Soggy outdoor upholstery and cushions that soak up water are no fun. We’ve all accidentally sat down on a squishy chair outside and gotten an unpleasant surprise from the cold, wet fabric.
When you’re looking for water resistant fabric for outdoor seating, it can be a little confusing to understand the difference between water-resistant and waterproof. In short, water-resistant means the fabric is able to resist the penetration of water to some degree but not entirely and waterproof means that it’s impermeable to water, no matter how much time it spends in it.
Phifer’s GeoBella line of olefin fabrics are much more water resistant than canvas or cotton duck, which are natural materials sometimes used for outdoor cushions. Even when cotton is “waterproofed” with a spray or treatment, it tends to absorb more water and is particularly prone to mildew. Olefin wicks moisture, air-dries rapidly and stands up to the demands, spills and splashes of the outdoors!