You may have noticed us quite proudly promoting that many of our outdoor bean bags are made from Olefin or Sunproof Olefin.
In a nutshell, we believe Olefin is one of the most superior fabrics for outdoor furniture due to its durability and resistance to stains, water & mildew.
So to help us back up our argument above, we’ve written up a little detail with a few great facts about Olefin.
What is Olefin Fabric?
Essentially, Olefin fabric is a human made textile that is derived from two chemicals: Ethylene and propylene. Olefin is quite simply, another name for polypropylene fibre.
The History of Olefin
Polypropylene was first created in Italy in 1957 and is the Chemical name given to the textile, Olefin. And the production of Olefin was in full swing in the USA by 1960.
Olefin can be produced relatively easily and requires little tech or machinery, as a result, many smaller companies produced this lovely fabric and it quickly increased in popularity.
The Benefits of Olefin
Friendlier to the Environment
Did you know that the production of olefin fabric is much friendlier to the environment than other fabrics like cotton, wool, silk or rayon?
In fact, there is very little waste in the manufacturing process and the fibre is 100% recyclable. That’s right, once the fabric is no longer needed it can be rewoven to create new olefin fabric.
A Water-Resistant Fabric
Olefin is a fabulous fabric for the outdoors, one of the main reasons is because it doesn’t absorb moisture and it dries incredibly fast. Because the fibres found in olefin fabric or synthetic, they are incredibly moisture resistant.
In the event, your olefin bean bag gets caught in the rain, you can be rest assured, it will dry quickly. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about moisture or getting sweaty while sitting back and relaxing in your stunning outdoor Mooi Living Bean Bag.
UV Protection & Fade Resistant
Because Olefin is a woven fabric, it holds its colour exceptionally well. Olefin is an incredibly durable fabric that is made to be heavy-duty and robust. Olefin is UV protected and is resilient, colourfast textile that will last for many years to come.
You see, Olefin is dyed in the production stage – either just before or during the melting phase, as a result the colours are locked in tight. As a result, your Olefin bean bag will retain its colour and brilliance for many years to come – providing you care for your bean bag (please read our “How to Care for your Bean Bag”.
Stain Resistant
Yes, even red wine is repelled by Olefin. Most liquids are wicked away from the surface of Olefin, so it will repel most stains and can be easily wiped away if caught early.
Easy to Clean / Maintain
What makes Olefin such a great choice for outdoor use, is that it Is easy to clean! As mentioned above, Olefin is stain-resistant and will repel most liquids. Cleaning your outdoor bean bag can be as easy as using a wipe to clean light spots or warm soapy water and a soft brush for tougher marks.
Mildew & Mould Resistant
Olefin wicks moisture away, making it less likely for moisture to leak through into the interior of your bean bag. Additionally, Olefin is a quick drying fabric and as water is less likely to sit on the fabric for long periods of time, then it is unlikely to be attacked by mildew & mould.
Having said this, there can be some leakage around the zippers inside the bean bag, in the event of leakage, we just recommend you thoroughly air / dry your bean bag out in the sun.
Make sure your bean bag is elevated to dry, as water tends to pool around the bottom of the bean bag – which if left for long periods of time, could result in mould or mildew.
At Mooi Living, our Olefin fabric has been designed specifically for outdoor use and makes for a gorgeous looking heavy-duty piece that can be used indoors and out. Perfect for around the pool, in the garden or even for marine purposes.
Olefin & Sunproof Olefin
The majority of our outdoor bean bags are made from either Olefin or Sunproof Olefin, and we have a lot of our customers asking us – what is the difference (apart from price)?
Basically, Sunproof Olefin is the next level up from Olefin. It has all the wonderful benefits of Olefin that we have covered above, but Sunproof is a supreme colour fastness to chlorinated pool water, seat water & rubbing. Sunproof Olefin not only looks and feels great, but is incredibly durable, making it a popular choice for both residential and commercial applications.
