

Is the fabric water-repellant or waterproof? Outdoor fabrics are made with a protective coating, which should make the cushion or pillow repel or resist water, moisture, mold, and mildew. Most outdoor fabrics are water-repellent, which means a finish has been applied to the fabric. The more you use or clean the fabric, the more its fibers will break down—that's just normal and natural wear or use. Eventually, it will need to be replaced.

Pay Attention to Cording and Strapping

Metal-framed vintage and reproduction outdoor chairs with thin, tubular cording or wider strapping in a variety of colors are popular and unique; they fit in quite well with midcentury modern homes and furnishings. Sure, you can pay to have them re-strapped or woven, but you can also do it yourself. Patterns for wrapping are pretty straightforward, or you can follow online instructions. The good thing about ordering replacement cording is that there's a broad selection of colors.

Understand Cleaning and Maintenance

Since 1969, fabrics have displayed a cleanability code. Some outdoor fabrics are made with Microban, which protects the fibers and helps prevent the growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria, along with mold and mildew.

Brush off dirt and debris from the fabric. Spot clean with a solution of 1/4 cup of bleach-free detergent dissolved in 1 gallon of warm water. Apply the solution to the surface, allow to soak in, and gently scrub stains with a soft brush or sponge. Rinse with clean water and let the fabric air dry. Repeat if necessary.

Expect Fading

Keep in mind that, over time, most fabrics will fade with constant exposure to sunlight. Think about colors and patterns when choosing an outdoor fabric: black, navy blue, or other dark colors fade fast, as do bright and vibrant colors. While outdoor fabric is made to withstand fading, cover or store it away from the intense rays of the sun. But know that, just as a person can get a sunburn on a cloudy day, cushions and pillows are susceptible to fading even when the sun doesn't shine.

Consider Marine-Grade Fabric

Picture a seat cushion on a boat. That cushion and fabric must withstand sun, wind, saltwater, and whatever else comes at it—maybe a Titanic-sinking iceberg, a sloshed glass of red wine, or a run-in with a seabird.

Hence, the invention of marine-grade fabrics. Made with a tighter weave and a heavier finishing process than most outdoor fabrics, marine-grade fabric is stiffer and built to endure rough weather and conditions. It's the perfect material for boat upholstery, canopies, and outdoor covers.