It’s raining; it’s pouring…
…covering the cushions is getting boring!
If you’ve had enough of diving in and out with the covers for your outdoor furniture, choosing waterproof fabric for garden cushions, loungers, and outdoor sofas might seem the solution.
I disagree (well, somewhat).
Here’s why - and the reason I chose this outdoor fabric for all the garden furniture we make at Armadillo Sun.
What does waterproof mean?
On soft outdoor furniture and garden cushions, waterproofing requires a plastic coating on the back or underside of the fabric. This physically blocks water and prevents it soaking the foam inside.
Fantastic!
… until you sit on, or against, it for a few minutes and are left hot, sticky, and uncomfortable.
The plastic coating not only stops water but also air circulating.
The lack of breathability is why, after a few minutes in the sunshine, you have to peel yourself off some outdoor furniture cushions – an altogether unpleasant experience.
Choose water-repellent and let your body breathe
Opting for water-repellent fabric protects from the rain, whilst also allowing air to move around and through the garden cushions – keeping you comfortable and encouraging your outdoor furniture to dry fast after a shower.
Image: Armadillo Sun garden sofas and outdoor cushions are handmade in water-repellent outdoor fabric. Water, rain, and any liquid spills will bead on the surface and run off the furniture without making it soggy or leaving a stain.
If there’s a real downpour and water penetrates the fabric, what’s on the inside of your outdoor furniture cushions becomes important.
Otherwise, when the outer fabric feels dry to the touch, the interior may still be wet and squelchy – which you’ll discover when you sit down!
What’s inside matters
All Armadillo Sun outdoor bean bag furniture is filled with the very highest quality beans. They don’t absorb any water – we’ve even been able to use them to create a floating pillow for the pool!
During a downpour, water will run straight through an outdoor bean bag sofa, evaporating quickly when the sun comes out, and eliminating soggy patches where mould and other nasties proliferate.
No more rushing to gather up the garden sofa cushions on the first sighting of a grey cloud - this is cushioned garden furniture you can leave outside in the rain and overnight!
Image: Armadillo Sun modular garden sofa sets, garden ottomans, and weatherproof pouffes, are made from marine-standard water-repellent fabric and filled with premium non-absorbent beans. This is garden furniture that can stay outside overnight and in the rain!
For our garden scatter cushions, and the outdoor furniture cushion pads we offer as part of our made-to-measure service, we use premium honeycomb foam. The structure of this cushion foam encourages water to drain through it - rather than being absorbed and turning your cushion into a heavy soggy sponge.
Image: Armadillo Sun made-to-measure cushions for outdoor furniture are handmade with premium honeycomb foam and luxury water-repellent fabric to stand the test of the weather, both sun and rain.
Armadillo Sun garden furniture and outdoor cushions can stay outside
Outdoor furniture needs to be tough as well as beautiful.
Both the outer water-repellent fabric and the premium non-absorbent inner material ensure that Armadillo Sun outdoor furniture and garden cushions dry quickly and thoroughly. So you get to exploit every break in the clouds!
We use outdoor fabric made from acrylic threads, dyed during the making process, and then woven like ordinary cloth. As a result, the colours don’t fade like printed acrylic. It is a soft material with a light cotton-like feel – and can be enjoyed as much indoors as out.
The fabric was originally designed for use by the marine industry and, except when under a deluge, rain runs straight off it. It's breathable, wonderfully comfortable to sit on and, after a downpour, will dry rapidly.
All our furniture, from bean bag chairs to garden sofa sets to outdoor scatter cushions, is made from the same unique fabric.
Stop running your patio furniture cushions in and out of the shed to catch the sun and miss the showers!
Choose the fuss-free option and leave your garden furniture cushions outside in all weathers.
Even Armadillo Sun's luxury cushioned sun lounger can stay outdoors all year.
Get in touch, or read our outdoor fabric furniture FAQs, if you have any questions about our weatherproof garden furniture.
Armadillo Sun are specialists in outdoor bean bag furniture. Each outdoor cushion and garden chair is carefully designed to blend style with durability and is much more versatile than traditional garden furniture. Transform your patio or outdoor space with UK-made luxury bean bags.