Sun Awning fabrics come in many different qualities. Really this is a major defining fact between a cheap Sun Awning and a high quality sun awning.

Higher quality Sun Awnings generally use either an acrylic fabric or a polyester fabric. Both should have the necessary coatings to repel dirt and prevent any mildew of rot from forming.

Polyester Sun Awning fabrics is really the newest type of fabric to his the Sun Awning market. Polyesters is much thinner and more durable than the standard acrylic  Awning fabrics. On top of this, polyester tends to let less water through meaning people can use their Sun Awnings as a rain shelter in light showers without water getting through. The general look of polyester Sun Awning fabrics generally gives brighter colours that are more hard wearing.

Previously all Sun Awning fabrics are manufactured from rolls of just over 1 metre in width. They are seamed together by joining the fabric along the length of the projection. For example, if you had a three metre wide Sun Awning you would have three seams running the projection of your product.

Te only negative aspect of these seams on the Sun Awning fabric is the fact that where the seam roll onto one another, when the Sun Awning is retracted, it creates a larger roll. This is turn can often cause creases around the seams of you Sun Awning fabric. To most this does not cause a problem and really is unavoidable – certainly lighter coloured fabrics do have a tendency to show these creases more prominently, in some cases looking like black marks as you look up from under your Sun Awning.

Being polyester is so much thinner than acrylic the problem is considerable reduced, however, the polyester awning fabric tends to show even the smallest creases more prominently so be aware of this if you are choosing a very light fabric colour. Darker Sun Awning fabrics really do not show the creases as much at all.

Another new aspect of fabrics on the higher quality Sun Awnings is a new type of bonding that reduces the depth of the seams even further – previously all fabric joins were stitched which made them considerably larger in depth. Thanks to modern technology it is now possible to have the fabrics bonded together by a special type of process – similar to glue. This reduces the depth of the join hence leading to less creasing though how affective this will be as a joining method long term is difficult to say though guarantees are in place that is it as strong, if not stronger than your standard stitching.

Be aware that either method used on the cheaper models of sun awning will be unlikely to stand the test of time. Sun Awnings do allow the damp in the cassette and unless your fabric is equip to cope with this, the seams will be the first to perish and your Sun Awning will be useless!