So you’ve finally taken all of your “Outdoor Spaces Inspo” Pinterest boards and made them real (the pool loungers are there; the outdoor kitchen is fully stocked; you’ve got some serious rug action happening). The only thing missing is properly upholstered furniture that won’t stink after the next downpour and will deliver on its promises of long-lasting durability for seasons to come. Before we hop into our top outdoor furniture fabric recommendations, however, there are some questions we’d like to answer in advance.
Is outdoor fabric the same as performance fabric?
When a fabric is deemed performance, this means it’s created especially for withstanding wear and tear in high-traffic areas of the house—where people are always touching it. But while performance fabric is washable and stain-resistant, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right choice for your patio’s chaise longues.
This is where outdoor fabric comes in. It truly has one job: looking pretty and remaining unaffected by weather conditions. “Performance fabrics and outdoor fabrics can overlap a bit in their properties,” says Laura Sockrider of O’Hara Interiors. “Both might have a high rub count or be stain-resistant, but a performance fabric might not be able to withstand sun or water the way outdoor fabrics can.”