Outdoor wall hanging: which fabrics really last?

Outdoors, only three types of fabric really last: solution-dyed acrylic, high-tenacity polyester with UV-resistant and water-repellent treatment, and coated technical fabrics. The decisive criterion isn't waterproofing but UV colourfastness: it's the sun, not the rain, that kills an outdoor textile first. An indoor fabric, however thick, won't do.

At Vent de Bohème, we've been making outdoor textiles for years—deckchair canvas, garden cushions, sun lounger mattresses.

What really wears out a textile outdoors

Rain is the first thing people think of. That's getting the priorities wrong.

UV rays, first and foremost. Ultraviolet radiation breaks down the chemical bonds in dyes. A surface-dyed fabric loses its colour in a single season facing south; a solution-dyed fabric, where the pigment is built into the fibre before spinning, keeps its colour for years. It's the number one factor, by a long way.

Damp and mould, next. The problem isn't getting wet, it's staying wet. A fabric that dries poorly develops black mould spots that never come out. A well-designed outdoor textile is less about being waterproof and more about being quick-drying.

Wind, finally. Wind is what mechanically destroys a wall hanging: a wide panel flapping about puts enormous strain on its fixings and hems. A garden wall hanging that's been torn down has almost always given way at the seams, not in the fabric.

On top of that come air pollution, pollen and, for city balconies, greasy deposits that make dirt stick.

The materials that last

Solution-dyed acrylic

The benchmark for awnings, shade sails and patio fabrics. The pigment is built into the fibre, so the colour barely fades. The fabric breathes, dries quickly and resists mould.

Limitations: you're limited to the manufacturer's palette—it can't be printed with a detailed pattern—and it's expensive.

Treated high-tenacity polyester

More tear-resistant than acrylic, it takes digital printing, which makes patterns possible. How well it stands up to UV depends entirely on the treatment applied: a properly treated outdoor polyester lasts for years, while an indoor polyester left outside loses its colour in a single summer.

It's the material used for our deckchair canvases and outdoor cushions—and that's why we can print our patterns on them and still send them outside.

Coated fabrics (PVC, PU)

Completely waterproof and easy to clean, but stiff and not very breathable. They're fine for tarpaulins and seating, far less so for a decorative panel that needs to hang softly.

What doesn't last outdoors

Untreated cotton and linen go mouldy and fade within a season. Cotton or silk velvets hold water in their pile and dry poorly—they're indoor fabrics. Thin printed polyesters fade very quickly.

The four figures to ask for

If a seller advertises an outdoor wall hanging, this information either exists or it doesn't:

Lightfastness, rated on the Blue Wool Scale (from 1 to 8). Below 6, it isn't an outdoor textile.
Fabric weight, just as indoors: the higher it is, the better the panel holds up in the wind.
The treatment: water-repellent, anti-mould, UV-resistant—and whether it's applied to the surface or built in.
The finishing: seams sewn with polyester thread (cotton thread rots), reinforced hems, non-corroding metal eyelets.

Three precautions when putting it up, whatever the fabric

Never let a panel flap. Pull it taut on all four sides, or accept that it will only last a season.

Bring it in for the winter. No textile benefits from spending November to March outdoors. A panel brought in dry, rolled up and stored under cover lasts three times longer.

Allow it to dry. Fabric placed against a wall where it can't dry will go mouldy from behind, even if it never gets rained on. Let the air circulate.

What about our wall hangings?

They can go outdoors. The 340 g/m² polyester velvet-effect fabric they're made from stands up well to UV and damp: a wall hanging can dress a patio wall, a pergola or a balcony during the warmer months. Just follow the three precautions above: pulled taut so it doesn't flap in the wind, with air behind it so it can dry, and brought in for the winter.

To dress the rest of the garden, our outdoor ranges have been around for a long time: outdoor cushions, deckchair canvases and sun lounger mattresses, with the same hand-drawn patterns.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put a wall hanging up outdoors? Only if it's made for it. An indoor fabric, however thick, loses its colour after a season outside and goes mouldy if it doesn't dry properly.

Which fabric stands up best to the sun? Solution-dyed acrylic, followed by UV-treated high-tenacity polyester. The criterion to ask about is lightfastness, rated from 1 to 8: aim for 6 or above.

Does an outdoor wall hanging need to be waterproof? Less than you might think. What matters most is that it dries quickly: it's lingering damp, not rain, that causes mould.

How do you protect an outdoor wall hanging in winter? Take it down, let it dry completely, roll it up and store it away from light and damp.

Can Vent de Bohème wall hangings go on a patio? Yes: their polyester velvet-effect fabric stands up well to UV and damp. Pull them taut so they don't flap in the wind, let the air circulate behind them and bring them in for the winter.