Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics are fabrics that are water-resistant, or in other words, fabrics that absorb less water. Wool is a very effective and breathable fabric. This fabric is also water-resistant.
With the advancement of technology, there are various other types of fabrics that are also water-resistant. Like wool, these fabrics are breathable and moisture-resistant. To make modern synthetic fabrics waterproof, they are laminated or coated with special materials such as wax, silicone, rubber and polyurethane (PU).
Before you buy fabrics to create a product that can withstand the harsh weather, read our comprehensive fabric guide. Here we provide you with all the information you need to know about Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics and outdoor fabrics.
Rating Systems for Outdoor Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics
Outdoor Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics have a variety of rating systems that are used to rate how waterproof these fabrics are. Outdoor fabrics are subject to various tests to determine how much water is needed to penetrate the fabric and make it wet.
For an outdoor fabric to be called "waterproof", it needs to be able to withstand more than 1000mm of water pressure before it starts to leak. Believe it or not, some outdoor fabrics perform much better than this number!
Another test we regularly perform to test whether an outdoor fabric is waterproof is the breathability test, which calculates how much air and moisture can penetrate into and out of the outdoor fabric.
There are various tests that people can perform to test the breathability and waterproofness of outdoor fabrics. Sellers usually design their own test schemes for outdoor Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics and promote them to customers in blogs or advertisements.
The results of these outdoor fabric tests are composed of two numbers. The first number indicates the waterproof performance of the outdoor fabric, and the second number indicates the breathability of the outdoor fabric. The higher the test result, the better the waterproof and breathable performance of the outdoor fabric.
The difference between waterproof fabrics and water-resistant fabrics
What is the difference between Water-Resistant Sofa Fabrics and water-resistant fabrics? Let's take a look at the difference:
The two terms are not the same thing. Waterproof fabrics refer to fabrics that water cannot penetrate, while water-resistant fabrics refer to fabrics that are relatively resistant to water.
Waterproof fabrics are the most water-resistant, while water-repellent fabrics are less water-resistant. Manufacturers often weave waterproof fabrics much more tightly than water-repellent fabrics, which makes it harder for water to penetrate. This is why waterproof fabrics are the most water-resistant.
Waterproof fabrics for outdoor furniture include nylon and polyester.
Waterproof fabrics are less water-resistant, but not completely waterproof. Examples of this type of fabric include cotton, which is not woven as tightly as synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester. We add an outer layer called a "surface fabric" to waterproof and breathable fabrics. We make this layer out of polyester or nylon fabric.
Let's talk about waterproof materials
Actually, there is a third type of fabric that is waterproof. We call it waterproof fabric. We give this fabric a special coating that makes it waterproof.
Examples of waterproof outdoor fabrics include PUL (polyurethane laminate) fabric and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) fabric. We choose PUL fabric to make cushions and waterproof mattresses for quilting; TPU fabric is lighter and softer, so we use it to make cloth sheets and baby diapers.
Examples of Waterproof Textiles
These are our most popular fabrics per meter width for a variety of home decor and clothing:
ELS (Extra Long Staple Cotton)
This cotton is mainly produced in California, USA. They are woven with specially cultivated extra long fibers that are very dense. This is an excellent waterproof fabric and people use it to make outerwear in extreme weather conditions. They also use these cottons to sew waterproof mattress covers and sheets. People often blend these cottons with fabrics to make other waterproof clothing, such as pants and shirts.
Nylon and Polyester
As we mentioned before, we make these two fabrics in a tightly woven way, which makes them waterproof. If it is specially treated, polyester fabric is an ideal waterproof fabric for a variety of outdoor products, including outdoor umbrellas, outdoor patio furniture, and raincoats. Untreated polyester fabric is not completely waterproof; but when the polymer fibers are woven into the fabric, water can seep into the gaps in the fabric weave. Therefore, manufacturers give these outdoor fabrics special treatments to make them waterproof and more wear-resistant.
Microfiber
We often use this soft cloth to clean mobile phones, computer screens, and glasses. We make this fabric from polyester. It's naturally waterproof, but we coat it to make it 100% waterproof. We also make jackets and sheets from it.
Oilcloth
We originally made this fabric from tightly woven linen or canvas. We also call this fabric "enamel cloth". People used to treat it with boiled linseed oil.
This made the fabric hard, waterproof and more durable. We rarely use this fabric for clothing, although people used it to make sailor suits and sails.
Today, we coat the oilcloth with a layer of clear vinyl. This fabric, which comes in matte and glossy finishes, is very hard-wearing and easy to clean. We mainly use this fabric for luggage and as a waterproof mattress cover in places like hospitals.
Wool
Wool is a very interesting natural fiber. Not only is it naturally waterproof, it's also extremely absorbent: in fact, it can absorb 30% of its natural weight in water!
To make wool fabrics more water-resistant, we apply a thin layer of lanolin oil to them. However, this needs to be reapplied regularly or the fabric's water resistance will decrease. Before making wool garments, we often boil the fabric in hot water to make it more water-resistant.
Latex and Natural Rubber
The latex fabric products we produce are made from either synthetic rubber or natural rubber (the natural sap of the rubber tree). Natural rubber is hard-wearing and biodegradable, making it an extremely environmentally friendly fabric. Both fabrics are extremely water-resistant; we use them to make everything from rubber gloves to clothing and seat covers.
