If you’ve ever unintentionally left a garden parasol up for an entire summer, only to find your once bright and vibrant parasol has become faded and dull in the autumn, you’ll understand the pain that comes from it. It’s not bad luck, it’s UV exposure. Fortunately, UV exposure has a few workable solutions.
Why the Sun is the Biggest Culprit
Daylight doesn’t fade everything and fabrics don’t lose their colour just because they’re in sunlight. The problem is that ultraviolet radiation breaks down dyes and fabrics so that cheap polyester fabric becomes brittle and papery. Outdoor fabrics aren’t immune to UV exposure because the process is slowed rather than stopped. Parasol umbrellas left open all the time are effected the most.
There is a temperature element that is often overlooked. So if the parasol is up and the fabric is exposed to direct sunlight, the fabric can become a high surface temperature and heat can chemically cause the same problem that UV exposure is doing so that a parasol exposed to sunlight slowly tortures itself.
Considering Fabrics with Built-in UV Resistance
When buying a parasol, starting with UV resistant fabrics is essential. Consider the fabric’s Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating. Solution-dyed acrylics usually outperform polyester fabrics, and while solution-dyed acrylics are more expensive, the long-term savings make the investment worth it. The colour is part of the fiber, meaning it won’t flake and fade like polyester.
Parasol fabrics come in many colours. Dark colours fade less, but disappearing colour is more noticeable on lighter fabrics. Darker fabrics actually hold in heat more, so there’s an aesthetic vs comfort trade-off for the type of fabric used depending on how the parasol is intended to be used.
Best Practices That Prolong Fabric Life
This may seem self-explanatory, but the best way to get your money’s worth is to close the parasol when you’re done using it. Leaving the parasol open causes the fabric to be constantly exposed to sunlight. Some people have the habit of folding their parasol at the end of each day, or whenever they’re not sitting under it. Both of these habits greatly prolong the parasol fabric’s life by protecting it from constant exposure.
Breathable covers for parasol umbrellas also provide protection from dirt and sun while extending the parasol’s lifespan, so use one when the parasol is not in use. It is a small investment that is easy to forget until it it’s too late.
Position is also important. Parasol umbrellas that follows the sun will sustain more wear than one that remains in the same position. A south facing parasol for the majority of the afternoon will sustain wear over one that is in a fixed position for the remainder of the day. Changing the position of a parasol or rotating it will sustain wear over the canopy instead of concentrating it over one section.
Habits Worth Adopting
Regular cleaning is beneficial more than people realise. Dust and other particulates sitting on the surface of the parasol fabric trap heat and moisture. Combined with UV exposure, these lead to accelerated parasol fabric degradation. A quick wash with soap and water is more beneficial to the parasol fabric than leaving it exposed to the elements.
It is also advisable to spray a fabric UV protectant. It is important to note that for a parasol that has been previously neglected, these sprays will not restore the original color, but applied and reapplied regularly, these will slow fabric degradation.
The sun will always be there. With good habits, parasol umbrellas have the potential to maintain their good appearance for many years. With the right habits, your parasol doesn’t have to show every season it’s lived through.