While this summer has started off as something of a damp squib, for the vast majority of us there will be no holidaying again this year. So, as the weather (hopefully) brightens, now is a good time to give our outdoor areas a simple spruce up. Outdoor textiles are a great way to zone a seating area and create a welcoming indoor/outdoor space that bestows comfort. They are also good at hiding deck boards that need staining, or freshening up garden furniture that is looking a little tired.

While not always totally waterproof, exterior fabric technology enables outdoor textiles to withstand the odd unannounced downpour. They’ve also advanced on from the plastic look and feel they once had, with soft textures and a semblance indistinguishable from interior fabrics.

Weaver Green

I first discovered Weaver Green at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019. They had a stand full of rugs, runners, cushions, ottomans and throws alongside a demonstration of how their products are constructed from discarded plastic bottles. Keen to create a beautiful product from waste polluting the environment, after 7 years of extensive research into how to make a plastic bottle look and feel like wool, the Devonshire-based team created a yarn that was hard-wearing and suitable for both inside and outside use. Washable and made with non-toxic UV stable dyes, shop the wide range of outdoor rugs here and non-fade cushions here.

Cox & Cox

Cox & Cox is one of the most desirable places to buy stylish and elegant bits for the garden. From bell tents, fringed vintage-style canopies and scallop-edged deck chairs, they also sell a lovely selection of outdoor textiles that come in soft tones of pink, blue and grey. The prices are at the higher end of the scale than other pieces featured in this round-up, but the price is reflected in the quality (check out the deep texture of the herringbone cushions).

Dunelm

For a great-value buy, Dunelm sell outdoor rugs from £49 (for a size of 170 x 120 cm). Made from polypropylene, you do get what you pay for, and Dunelm advise that they might fade if left out in the sun continuously (you also need to buy an anti-slip mat alongside them), but their Sorrento, Tropical Leaves and Seed Natural rugs feature beautiful patterns and look really contemporary.

Bramblecrest

Cotswold-based retailer Bramblecrest also sells outdoor accessories alongside their extensive range of garden furniture, including a collection of exterior cushions in Pantone Colours Of The Year. Like Weaver Green, they are a sustainable and environmentally aware company, so all their rugs are also composed from recycled yarns.

IKEA

Always a good source for a reasonably priced indoor rug, IKEA makes great reversible outdoor rugs that you can flip over when required. They also sell a wide range of outdoor cushions, seat backs and pads for recliners, loungers and outdoor dining chairs.