---
title: "Outdoor Cushion Fabric Options: What the Charts Differ On"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/outdoor-cushion-fabric-options-charts/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Callum Reid, The Weather Man of Casco Bay"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/"
published: "2026-05-18"
updated: "2026-05-18"
keywords: "outdoor cushion fabric options, outdoor fabric charts, water-resistant outdoor cushion fabric, UV-resistant cushion fabric, sun lounger cushion fabric"
---

# What outdoor fabrics do you have, and how are the charts different?

*Four or five charts, close to 200 fabrics, and one question from nearly everyone: which chart is the good one. From the dock, the answer is short.*

Also asked as: Outdoor-safe fabrics for bench cushions?; What's the difference between the outdoor fabrics?

> **The quick answer:** The outdoor range has close to 200 fabrics on 4 to 5 charts, and every one is water-, UV- and fade-resistant woven cloth from the same factory at the same quality. The charts differ only in texture, color tone and pattern, so two similar blacks on different charts wear the same. The workshop's own pick is the HM range.

![Ochre, gray and ivory striped outdoor cushion on a white built-in lounger with charcoal pillow and linen throw above the sea](https://cushionguide.com/media/chaise-and-sunbed-cushions/ochre-gray-striped-lounger-cushion-seaside-terrace-928.webp "A striped outdoor cushion softens a whitewashed masonry lounger on a pebble-paved terrace above the sea.")

## Key facts

- Close to 200 colors of outdoor fabric.
- Shown on 4 to 5 charts on the outdoor listing.
- All are water-, UV- and fade-resistant and made to stay outside all summer.
- Woven cloth, not vinyl or a plastic finish.
- Same factory, same quality: charts differ only in texture, color tone and pattern.
- The HM range is the workshop's recommendation.
- Outdoor orders can add foam filling, an anti-slip underside and piping from the range.
- Outdoor cushions are quoted at 4 in (10 cm) thick; 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm) is the usual advice for outdoor benches.
- Swatches of any outdoor code run about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in (10 x 10 to 15 x 15 cm), enough to compare two similar blacks side by side.

## Why the outdoor fabric charts aren't quality grades

Close to 200 outdoor fabrics sit on 4 to 5 charts on the outdoor listing, and buyers keep asking which chart is the better one. None of them, friend. Every code comes from the same factory at the same quality. The charts sort the range by texture, color tone and pattern. That's why you'll spot several blacks that look alike: identical in quality, different in weave and shade.

If you want the workshop's own pick, it's the HM range. Everything on those charts is woven cloth that feels like real fabric, not vinyl and not a plastic finish. Rain doesn't negotiate, so I call it water-resistant, the honest word; the [water-repellent versus waterproof Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/) explains why the wording matters. The family lives under [outdoor fabrics](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/) in the Swatch Library, and the shapes under [outdoor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/outdoor-cushions/).

Which will your cushion see more of this year, sun or rain?

## What every outdoor code gives you

- ✓ Water-resistant, UV-resistant and fade-resistant.
- ✓ Made to stay outside all summer.
- ✓ Soft woven cloth, not vinyl.
- ✓ Right for sun loungers, patio benches and even floor-sofa mattresses.
- ✓ A close-up photo of any code before you choose.

## What can go on an outdoor order

1. The fabric code from an outdoor chart.
2. Foam filling, if you want the cushion filled.
3. An anti-slip underside.
4. Piping in any color from the outdoor range.
5. For custom shapes, a drawing or photo with every measurement.

> **Tailor's margin:** Two similar blacks on two outdoor fabric charts are the same quality; choose by texture and tone, not by which chart the code sits on.

> Close to 200 outdoor cushion fabrics, one factory, one quality: the charts only change texture, color tone and pattern.
>
> — Callum

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Do you have outdoor-safe fabrics, and what separates one outdoor chart from another?

**The workshop's answer:** Close to 200 outdoor options, all UV-resistant and fit for outdoor use, on 4 to 5 charts in the outdoor listing. Same factory, same quality; only texture, color tone and pattern change, so several blacks are identical in quality. The HM range is the one the workshop recommends.

**A common question:** Is there outdoor fabric for sun lounger cushions and bench pads?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, close to 200 outdoor fabrics, all UV-resistant and suited to loungers and outdoor benches, ordered through the outdoor listing. Custom shapes need a drawing or photo with measurements.

**A common question:** Do you carry fabrics that can be used outdoors?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, on a separate chart. Outdoor orders can include the foam filling, an anti-slip underside and piping in any color from the range, and even floor-sofa mattresses can be made in outdoor fabric.

**A common question:** Are the outdoor fabrics water- and UV-resistant?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The outdoor charts hold water-resistant, UV- and fade-resistant fabrics meant to stay outside all summer. They're soft woven fabrics that feel like cloth, not vinyl, and close-up photos are available for any code.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can a linen or velvet cushion live outside instead?

No. Linen, velvet, chenille and other indoor-listing fabrics aren't made for open-air use. Order through the outdoor listing instead, where every fabric is outdoor-rated and UV-resistant and any piping combination is possible.

### Is the regular indoor fabric waterproof?

No, the standard fabrics are indoor fabrics. For spill-prone indoor rooms there's a water-repellent collection that sheds spills; for cushions that live outside, use the separate outdoor range.

### Is there a striped fabric for outdoor cushions?

Yes. Outdoor stripes such as V-38 are made for outdoor use and are UV-resistant. The cotton N-series and ticking stripes are indoor-only, so choose patio stripes from the outdoor charts.

## Related at the atelier

- [Do you carry name-brand outdoor fabric, or something similar?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/outdoor-performance-fabric-alternative/): No, the workshop doesn't carry the Sunbrella brand; outdoor cushions are made in its own outdoor performance fabric instead.
- [Can you make outdoor cushion covers to fit the inserts I already have?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/replacement-outdoor-cushion-covers-existing-inserts/): Yes: zippered outdoor covers are made to fit your existing inserts from measurements and photos, and the old cushions never have to be sent.
- [Can I use your linen, velvet or chenille cushions outside?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/indoor-fabric-cushions-outdoors-linen-velvet-chenille/): No: linen, velvet, chenille and the other indoor-listing fabrics are not made for open-air use.
- [Outdoor bench cushion in sage houndstooth: how to style it](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sage-houndstooth-outdoor-cushion-corner-macro/): Style a sage houndstooth outdoor bench cushion with things that can stay out in weather: gray teak, living green, and pillow covers cut from the same outdoor range.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushions in Blue Ticking on Curved Teak Benches](https://cushionguide.com/readings/blue-ticking-stripe-curved-teak-garden-bench-cushions/): Outdoor bench cushions on curved benches read as one seat when the stripe runs lengthwise on every segment and each cushion is the same thickness.
- [Curved Outdoor Bench Cushions in Red Around a Teak Table](https://cushionguide.com/readings/four-red-curved-bench-cushions-pergola-circle/): Curved outdoor bench cushions for a circular seating area should all be cut from one approved template, so every cushion fits every bench section and can swap places.
- [Waterproof outdoor cushions, honestly: fabric, seams, zippers and foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/)
- [UV-resistant outdoor cushion fabric compared: solution-dyed acrylic, olefin, polyester](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-fabric-acrylic-olefin-polyester/)

*Fair winds — Callum*

---

Written by Callum Reid (https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/outdoor-cushion-fabric-options-charts/