Waterproof Fabrics

Coated, laminated or wipe-clean

These fabrics keep water out by way of a surface treatment rather than the weave: a coating on the back, a laminated film on the face, or a wipe-clean oilcloth finish. Each sheds rain and wipes down, and none of them fray.

Use them for bags, rucksacks, wash bags, aprons, bibs, pram covers, table covers and outdoor cushions. Two practical notes: do not pin within the finished area — needle holes are permanent and let water through — use clips or pin inside the seam allowance; and if the coating sticks under the machine foot, a walking foot or a strip of tape on the foot solves it.