A day in our workshop: from roll of fabric to cushion
How we cut, sew and check. And why we hide the zip.
Morning: cutting
Orders from the previous day are grouped by fabric. We pull the Sunbrella® roll, check the batch number, and cut each cover from that roll so a set of six comes from one dye lot. Solution-dyed acrylic is very consistent between batches, but "very" is not "perfectly", and a set should match. Each 45×45 cover is cut at 46×46 so the seam allowance leaves a finished 45×45 that takes a 47×47 inner and fills out plump.
Sewing
Covers are sewn with UV-stabilised polyester thread. Ordinary thread perishes in sun before the fabric does; on a cushion that will sit outside for seven summers, the thread has to last as long as the Sunbrella®. The zip goes in the bottom seam, hidden under a flap, so the cushion can be placed any way round and the zip never sits against a leg or catches the light. It runs the full width so the inner comes out easily for washing.
A visible zip is the first thing that looks cheap and the first thing to fail. Hidden under a flap, it is protected from UV and grit and the cushion has four good sides.
Filling
The inner is 100% hollow-fibre polyester in a water-permeable inner cover, sized 47×47. Hollow fibre does not absorb water: rain that gets through the cover drains out through the bottom seam. The inner cover keeps the filling in place and makes the inner easy to swap after years of use. Made-to-measure seat pads use reticulated quick-dry foam instead. Fillings compared in foam vs hollow fibre.
Afternoon: checks and packing
Every cushion passes two pairs of hands. The first checks seams, zip and corners on the empty cover. The second fills, closes and checks the finished cushion against the order: fabric, colour, quantity. Then it is packed flat, not vacuum-compressed, so it arrives plump. Orders before 4 pm ship the same working day; the UK is 4-6 working days tracked.
What we do not do
We do not print, coat or treat the fabric; it arrives from the mill with its water-repellent finish, which has been PFAS-free since 2024 (see what changed). We do not use standard foam in anything that goes outdoors. We do not vacuum-pack. And we do not use any fabric other than Sunbrella®, for reasons explained in what is Sunbrella fabric.
Made to measure
Bench, pallet, lounger and boat cushions follow the same route with a template step at the start. See how made to measure works and about us.
158 Sunbrella® colours in 45×45, filling included, shipped next working day. Browse the collection or ask about made to measure.
