On an outdoor chair or lounge chair, it is often the weave that ages first: it pales in the sun, stains in the rain and frays in the sand. For our woven seats, our strapping and our cushions, we have chosen Sunproof olefin rope and fabrics, for a reason that comes down to how the colour is made.
Solution-dyed
An ordinary yarn is dyed after the fact: the colour sits on the surface, and the sun wears it away little by little. Olefin yarn is solution-dyed: the pigment is mixed into the material before the yarn is even formed. The colour is not applied to the yarn, it is the yarn. There is nothing on the surface for UV to wipe away.
What it stands up to
- Sun: it does not fade, even when left out all summer.
- Water: it resists rain and dries quickly.
- Salt: by the sea, a rinse with fresh water is enough.
- Wear: this high-performance yarn resists abrasion, where people sit down and stand up a hundred times a day.
With teak, a pairing that lives outdoors
Solid teak does not rot, olefin does not fade: it is this pairing that lets a chair stay on a terrace on Arcachon Bay all year round, and keep pace with a restaurant. For cushions, our pieces favour the Woolacombe and La Concha fabrics, in the same fibre, from a wide choice of weaves and colours.
Looking after it
A soft brush for sand, soapy water for a stain, a rinse with clean water, then leave it to dry in the sun. No pressure washer, which would force the fibres apart. Cushion covers come off to be washed at 30 °C, or by hand with water and Marseille soap; no tumble dryer.