Everything we tell customers about Sunbrella — how it's made, why it lasts, how to clean it, and how to order the right fabric by the yard.
Sunbrella® is the fabric we reach for on almost every awning, boat top, and outdoor cushion that leaves our Seguin shop. After 30+ years of working with it, here's the plain-English guide we wish every customer had before they ordered.
What makes Sunbrella different
Sunbrella is a solution-dyed acrylic — color is locked into the fiber before it's woven, not printed or dyed on the surface. That's why a 10-year-old Sunbrella awning in the Texas sun still has color, while a cheap printed canvas of the same age looks chalky and gray.
- Solution-dyed acrylic fiber (color goes all the way through)
- 5-year warranty on most marine/upholstery, 10-year on Awning & Marine grade
- Mold and mildew resistant — they grow on dirt, not on the fiber itself
- Bleach-cleanable without losing color
Stain resistance & everyday living
Sunbrella fabrics are engineered for everyday spills — sunscreen, BBQ sauce, red wine, kid juice. Most stains lift with mild soap and lukewarm water if you get to them before they set. For tougher stains, a diluted bleach solution is safe on Sunbrella (always rinse thoroughly).
Fade resistance in Texas sun
Because the color is solution-dyed, Sunbrella holds up in direct sun far better than printed fabrics. That said, darker colors (blues, blacks, dark greens) still outlast warm tones (reds, yellows, terra cotta) in our climate. UV breaks down warm-tone pigments faster regardless of fabric quality.
Cleaning & care
- General cleaning: mild soap (Dawn or Woolite), lukewarm water, soft brush, rinse thoroughly
- Mold / mildew: 1 cup bleach + 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of water, rinse well, air dry
- Tough stains: check the Sunbrella stain chart — different stains need different cleaners
- Never dry-clean or machine dry on high heat — air dry whenever possible
- Re-treat with 303 Fabric Guard every 2-3 years to restore water repellency
Can I use a fabric protector on Sunbrella?
Yes — and we recommend 303 High Tech Fabric Guard specifically. It's the only protector Sunbrella endorses. Apply it after any deep cleaning and every 2-3 years to keep water beading on the surface instead of soaking in.
How to fix a tear
Small tears (under 3 inches) can be patched with Sunbrella seam sealant tape or sewn on a heavy-duty machine with V-92 polyester thread. For anything larger — or any tear on a structural seam — bring it in. We patch and re-sew Sunbrella every week and a clean professional repair is almost invisible.
Ordering Sunbrella by the yard
We stock the most popular Awning & Marine, Upholstery, and Shade collection colors in our Seguin shop and can order any Sunbrella pattern you find on their site. Standard widths are 46 inches (upholstery) and 60 inches (awning/marine). If you're not sure which collection you need, bring us a swatch or a photo of where it's going and we'll match it.
You can browse our full Sunbrella showroom on the Fabrics page, or come by the shop in Seguin to feel the actual material — color on a screen never matches what shows up on your patio.
"Buy the fabric once. Sunbrella over a welded aluminum frame is the longest-lasting awning we know how to build."
