Introduction
With the increasing competition within the outdoor furniture industry, you must be trying your best to manufacture high-quality and aesthetic outdoor furniture to catch people’s attention. No matter whether you are planning to boost the revenue of your outdoor furniture business, increase your brand awareness or occupy more market share, maintaining the quality of your furniture to satisfy your target customers is crucial. Therefore, you need to take into consideration the major factors that reflect your product quality.
In order to enhance the product excellence of your garden sofa, there are a few factors that you need to consider. Firstly, fabrics and sofa frames play important roles in determining the comfort and quality of the furniture. Secondly, the designs of your sofas are also critical. If you do not follow the latest trends in designs and always produce outdoor sofas that are out of date, your products will not catch the interest of people.
Thirdly, colours are important while crafting outdoor sofas as they can determine the personality of furniture and decorate the outdoor areas with unique attitudes. Now, let’s have a look at these important insights together!
How to Select Suitable Fabric Materials for Outdoor Sofas
Before we talk about the 4 fabric materials that are commonly used in manufacturing outdoor sofas, here are three factors that we need to keep in mind while making our best selection.
Firstly, you need to consider whether the materials chosen are durable or not since they need to be strong enough to withstand the outdoor elements such as sunlight exposure and rain over time.
Secondly, the aesthetic appeal of materials also plays an important role in the sofa as it should match your personal preference and the overall look of the furniture and the outdoor area.
Lastly, materials that demand less maintenance are better to be used since they do not require frequent upkeep of people. Let’s take a look at the different types of fabric you can choose from.
Frequently Used Fabric Materials for Outdoor Sofas
Premier Acrylic Fabric
Being one of the most popular and expensive fabrics that are used for outdoor furniture, the acrylic fabric is soft, lightweight, durable, non-fading and easy to care. This material is soft and comfortable, just like the texture of natural wool, allowing you and your guests to relax.
Because of its durability, it is strong enough to resist wear and tear, maintaining its original beauty over time. Besides, acrylic fabric’s UV-resistant property and unique dying process prevent it from fading in the sun, making it an ideal choice for outdoor use.
Although it is not waterproof, it is water-resistant and can dry quickly after rain to prevent water damage, which can resist mildew. If you are pursuing fabric with the highest quality and do not mind the high price, acrylic fabric is your best choice!
Polyester Fabric
Polyester fabric is a type of budget-friendly option which offers a variety of benefits and has a relatively lower price compared to other popular fabrics. However, you get what you pay for. Among acrylic, polyester and olefin fabrics, polyester fabric is the one that has the smoothest surface and the lowest quality.
In terms of its benefits to use outdoors, it is durable, weather-proof, UV-resistant, quick-drying and easy to clean, which is normally used in garden furniture manufacturing. However, since this material is batch-dyed after the fabric is woven, its colour might fade after the long-time sunshine exposure.
Furthermore, polyester can retain heat and is not as breathable as other fabrics, making it warm and even hot to touch when exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, it is not that comfortable to sit on during hot days.
Olefin Fabric
Olefin fabric is commonly chosen by most outdoor furniture suppliers since it is not only a good-quality synthetic fibre but also a cost-effective option for them. Its price is lower than acrylic and more expensive than polyester fabric.
In terms of its texture, it is rougher than acrylic and softer than polyester. Olefin is also weather-proof and suitable to be used in outdoor areas. It is more UV-resistant than polyester and hence will not fade easily outdoors.
Due to its water-resistant benefit, it will dry fast and will not succumb to mildew during periods of rain. What is more, it is easy to clean and hence outdoor sofas that are made of olefin material can offer you a truly relaxing and comfortable outdoor enjoyment.
Textelene Fabric
Textelene fabric, also called textoline, is typically made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyester fabric coated with PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Therefore, it looks more plastic-like and has a reduced level of aesthetic appeal and comfort. Textelene is widely used for outdoor furniture as it also has many advantages such as being weather-proof, flame-retardant, water-resistant and so on, making it durable enough to survive outdoors.
Frequently Used Materials for Outdoor Sofa Frames
Except for the fabric selection, the frame of an outdoor sofa is also essential. That is because classy and high-quality materials such as aluminium, steel, plastic rattan and plastic lumber not only contribute a sturdy structure for a sofa but also add additional beauty to the product.
Aluminium
Aluminium is sturdy and can enhance the carrying capacity of an outdoor sofa, making your outdoor sofa safe and comfortable. Besides, it is weather-proof, rust-free, lightweight and easy to clean.
The most important point is that aluminium is easy to cut and shape, which makes it easy to manufacture outdoor sofas with different shapes and styles. However, welding might be challenging.
When aluminium is exposed to natural air during the welding process, a layer of aluminium oxide forms on its surface will prevent the arc and the weld pool from connecting. If you want to produce sofas with sleek and industrial designs, aluminium will be your best choice.
Steel
Steel is an extremely strong and dense metal material that is normally used in producing high-quality outdoor sofas. Because of its sturdy structure, outdoor sofas that are made of steel are durable, and strong, but are hard to move.
With the extensive benefits such as weather-proof, anti-corrosion and ease of welding, steel is suitable for outdoor furniture manufacturing. However, steel outdoor sofas will have a relatively higher price compared to aluminium sofas. You can choose your ideal frame materials based on your target customers.
PE Rattan
Made of high-quality PE material, recycled plastic rattan is popular in the outdoor furniture industry. Serving as a perfect substitution for natural rattan, PE rattan is more durable, practical and aesthetic when it is used in making outdoor sofas.
Since plastic rattan is a type of synthetic material, its design versatility allows it to have diverse patterns, shapes and colours, which can help you manufacture outdoor sofas based on your customers’ needs.
Because of its weather-proof and low-maintenance properties, sofas that are with a plastic rattan frame will be the most long-lasting decoration on your patio!
Plastic Wood
Plastic wood, also called plastic lumber, composite wood for outdoor furniture, is completely made of superior plastic materials such as PS (Polystyrene) and PE (Polyethylene), which can be fully recycled.
Leisure Touch Rattan‘s Plastic lumber is manufactured with grains and patterns of real wood, making it an ideal material for outdoor furniture making. An outdoor sofa that is made of a plastic wood frame is strong and durable.
It can withstand changing weather conditions outdoors without rot or breakage. Using aesthetic and practical synthetic lumber to produce your high-quality outdoor furniture can help you attract more environmentalists and pragmatists.
5 Top Ideas for Outdoor Sofas in 2024
Although selecting suitable outdoor furniture materials for your outdoor sofas is essential, the designs and styles can also determine their popularity. Since trendy styles can always easily catch people’s eyes and hence increase your brand revenue.
- Modular Sofa
One of the most popular styles in 2024. It is a customizable seating solution, consisting of separate sections that can be arranged to fit various outdoor spaces. You can move the seats to satisfy your different seating needs.
2. Deep-seat Sofa
A deep-seat outdoor sofa is famous for its sunken design, which allows you to fully relax yourself by leaning down your whole body, perfect for chilling and enjoying outdoor spaces.
3. Sofa with Teak Wood Design
An outdoor sofa that has a teak wood design or some teak wood elements such as teak armrests or teak decorations is elegant and exquisite, which adds extra sophistication to your outdoor spaces.
4. Plastic Rattan Sofa
Plastic rattan outdoor sofa is eco-friendly, aesthetic and durable. It is widely chosen by most people since it provides a sense of nature and peace to the entire space.
5. Sofa with Sleek Design
Outdoor sofa with sleek design is one of the top picks for people since its simple and minimalist design can seamlessly fit in spaces with diverse styles.
Importance of Colour Selections for Outdoor Sofas
Recently, in the outdoor furniture industry, red, orange/yellow, blue, green, earth tones and neutral colours are often chosen by customers as each of them normally brings different feelings to the garden and transforms the space into an outdoor paradise.
Red: Adds energy and vibrancy to the space with enthusiasm.
Orange/Yellow: Warm and cheerful, turning your garden into an inviting space.
Blue: Evokes calmness and tranquillity, making your patio peaceful and relaxing.
Green: The best colour to connect with nature; makes you fully immersed in the setting.
Earth tones: Popular colour selection these years, creating a grounding and organic feel to the garden.
Neutral colours: These colours such as black, white and grey offer elegance and versatility; and can perfectly blend in various styles.
When designing and manufacturing outdoor sofas for your brand, you can choose the colour that can fully express your product style and philosophy.
Conclusion
Pursuing a top position in the outdoor furniture industry is not an easy task. Whether you are an outdoor furniture manufacturer, outdoor furniture designer or furniture retailer, it is crucial for you to master the sophisticated knowledge about how to design, produce and deliver the best outdoor sofas to your customers. So that your products can effortlessly enhance the outdoor atmosphere and overall enjoyment of your customers. To start your wonderful journey in the outdoor furniture industry, contact us now to talk with our specialized persons today!
