What makes for a great indoor-outdoor upholstery fabric?

In years gone-by, there was a clear distinction between indoor and outdoor fabrics. Outdoor fabrics were required to perform under all weather conditions – and, naturally, this meant they’d look and feel a certain way. Meanwhile, indoor fabrics were generally softer and less durable, and usually less ‘plastic-y’.

But today, new technology and weaving methods have allowed us to develop indoor-outdoor upholstery fabric that performs equally well in the comfort of a hotel lobby as it will in an outdoor dining setting. This is important as our lives have irrevocably changed in recent years. The pandemic forced us to connect outdoors, and the habit has stuck. Spaces are now required to be more versatile than ever, with adaptable, multi-use buildings continuing to be in high demand. Adaptable seating areas require fabrics that can stand up to the elements, while also feeling soft and working just as well inside.

With this new approach to flexible interior design, we wanted to develop an elegant, high performing fabric that would be suited to both indoor and outdoor use. A two-tone woven fabric, Zephyr is the result. With its refined, textured look, this high performing fabric can be used both inside and out, and will perform to the highest level regardless of where it’s used. 

There were a number of considerations we had to keep in mind when creating Zephyr. The first, and perhaps most important, is colour fading. Outdoor fabrics are typically exposed to UV rays far more than interior fabrics, so ensuring it wouldn’t fade quickly was of utmost importance. We achieved this by incorporating colourfast dyes to Zephyr, which ensure its rich tones are maintained even with prolonged outdoor use. 

Then there’s the performance elements. Every Agua fabric is treated to a series of rigorous tests that guarantees its effectiveness in a number of areas, one of which is flammability. It’s not easy to find outdoor fabrics that are Crib 5 compliant, as they typically aren’t required to conform to commercial fire regulations. But as Zephyr is designed for both outdoor and indoor use, it’s been treated to ensure fire retardancy to the highest level. 

As well as fire retardancy, it’s crucial for outdoor fabrics to be waterproof. While we don’t recommend furniture be kept outdoors permanently throughout the year, it is highly likely that it will encounter passing showers. For this reason, Zephyr is waterproof, unlike the majority of indoor fabrics on the rest of the market. It does so while remaining breathable, which is another crucial performance element for an indoor-outdoor fabric. Zephyr has been treated to remain breathable whether used inside or out, and as such will ensure day-long comfort. 

Lastly, an indoor-outdoor fabric needs to look the part. Interior design is more important than ever, with firms spending millions on creating handsome spaces to attract potential clients. As such, Zephyr has been skilfully woven to mimic the look of natural wool, with a tactile feel that’ll complement a wide range of applications, from hotels and restaurants to bars and workspaces. Outdoor fabrics were never suited for indoor use, but Zephyr shows that’s a notion of the past. Beautifully woven, soft against the skin and high performing, it’s the only indoor-outdoor fabric worth considering. 

Zephyr samples and shade cards will be available shortly. To register your interest, please email info@aguafabrics.com