Patio Umbrellas ~ Buyers Guide Part II
Fabric: Choosing a Patio Umbrella Fabric:
You have a choice in fabrics when selecting your market or patio umbrellas. Here is a fabric guide to help you choose the perfect patio umbrella for your outdoor decor and lifestyle.
Sunbrella: Sunbrella® is 100% solution-dyed acrylic fabric. Sunbrella withstands sun, wind and rain while remaining beautiful for years. The secret to the lasting color is found in the solution-dying process which locks colors into the acrylic fibers, so they can't wash out or fade. Sunbrella® fabric is not waterproof; it is water repellant. This means that during the finishing process a water repellant finish is applied to the fabric.
Normal wear and usage will reduce the effectiveness of this finish, as will cleaning the fabric. Sunbrella® fabrics, if kept clean, will not mildew. An inherent characteristic of acrylic fiber is that it will not support the growth of mildew, as a natural fiber will. Sunbrella® fabrics have been tested and proven to provide up to 98% UV protection from the harmful effects of the sun depending on depth of color. Whites and lighter colored fabrics provide less protection than darker fabrics which have more depth of color. This protective factor is inherent to the product and will not be reduced by usage and/or fabric exposure to the sun.
Coolaroo's "Open Weave": This fabric is an open-weave knitted outdoor fabric. It contains literally millions of tiny holes that allow air to flow freely through. This breathing effect reduces temperatures beneath by up to 32% when compared to direct sunlight. This state-of-the-art material blocks out harmful UV rays, yet still allows cool breezes to pass through and refresh you. No matter how hot it gets outside, Coolaroo helps keep temperatures down - to keep you cooler and more comfortable.
SolarVista: SolarVista is 100%, 7 oz, solution-dyed acrylic fabric. A bit lighter weight than Sunbrella, SolarVista locks colors into the acrylic fabrics so they can't wash out or fade. SolarVista fabric is not waterproof; it is water repellant. This means that during the finishing process a water repellant finish is applied to the fabric. Normal wear and usage will reduce the effectiveness of this finish as will cleaning the fabric. SolarVista, if kept clean, will not mildew. An inherent characteristic of acrylic fiber is that it will not support the growth of mildew, as a natural fiber will.
Olefin: Olefin is a weather and sunlight resistant, durable fabric. Olefin is an 8 oz solution dyed fabric which is lighter weight than Sunbrella fabrics.
Spun Poly: Spun Poly is a special type of polyester that is processed with care using only the best polyester fiber for high strength, uniform quality, colorfastness and smoothness. Spun material is similar to cotton in flexibility, but stronger and with better resistance to stress such as mold and mildew caused by unexpected weather. The soft spun braid of the polyester is the highest strength S-Braid available. As well, it holds color up to 50% longer than most other synthetic fabrics. Spun poly is used in other products such as outdoor furniture, mooring lines and hammocks.
Patio Umbrellas Buyers Guide ~ Part III »
