Outdoor fabric needs to be rugged enough to stand up to the wear and tear of the elements and stay beautiful, even after years of enjoyment. High quality outdoor fabric isn’t cheap, and there’s nothing worse than spending a lot of money on fabric that doesn’t hold up and needs to be replaced next season. Getting the most out of your investment takes a bit of research before you commit.
Take a look at a description for almost any outdoor fabric and you’ll likely see the word “durable” pop up somewhere in the sales copy. However, when it comes to comparing fabrics, what does “durable” really mean, and is there an objective explanation of durability that you can count on? Here’s a quick guide to choosing truly durable outdoor fabric that will last for years to come.
Some of the most durable fabrics available include natural fibers like hemp, linen, wool, cotton, lyocell, and silk as well as synthetic materials such as rayon, polyester, fleece, nylon, and other blends.
How Is Durability Defined?
The basic definition of durability is “the ability to withstand repeated use over a fairly long period.” However, that definition still doesn’t offer much when it comes to selecting upholstery fabric that stays attractive and holds its shape over the course of many years. When it comes to getting that particular information, we need to get a little more technical and look to several more measurable factors:
There are many textile standards throughout the fabric industry that test fabrics for durability. Upholstery fabric durability is most often tested for “abrasion resistance,” which is a measurement of how many times a fabric can be rubbed before showing significant wear (defined as two or more yarn breaks).
The “Wyzenbeek Test” is considered the North American standard for testing fabric abrasion resistance. It measures durability in “double rubs.” In a lab, this means a mechanical arm covered in cotton duck fabric sweeps back and forth against the test fabric. In real life, this process equates to sitting down on a chair in a pair of jeans, and then standing back up again — thousands of times over the lifetime of the furniture. The Wyzenbeek Test compresses that wear and tear into a much shorter period of time.
Fabric ratings are decided by how many double rubs a piece of fabric could take in the lab before showing signs of wear. The ratings range from “delicate duty” (less than 3,000 double rubs) to “extra heavy duty” (more than 30,000 double rubs; these are fabrics designed for the daily punishment of airport or hospital waiting areas).
Looking for something a little stronger? Our Phifertex® line of Designed Fabrics has tested off the charts with a whopping 100,000-plus double rubs, putting it a step above and beyond even the toughest extra heavy duty fabrics!
For fabrics that will be put under pressure (for example, a sling chair fabric) there are different tear tests to measure how much force a fabric can take before it tears. These tests are also conducted in a lab. Some of these tests use a falling pendulum, and others use a machine to clamp and pull the fabric at different tensions with weights.
It’s not as common to see tear-resistant ratings on fabric, but most fabric sold as upholstery fabric, such as Phifertex Cushion Collection, will have a 50 lb. (22.7 kg) minimum, which means it took at least 50 lbs. (22.7 kg) of pressure to cause a tear. Durable outdoor sling chair fabrics will have a much higher minimum. Our Phifertex® fabrics have a 100 lb. (45.4 kg) tear minimum, whereas our ultra-sturdy Phifertex® Wicker Weaves have a tear minimum that ranges between 120 and 125 lbs (54.4 and 56.7 kg).
What Makes a Fabric Durable?
Now that we know what durability is, it’s time to look at the factors that make a fabric durable.When you’re deciding on an outdoor fabric, this list will help you determine whether you can count on it to last.
- Fiber Content: Different kinds of fiber — both natural and man-made — have different qualities and strengths. Think of the difference between a delicate cotton and a vinyl-coated polyester. For outdoor fabrics, man-made fibers like coated polyester, acrylic and olefin are common because they tend to wear better than natural fibers and are more naturally resistant to moisture.
- Yarn Thickness: Before a fabric is woven, yarns are spun to a specific thickness. As you might expect, thinner individual yarns create a more delicate fabric than thicker yarns.
- Weave: The weave is one of the most important factors in fabric durability. Within the fabric’s weave, there are several sub factors that can affect durability. The direction of the threads in the weave can make a fabric stronger or weaker. A plain weave won’t be as strong as a twill weave, where the yarns are woven in different directions to help spread the pressure. The density or thread count can make a big difference, too: the more yarns per inch, the stronger the fabric. Finally, the regularity of the weave is important, as well: making sure that all of the fibers are of the same thickness will eliminate potential weak spots in the fabric.
- Washability: If a fabric can’t cope with regular cleaning, it won’t last long, no matter how it’s made. Good, durable outdoor fabric should be easy to clean with simple soap and water or a diluted bleach solution.
- Color fastness: For outdoor fabric, having the color “baked into” the yarn, either by using solution-dyed yarn or a colored vinyl coating, is one way to ensure that it will stay vibrant — even after heavy use and general cleaning. Phifer’s Designed Fabrics are solution-dyed, giving you confidence that your outdoor throw pillows, curtains and more will stay beautifully brilliant for years to come.
- UV resistance: Sun fading is a serious problem for outdoor furniture. As a result, untreated fabric can even break down and lose its original durability with too much UV exposure.
- Mold and mildew resistance: Microbes and mold can eat away at untreated outdoor fabric and can shorten its useful life by years. Making sure fabric is treated to be resistant to these occurrences can ensure a longer fabric life.
Hardest Fabrics To Sew With – Beginners Beware
FAQ
What fabric is most tear resistant?
What are the toughest fabrics?
What fabric does not rip?
What is the most indestructible cloth?
What is the hardest fabric to sew?
Leather is one of the hardest fabrics to sew due to its thickness and toughness. It requires a heavy-duty sewing machine and specialized needles. We have a guide here to overcome problems with sewing leather. Sewing leather also requires a lot of patience and attention to detail. One mistake can ruin the entire project.
Which fabric is best for a long back?
Woven Woollen fabrics have always been a popular choice from long back because of the durability of the fiber. These fabrics are usually dense and durable. Out of the many types of wool fabrics, some stand the test of time more than others. High-quality wool fibers make the strongest wool fabrics.
What makes a fabric difficult to sew?
The weight of the fabric is an important factor that affects sewing difficulty. Heavy fabrics such as denim, canvas, and leather can be difficult to sew because they are thick and require a heavy-duty needle. That said, light-weight denim is one of the easiest types of fabric to sew.
Which twill fabric is most durable?
Other twill fabrics which are very durable are cotton drill, cavalry twill, and chino – all of them are used to make work clothes that will see a lot of wear. Ballistic nylon is a sturdy, abrasion-resistant thick nylon fabric made of high-strength fibers.