Terylast vs Sunbrella: Comparing Durable Outdoor Fabric Options - luckyneedles.com (2024)

When choosing fabrics for your outdoor furniture, you’re likely looking for a material that can handle whatever the weather throws at it while still looking great.

Terylast is recognized for its heavy-duty polyester composition, well-suited to withstand harsh weather conditions, while Sunbrella is synonymous with quality outdoor fabrics that have led the performance fabric industry for decades.

Sunbrella fabrics are a go-to for vibrant colors and patterns, and they’ve established their reputation on being fade-resistant and easy to clean.

On the other hand, Terylast also offers a palette of rich colors with a luxurious feel, quickly drying after those summer rain showers.

Both materials are tailored for a life outside, where the sun’s UV rays and unexpected downpours are ordinary occurrences.

Overview of Terylast

When considering materials for your patio umbrella, Terylast is a strong contender known for its color richness and heavy-duty performance.

Material Composition

Terylast is composed of a high-grade polyester fabric. This luxurious material not only feels smooth to the touch but also boasts vibrant colors that can enhance the appearance of your outdoor space.

Durability Properties

Your Terylast umbrella is built to endure. It stands strong against extreme weather conditions and is quick to dry. Its resilience to mold and stains makes it a practical choice for outdoor accessories. Moreover, Terylast’s fabric is adept at blocking off 98% of UV rays, safeguarding you from potential sun damage.

Overview of Sunbrella

Sunbrella is renowned for its durability and the advanced protection it provides against the elements, making it a premier choice for outdoor fabrics.

Fabric Features

Durability: Sunbrella fabrics are constructed to withstand the rigors of outdoor use. The material boasts impressive fade resistance and protection against UV rays. These features have earned Sunbrella the International Seal of Recommendation for UV fabric by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Mold and Stain Resistance: You’ll find that Sunbrella fabrics are also resistant to mold and stains. This resistance contributes to the fabric’s longevity and ease of maintenance, ensuring that your outdoor spaces remain beautiful with minimal effort.

Application Spectrum

  • Outdoor Furniture: Ideal for cushions, pillows, and upholstery due to its comfort and resilience.
  • Marine Uses: Sunbrella extends its usability to boat covers and cushions, providing durability and protection in harsh marine environments.
  • Shade Structures: The fabric serves as an excellent choice for patio umbrellas and awnings, offering both aesthetic appeal and functional shade.
  • Indoor Settings: Despite being an outdoor powerhouse, Sunbrella fabrics also contribute to indoor aesthetics with their stylish designs and soft texture.

Comparison of Terylast and Sunbrella

When selecting materials for your patio umbrella, you may be wondering how Terylast compares to Sunbrella in terms of UV resistance, water repellency, and stain resistance.

UV Resistance

Sunbrella materials are known for their ability to endure intense sun exposure, which can prevent colors from fading over time. Their solution-dyed acrylic fiber provides long-lasting color retention. On the other hand, Terylast, being a polyester fabric, has a luxurious feel and rich colors, offering good UV protection, but it might not be as enduring as Sunbrella when faced with prolonged sun exposure.

Water Repellency

Your patio umbrella needs to withstand the rain just as well as the sunshine.

Terylast is recognized for its quick-drying properties and is excellent for dealing with rain due to its heavy-duty nature.

Sunbrella fabric also has high water repellency, thanks to its tightly woven fibers that help repel water and prevent mildew growth.

Stain Resistance

Occasional spills are inevitable.

With Sunbrella, cleanability is a key feature. These fabrics are designed not only to resist stains but also to be easy to clean while maintaining fabric strength.

Terylast fabric is also easy to care for, with many options being particularly resistant to stains, making it suitable for your outdoor spaces where spills may occur.

Use Cases and Applications

When deciding on materials for outdoor spaces, you’re likely looking for durability and protection against the elements. Here’s how Terylast and Sunbrella stand up in specific applications.

Outdoor Furniture

Terylast fabric, known for its rich color and luxurious touch, makes an appearance in many outdoor furniture settings due to its heavy-duty nature. It’s quick to dry and excels in extreme weather conditions, making it an excellent choice for patio canopies and furniture covers.

Sunbrella, on the other hand, has gained recognition for its UV protection and has been awarded the International Seal of Recommendation by the Skin Cancer Foundation. This fabric is also resistant to mold and stains, which is crucial for maintaining the appearance of your outdoor lounge chairs, sofas, and cushions over time.

Marine Upholstery

In the marine environment, your upholstery must withstand not just sun and rain, but saltwater and wind.

Sunbrella offers a specific line of fabrics, such as Sunbrella Seamark, that are waterproof and particularly suited for marine upholstery. This offers top-side Sunbrella fabric with a vinyl coating underneath, ideal for boat covers and biminis that need comprehensive protection from the rigors of the marine setting.

Terylast, while less known in marine applications, comes with the benefit of quick drying and resilience, which you’ll find invaluable when choosing fabric for your boat seats or sails. Its heavy-duty nature can stand up well to the challenging conditions at sea.

Care and Maintenance

Proper care can significantly extend the life of your patio umbrellas. Whether you choose Terylast or Sunbrella, adhering to the specific cleaning instructions and long-term care tips is essential for maintaining the fabric’s appearance and functionality.

Cleaning Instructions

Terylast:

  • Mild Dirt or Stains: Mix a solution of water and mild soap. Use a soft brush to gently clean, then rinse thoroughly and air dry.
  • Tough Stains: For stubborn stains, apply a fabric spot remover. Test on a small inconspicuous area first to ensure colorfastness.

Sunbrella:

  • General Cleaning: For light soiling, spray on a cleaning solution of water and mild soap, use a soft bristle brush to clean, allow the cleaning solution to soak in, then rinse and air dry.
  • For Mold or Heavy Stains: Prepare a solution with 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of water. Spray on the area, allow to soak for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Learn more about Sunbrella’s cleaning recommendations.

Long-Term Care Tips

Terylast:

  • Avoid dragging the umbrella along rough surfaces to prevent snags.
  • When not in use, store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent premature fading.

Sunbrella:

  • Apply a UV fabric protector periodically to enhance resistance to the elements.
  • Properly secure your umbrella in a strong base to prevent damage from wind.
Terylast vs Sunbrella: Comparing Durable Outdoor Fabric Options - luckyneedles.com (2024)

FAQs

Which is better, terylast or Sunbrella? ›

The Sunbrella fabric is also fade resistant and protects against UV rays, much like the Terylast. However, Sunbrella has also been a winner of the International Seal of Recommendation for UV fabric/ Umbrellas Awnings by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

What fabric is better than Sunbrella? ›

Durability: Olefin boasts superior durability versus Sunbrella and is especially resistant to abrasion.

Which fabric is best for an outdoor umbrella? ›

Sunbrella fabrics are highly regarded as the premier outdoor fabric in the world and are the recognized leader in the industry. If you are looking to purchase a patio umbrella or outdoor cushion for your backyard, patio or pool area, we highly recommend considering Sunbrella fabrics.

What is the most durable material for patio umbrellas? ›

What Is The Most Durable Patio Umbrella Material? Every expert I spoke to for this article recommends Sunbrella material for patio umbrellas. “Sunbrella is our first choice and well worth the investment due to its high quality,” said Carlson.

Which fabric is the most useful for durable outdoor products? ›

Solution-dyed acrylic: Highly resistant to fading, mildew, and water, solution-dyed acrylic fabrics like Sunbrella® are a top choice for outdoor furniture due to their outstanding longevity and performance.

What is the most wind resistant patio umbrella? ›

The Best Patio Umbrellas For Wind, According To Landscaping Experts
  • Best Patio Umbrella For Wind Overall: Outer Marine-Grade Aluminum Outdoor Umbrella.
  • Best Budget Patio Umbrella For Wind: EliteShade USA 3 Tiers Market Umbrella.
  • Best Patio Umbrella For Wind For Large Spaces: Frontgate Altura Cantilever Umbrella.
May 9, 2024

What is a cheaper alternative to Sunbrella? ›

If you're looking for alternatives to Sunbrella for outdoor use, consider fabrics like olefin, acrylic, or solution-dyed polyester. These materials are also designed to resist sun damage and hold up well in outdoor conditions. Hope this helps with your search for durable fabrics!

What are the disadvantages of Sunbrella fabric? ›

As a drawback though, Sunbrella can be a pretty costly investment and may not be feasible to some if they are trying to take the more budget-friendly route. The fabric also has been known to produce static while the Olefin fabrics line does not.

Who competes with Sunbrella? ›

Sunbrella Fabrics competitors and alternatives
  • La-Z-Boy. Manufacturer and retailer of home furniture. ...
  • Pattern Brands. Internet first brand offering multi-category home improvement products. ...
  • Tommy Bahama. Brand of casual apparel wear for men and women. ...
  • Brooklinen. ...
  • Caavo. ...
  • Lalo. ...
  • Lovesac. ...
  • American Leather.
Aug 12, 2024

What color patio umbrella fades the least? ›

Black or charcoal umbrellas are also longer-lasting than other colours as they tend to fade less quickly. They also are less likely to show bird droppings, which is something that you absolutely must think about unless you want to be cleaning your parasol every day.

What color umbrella is best to block the sun? ›

With so many color options available, it can be difficult to choose the best color for your patio umbrella. But if it is UV protection that you are concerned about, the best color option is black. The color option black is very popular because of its ability to block UV rays.

Should I close my patio umbrella every night? ›

The short answer is yes, it is a good practice to close your umbrella at night or any time that you are not using it. Like most outdoor furniture, your patio umbrella is likely weather-resistant and made with durable materials, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is indestructible.

What is the most durable material for a patio? ›

Top 4 Most Durable Patio Materials
  1. Granite Paving. Granite is one of the most durable patio materials around. ...
  2. Engineered Stone. First used in countertops, engineered stone has made its way to patios. ...
  3. Brick Pavers. Brick is the timeless choice in patio materials. ...
  4. Wood Composite Decking Patio Materials.
Jul 13, 2024

What is the life expectancy of a patio umbrella? ›

On average, a patio umbrella can last between 3 to 5 years. However, with proper care and maintenance, and if you choose the right manufacturer, a cantilever umbrella can last up to 10 years.

What to look for in a patio umbrella? ›

A good patio umbrella has a strong, sturdy pole and arms, and a durable canopy that can stand up to rain, wind, and sun. Proper installation involves making sure to use ground anchors, bolts, or weighted sections on the base (or combinations of those) and paying attention to the weather when the umbrella is in use.

Is Sunbrella polyester or acrylic? ›

Sunbrella is the industry-leading brand in durable outdoor fabric. Made of 100% solution-dyed acrylic, Sunbrella's fabric is designed specifically for outdoor use and is renowned for its durability through all weather conditions.

What is so special about Sunbrella? ›

Sunbrella performance fabrics are easy to clean while maintaining the strength and integrity of the fabric. We call it worry-free livability. Many performance fabrics are simply regular fabrics with a protective surface finish. Complete performance does not rely on a finish which can wear off.

How long does Sunbrella fabric last? ›

On average, Sunbrella fabrics are designed to last five to ten years. However, if consistently cared for, fabrics may endure even longer.

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