Summary: One of the key choices during cushion replacement is the selection of the fabric. Cotton canvas, duck cloth, and Textiline are all good options with different qualities.
The most important factor when choosing fabric for the outdoors is to consider how well it can handle the elements. Even cushions that sit under shade will have exposure to rain, winds and the heat. Here are some fabric options to consider the next time you do an outdoor foam replacement.
Cotton canvas
Cotton canvas is a woven fabric that is heavy duty and relatively inexpensive. The two most important points to consider are that cotton canvas dyes easily and is hard wearing. However, since it is not a tight weave, consider using a foam that is durable like dryfast foam.
Duck cloth
The difference between canvas and duck cloth is the weave. Duck cloth has a much tighter weave than canvas and so lets much less moisture through to the underlying foam. Also, it has a much smoother texture and does not feel as rough. Unlike canvas, duck cloth is more expensive and is might harder to paint. If customization is what you are after, the canvas is better than duck cloth.
Textilene
Another option is to use Textilene fabric which is a woven polyester with a PVC coating. There are lots of benefits to going with this option. Textilene is waterproof, does not fade, resists molds and fungus and is flame retardant. Unfortunately, all those benefits come at a cost. Textilene has a distinctly plastic feel to it that feels synthetic.
_________________________________________________________________
Bio: Written by The Foam Factory. A specialized store for foam products including outdoor foam ideal for your outdoor furniture cushions.