Deckchair Fabric

Deckchair fabric is a strong, woven fabric traditionally used for deckchairs and outdoor seating. It’s known for its durability, bold stripes and ability to withstand regular use.

Yes — deckchair fabric is designed to be robust and hard‑wearing, making it ideal for garden furniture, deckchairs and outdoor cushions, though it’s best brought indoors during prolonged wet weather.

While classic stripes are the hallmark of deckchair fabric, they come in a wide range of colour combinations — from traditional seaside shades to brighter, contemporary palettes.

Our inspiration guides are a great place to start. You’ll find practical tutorials such as how to recover a deckchair in 30 minutes, step-by-step advice on how to make an outdoor cushion cover, and broader ideas on how to use outdoor fabrics creatively for seating, cushions and seasonal projects.

Most outdoor fabrics are water-resistant, some are waterproof, meaning they repel rain and spills effectively. This makes them practical for outdoor seating, table covers, and garden accessories. While water-resistant fabrics provide strong protection against rain showers, we recommend storing cushions or furniture indoors during prolonged wet weather to extend their lifespan. Many outdoor fabrics are also stain resistant options to ensure low-maintenance, practical solutions.

Outdoor fabric is specially designed to withstand the elements. Unlike standard curtain or upholstery fabric, it is woven or coated to be water-resistant or waterproof, UV-resistant to reduce fading in sunlight, and robust enough to cope with frequent use outdoors. This makes it the perfect choice for garden cushions, outdoor seating, and even awnings. Many of our outdoor fabrics also achieve high Martindale rub test scores, giving extra reassurance of their durability.

How you wash your outdoor fabric depends on the fabric itself. Always read the product description first, but generally it's safe to wash outdoor fabrics on a 30 degree, gentle cycle. Always choose air drying over tumble drying. Avoid using bleach-based detergents as they can destroy the coating on outdoor fabrics. For fabric covers that are difficult to remove, you can simply blot stains there and then. Use dish soap and water to gently sponge the stain (and if possible, apply this on both sides of the fabric). Stretch fabrics when wet over their frames (particularly true for umbrella covers, deckchair or outdoor seating fabric) as this avoids shrinking.

The key to keeping your outdoor furniture in tip top condition comes down to three things:

Regular inspections / cleans
Checking your outdoor fabric after each use will help prevent missed stains from setting in. Always clean up spills as soon as they occur. We recommend overall cleans of your outdoor furniture about four times per year: once at the beginning of the summer, once at the end and a couple of times in between (depending on how much entertaining the furniture has seen). To make life easier, opt for stain-resistant fabric.

Cleaning correctly and according to instructions
Never use bleach on your outdoor fabric as it can fade the material and destroy any protective coatings. For removable covers, always check the manufacturing instructions before throwing them in the washing machine.

Protection from the elements
To prolong the lifespan of your outdoor fabric keep it covered when not in use, or store removable elements inside. Outdoor fabric regularly exposed to rain, dew or frost will become mouldy and fabric in constant, direct sunlight will fade quickly.