The Sunbrella Fabric Difference

Summer is the perfect time to create a functional outdoor space with industry-leading performance fabric like Sunbrella. When choosing outdoor furniture for your backyard, porch, or patio, we recommend sofas, chairs, and sectionals that are comfortable and durable—ready to accommodate friends, families, and pets.

In terms of patio furniture durability, Sunbrella is the best in the business. Manufactured by Glen Raven, Sunbrella started in the 1960’s and has grown to being synonymous with outdoor performance and durability. As a company, Glen Raven is family owned, and operates out of a zero-waste manufacturing facility located in South Carolina.

Today, Sunbrella acrylic fabrics are used for outdoor furniture, indoor furniture, window treatments, boat covers, awning fabric and more. The solution dyed acrylic fabric is famously fade-proof, water-resistant, and easy to wash. To learn more about Sunbrella and why we think their performance fabric is the best material for your outdoor furniture, read on.

Advantages of Sunbrella Fabric: Is it Worth the Money?

Compared to other outdoor upholstery fabric and pillow fabrics, Sunbrella will last longer and perform better. Sunbrella is by far the most trusted name in outdoor fabrics and the brand is continuously on the forefront of fabric innovation, testing, customer service, and sustainability. Here are the benefits of choosing Sunbrella fabric for your outdoor furniture:

It’s easy to clean and care for

Spills and messes happen, especially outdoors. Luckily, Sunbrella fabrics are easy to clean, durable, and stain-resistant. A mixture of mild dish soap and water will take care care of most stains. If you have a tough stain, the fabric can also handle bleach and other stronger chemicals without fear of color loss or degradation. You can find information on how to clean specific spills using Sunbrella’s stain guide, here.

The fabric won’t fade in the sun

Sunbrella performance fabrics are fade-resistant because they are made of 100% solution-dyed acrylic and designed for a long life span. Down to the core, the entire fabric fiber is the same color, so the color stays true over time, even in extreme sunlight. With Sunbrella, you can enjoy your outdoor furniture, awning, or boat cover in all weather without worry.

It’s mold, mildew, and resistant

One of the greatest benefits of Sunbrella fabric is that it is water-resistant. Instead of soaking in, liquid will bead and roll off the fabric. The water-resistant properties on the fabric should last about 3 years, after which you can use a fabric guard like 303 Fabric Guard every few months for upkeep. 

Sunbrella fibers are also mold and mildew resistant, which means they’re safe for the whole family. If mold grows on dirt or debris that is left on the fabric (like fallen leaves), deep clean the fabric with a mixture of water and bleach. 

You’ll be safe with the fabric’s UV protection

Because they’re saturated with UV-stabilized pigments, Sunbrella fabrics are UV protective and carry the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval as safe and and effective UV sun protection. Built for outdoor use or areas with an abundance of natural light, Sunbrella fabrics are perfect for shades, marine canopies, and umbrellas. It’s important to keep you and your family safe from the sun’s harmful UV rays, and you can trust the quality of Sunbrella to do it’s job even when exposed to the elements over long periods of time.

There are plenty of styles to choose from

There are hundreds of styles, colors, patterns, and textures to choose from within Sunbrella’s various fabric line-ups. For canvas and performance fabrics, find the style that fits the look you want for your awning, shade, furniture or boat and mix or match it with Sunbrella pillows as a final touch. With Sunbrella, you don’t have to sacrifice style for top of the line performance. 

If anything happens, you’re covered with a long warranty

The Sunbrella team wants you be able to enjoy your patio furniture and time outdoors without worry. They have a comprehensive 5-year warranty for upholstery, specialty fabrics and decorative shade fabrics, and a 10-year limited warranty for shade and marine fabrics. Even better, Sunbrella fabrics often last long after the warranty is up without any performance issues. LINK

How to Care for Your Sunbrella Fabric

Fabric durability and ease of cleaning are important factors to consider when choosing outdoor furniture. Inevitably, outdoor fabric will get exposed to dirt, dust, debris, and food spills. It is well known that Sunbrella fabric is stain-resistant and cleans easily. If dirt or debris fall onto your Sunbrella fabric, brush it off with a bristle brush. For spills like wine, ice cream, and paw prints, prepare a solution of mild dish soap and water and treat stains as they happen. Gently agitate the stain with a brush. To remove tough stains from your Sunbrella fabric, refer to the Sunbrella care guide for guidance. 

What you need to clean Sunbrella fabric

Keep these tools and products on hand for when you need to treat spills and stains:

• A soft bristle brush
• Mild dish soap like Dawn
• A spray bottle
• Bleach
• A sponge

How to deep clean Sunbrella fabric

To deep clean your performance outdoor fabric, which we recommend doing once or twice a year prepare a solution of 1 gallon of water, and 1 cup of bleach. Spray the entire surface of your fabric and allow the solution to soak for 15 minutes. Clean your fabric in circular motions with a sponge or soft bristle brush. Rinse well and air dry.

Can Sunbrella fabric be machine-washed?

Yes! You can machine-wash Sunbrella fabrics as long as you can remove the fabric from the item (like unzipping covers from pillows). Use cold water, a gentle cycle, and a mild detergent. You can add bleach if you’re trying to remove a tough stain. Be sure to air dry.

Sunbrella Sustainability

Glen Raven, Sunbrella’s parent company, operates out of a zero waste facility and values sustainability, performance, and durability when it comes to their fabrics and yarns. When you bring Sunbrella fabrics into your home, you can trust that they are not made with harmful substances. They are Greenguard Gold and OEKO-TEX® certified for safety.  Glen Raven is dedicated to quality products that last a long time so your items don’t need to be replaced as often, ultimately creating less waste. 

How are Sunbrella fabrics better for the environment?

Creating their own solar power, reducing water waste, and recycling fabric waste are some of the way Sunbrella's manufacturing process is sustainable and better for the environment. Sunbrella fabrics are solution dyed, which reduces wastewater, and both Sunbrella factory and headquarters send zero waste to landfill. Sunbrella has a line of Heritage fabrics that include post-industrial waste from their own factory into the final fabric product. The results add unique color variations in the yard which is then used for outdoor furniture, pillows, and more.

Outdoor furniture can be a big investment. To make sure your pieces last a lifetime, choose Sunbrella fabric for your cushions and pillows. Sunbrella fabrics have been tested thoroughly and are designed with the latest fabric innovations. They are, as we mentioned, water, mold, and mildew-resistant, easy to clean, UV-stabilized, and won’t fade in the sun. 

If you’re looking for teak outdoor furniture with Sunbrella cushion covers, try Neighbor outdoor furniture. The Neighbor outdoor furniture collection includes a teak outdoor sofa, sectional, and chairs with foam cushions and durable FSC-certified teak frames. What makes Neighbor furniture different is that we use sustainable teak and durable materials so that you can live with your furniture outdoors for a long time. We believe if you invest in pieces your love that will last, you’ll ultimately spend less money and have a lower environmental impact.  You’ll love how our sectionals and sofas can be customized with our patent-pending modular design and that our comfortable cushions are made with specialized quick-drying foam that allows water to pass through them. With Neighbor, you can get beautiful, stylish patio furniture that looks like it belongs in your living room.