Sourcing small quantities of Sunbrella type materials

[ajlelectronics]

I have been asked by 'er indoors to renovate the garden swing we have. The original canopy was a cheap cotton material which desintegrated almost as soon as the sun hit it. So I thought I would go for Sunbrella. I need just over 2 running metres but when I looked at the price on Ebay, over £30 a metre with the carriage, she decided she would rather buy a complete (and cheap!) new swing first! .

So, what options are there for a less expensive material that might last a few years before falling apart?  Colour or style of little importance.

[JuneC]

Look for acrylic fabric - solution dyed would be best.  I was going to suggest eBay for Sunbrella but I guess you already looked there. 

Here's one.
  http://www.fabricuk.com/fabrics.php?categ=82&fabric_type=494#dataform

June

[Grebo]

Is it just the canopy ?
We have a local fabric that is used for sunblinds, the shop awning type. It's called reacril here but is almost identical to sunbrella & a fraction of the price.
If it's the seat base, I use some material which is very similar to soltis but has a slightly bigger mesh, here it is called coverline, also used for external cushion bases. Very strong & UV resistant.

Suzi

[fragged8]

unfortunately a good fabric that will stand up to the sun for more than one season
isn't going to be cheap, there is cheaper than sunbrella. If you want a specific colour
I can add it to my next order.

plain colour acrylic same as sunbrella but different brand about £18 to £20 pm
striped acrylic about £15 pm

give me a call I can hook you up.
07773329809

Richard

[ajlelectronics]

Yes it is just the canopy. The original was very nasty, but then the whole thing was only about £80. Can't get much quality for that. Then when it started to rust, indoors decided to plaster it with Hammerite which just allowed it to rust faster unseen until it started to blow the stuff off again!

This is the type of thing, even cheaper now.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SWINGING-3-SEATER-GARDEN-HAMMOCK-SWING-SEAT-OUTDOOR-NEW-/320675960401?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenFurnitureR2_SM&hash=item4aa9c6d651

Sunbrella here is out of the question as it will be uneconomic to use something so good on a frame that is so bad!  There are ready made canopies in the original cheap material (I think) on Ebay for £25 ish so might save time and money going for that.

Thanks to all for the suggestions and to Rich for the offer. I will bear it in mind, although I don't care about what colour.

[Mojo]

Recacril is a superior fabric. It is acrylic solution died. I use it on all of my awning fabrics because I feel it is superior to Sunbrella. 1.) They carry a huge amount of colors 2.) It is made in Spain in a very high tech factory 3.) Because it has a different weave then Sunbrella it will not stretch over time. 4.) It will last as long or longer then Sunbrella. 5.) It has excellent fade resistance and can easily handle the Florida sun.

I haven't priced out Sunbrella but heard that Recacril is a bit cheaper. Miami is a carrier of Recacril but I know it is widely used in Europe.

Chris

[Grebo]

Some time in the distant past, I asked one of the suppliers on here where or not my cheap local Recacril from S.A.Recasens was the same as the stuff you have over the puddle I was told that you have your own factory & they had no idea if it was the same stuff or not !
So you say it comes from Spain ?  Are you sure !!!  :-X

For years I was dismissing it as some local cheap stuff, then when I found out it was recacril I started using it on the 'cheaper' jobs. It was lasted very well over the years so I guess it is good stuff. If any one can confirm wether or not it is the same stuff I would be very happy  ;D

Suzi

[Mojo]

I believe Miami Mike who carries Recarcil said it is all manufactured in Spain and shipped in to the US.

Maybe he will see this and answer.

I do know that Recarssens has an office in the USA as I contacted them to get some tags and ad literature. If memory serves me right they also said it is only made in Spain.

I love the stuff. I have had good luck with it and use only Recarcil on my RV awnings because of the no-stretch feature. It prevents dimpling which is common with Sunbrella. It rains and pools in the center of the awning, the sun comes out and heats it up and then you get a distortion and large dimple in the center of the fabric.

Recarcil wont do that.

Chris