Weaves - 3 Categories of Outdoor Fabric

There are many, many ways to weave a piece of fabric. There are 3 broad categories that can help you decide what fabric you want for your furniture and at what price. The 3 types are plain, dobby and jacquard.

Outdoor fabrics are going to be either polyester or olefin. Both are good choices. Generally olefin is a little stronger and has a bit more weather/sun resistance. But they both make great cushions and you will likely enjoy either just fine.

The bigger difference is the kind of weave and yarn because this impacts the softness of the cloth. Outdoor cushions need to be durable, for sure. But they should also be soft and comfortable.

Plain Weave - Balanced plain weaves are fabrics in which the warp and weft are made of threads of the same weight (size) and the same number of ends per inch as picks per inch (Wikipedia). Generally this is the least expensive method of weaving.


Dobby Weave - Dobby is a woven fabric produced on the dobby loom, characterised by small geometric patterns and extra texture in the cloth (Wikipedia). Dobby weaves are an economical way to produce depth, texture and small pattern but does not have the ability to illustrate imagery or a large pattern in a weave. The patterning is consistent and does not vary in a dobby weave.


Jacquard Weave - Jacquard woven fabric is produced on a special weaving loom fitted with a jacquard patterning mechanism. This device enables the individual selection and lifting of any of the warp threads (which run vertically along all fabrics), allowing a wide variety of complex patterns and designs to be produced (urbanara.co.uk). Jacquard weaves are the most expensive method. The benefit of jacquard is that the weave can include multiple textures in one weave and also include patterned imagery, such as flowers or other complex/large patterns.



The Bali 4-Piece Chat Set Offers Durable Olefin Cushions



Protecting Your Outdoor Cushions - Although outdoor cushions are mildew and mold resistant they still need some protection. To ensure the long life of your outdoor cushions bring them in during the winter and return them to the patio after the heavy pollen season, if one occurs where you live, is over.


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