Waterproof Fabric: A Complete Guide to Water Resistant Fabric

What is waterproof material? Twenty-first-century technology offers plenty of options when it comes to waterproof fabric, material that protects one from rain and snow.

Waterproof fabric is fabric that is resistant to water, or fabric that absorbs the least amount of water than other materials. Wool is an extremely effective and breathable material and this fabric is also resistant to water.

These days, technology has stepped up to the plate and is producing various other types of fabric that also do the job. Like wool fabrics, these other fabrics can breathe and resist moisture. To make a modern synthetic fabric waterproof, we either laminate the fabric or coat it with a special fabric such as wax, silicone, rubber and polyurethane (PU), to name a few.

Before you buy fabrics to create products that can withstand the elements, read our Comprehensive Fabric Guide, where we provide all the information you need about waterproof fabric, as well as those materials that are ideal for outdoor use.

Innovations in Waterproof Materials in 2025

These days, the focus on all fabrics remains sustainability, and this includes waterproof materials. In 2025, smart fabrics take centre stage, including a variety of bio-based materials and chemical-free waterproof treatments, fibres that can sense moisture and react by repelling it and improved coatings that enhance the durability of the material, how it breathes and even self-cleans. 

At maake, we have been monitoring new innovations as they happen, and have also created a fascinating guide to Smart Fabrics, which is inspiring and well worth reading.

One innovative brand, Hwa Fune®, based in Taiwan, produces several sustainable, high-performance textiles, including Porlite, a breathable, PFA-free waterproof fabric with a microporous membrane that is also air-permeable. In late 2024, the brand joined forces with US company Showers Pass, which manufactures rain and cycling gear, to create a jacket, Refuge Jacket and Refuge Pants in Porlite material.

Rating System for Waterproof Outdoor Fabric

There are various rating systems for waterproof outdoor fabric, to check the degree of waterproofing these outdoor fabrics have. The outdoor fabric undergoes various tests to find out how much water is required to penetrate the fabric and wet it.

To call an outdoor fabric ‘waterproof fabric’, the outdoor fabric needs to resist more than 1,000mm of water pressure before it starts to leak. Believe it or not, certain outdoor fabrics fare far better!

Another test that is regularly undertaken to test whether an outdoor fabric is waterproof, is a breathability test, which determines how much air and moisture penetrate the outdoor fabric and seep out of it. 

There are various tests to check the breathability of an outdoor fabric and the degree to which the outdoor fabric is waterproof. Often a brand will come up with their own tests for their outdoor waterproof fabric and advertise this to their customers in a blog or through an ad. 

The result of these outdoor fabrics tests is two numbers. The first number indicates how waterproof the outdoor fabric is and the second one deals with the outdoor fabric’s breathability. The higher the result, the more waterproof and breathable the outdoor fabric is.

The Difference Between Waterproof & Water Resistant Fabrics

What’s the difference between a waterproof and a water resistant fabric? Let’s discuss what sets these fabrics apart:

·      These two terms are NOT the same thing. Waterproof fabric implies that no water can penetrate the fabric, while water-resistant describes fabrics that are relatively resistant to water.

·      A waterproof fabric is the most resistant to water, while a water-resistant fabric is less so. Manufacturers often weave waterproof fabric far more tightly than water-resistant material so the water struggles to penetrate. That’s what makes the fabric the most resistant to water. 

Examples of waterproof fabric for outdoor furniture include nylon and polyester.

• Water-resistant fabrics resist less water but are not completely resistant to water. Examples of this type of fabric include cotton, which is not as tightly woven as synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester. The fabrics that are both waterproof and breathable are treated with an outer layer called ‘face fabric’. We make this fabric layer using polyester or nylon fabric. There's also a laminated coating created from either polyurethane (PU) or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon® and often used to make non-stick cookware) that is used on these fabrics.

Let's Talk About Water-Repellent Material

There is actually a third type of fabric that repels water. We call it water-repellent fabric. We treat this type of fabric with a special coating that repels water.

Examples of water-repellent outdoors fabrics include PUL (polyurethane laminated) fabric and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) fabric. We offer our customers PUL fabric for pads that they can use for quilting and to handle waterproof mattresses, while TPU fabric is lighter and softer, so we use it to make fabric bed sheets and babies’ nappies.

Examples of a Waterproof Textile

These are the most popular fabrics used per metre wide for various home furnishings and clothing:

ELS (Extra-Long-Staple) Cotton

This type of cotton fabric comes mainly from California in the US. They produce this very dense fabric from specially cultivated extra-long fibres that are woven together. This is an excellent waterproof fabric, and people use this cotton fabric to make outerwear that is ideal for extreme weather conditions. They also use these cotton fabrics for quilting waterproof bed protectors, and for sheets. These cotton fabrics are also often used as part of a fabric blend to create other waterproof clothing items, such as pants and shirts.

Gore-tex®

Manufacturers created this very hard-wearing, waterproof synthetic fabric from stretched Teflon threads (polytetrafluoroethylene). We often use the fabric for camping equipment, luggage, fabric army uniforms, and in various countries' space programmes. What sets Gore-tex® fabrics apart from other waterproof fabric, is that it is also breathable.

Latex & Natural Rubber

Latex fabric products are made from either synthetic rubber or natural rubber (the natural sap from the rubber tree). The natural version is hardwearing and biodegradable, too, so it’s an extremely eco-friendly fabric. Both these fabrics are extremely water resistant; we use this water resistant fabric to make various products, from rubber gloves to clothing and seat covers.

Microfibre

We often use this soft fabric as a cloth for cleaning mobile phones, computer screens and glasses. We make this fabric out of polyester. It's water-resistant, but then the fabric is coated to make it 100% waterproof. This fabric is commonly used for jackets and bed sheets.

Nylon & Polyester

As we already mentioned, these two fabrics are created with a tight weave to make them  water-resistant fabrics. If treated, polyester fabric is the ideal waterproof fabric for a variety of outdoor products, including outdoor umbrellas, outdoor patio furniture and raincoats. Before polyester fabrics are treated, they are not completely waterproof: when one weaves the polymer fibres into the fabric, water can soak through the gaps in the fabric’s weave. So manufacturers treat these outdoor fabrics to make them waterproof and more hard- wearing. 

Oilcloth

We initially made this type of fabric from tightly woven linen or duck cloth. Th fabric is also known as ‘enamelled cloth’. People used to treat them by coating the fabric in boiled linseed oil. 

This stiffened the fabric and made it waterproof and more durable. However, we rarely use this fabric for clothing, although in the past people used these fabrics for sailors’ coats and boat sails. 

These days, we coat oilcloth with clear vinyl. This fabric, which comes in both matte and shiny textures, is very hard-wearing and easy to clean. The fabrics are primarily used for manufacturing luggage and for waterproof mattress covers in hospitals.

Vinyl

Made from PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, this fabric is extremely hard wearing, long lasting and waterproof. We used to produce music records from vinyl. We've also used the fabric to make some iconic garments of clothing, especially in the punk rock era (1970s). We call it 'pleather' or 'faux leather'. These days, we use vinyl fabric to make rain jackets, handbags and other water-resistant clothing and accessories.

Wool

Wool is a most interesting natural fibre. Not only is it naturally water-resistant, but the fabric also absorbs water: in fact, it can soak up to 30% of its natural weight in water! 

To make the fabric more water-resistant, we coat wool fabric with a thin layer of lanolin oil. However, you need to regularly re-apply this coating, or the fabric won’t remain as water-resistant. Before we make wool fabric garments, we usually boil the fabric in hot water to ensure it is extremely water-resistant. 

maake’s Waterproof Fabric Choices

Aqua Plain Tex (PUL) Water Repellant: This smooth, lightweight 100% polyester water repellent fabric with a PU back is extremely popular for baby changing mats and light water repellent clothing, including waders and accessories. The fabric’s smooth surface is extremely comfortable to wear and solid colours print vibrantly on its optic white base.

Eco Lotus Twill (FR): Extremely lightweight 100% polyester water repellent fabric, ideal for clothing, outdoor upholstery fabric, accessories and wash bags. Use it either as a fabric or as fabric lining. The fabric is smooth to the touch, has an elegant drape and colours print vibrantly. These waterproof fabrics have a waterproof coating and also lightly repel water (great for shower curtains, etc).

Neraki Waterproof Canvas (FR): A medium-weight, 240 gsm (grams per square metre wide), 100% polyester PU-backed fabric that is water repellent. The fabric boasts a soft canvas texture. It is used for handbags, beanbags, outdoor cushions, pet accessories and kids’ play mats. The fabric is easy to wipe clean and very durable. Its optic white base achieves vibrant colour prints.

Tentex Water Repellent: A medium weight, 280 gsm (grams per square metre wide) 100% polyester PU-backed water repellent fabric with a crisp texture and smooth face. This fabric is ideal for bags, aprons, outdoor cushions, pet accessories and kids’ play mats. The fabric is easy to wipe clean, doesn’t fray when cut and is tear-resistant. Also, you can print vibrant colours on the fabric’s optic white base.

Waterproof Suede FR: Ideal for outdoor wear and spaces, this 100% polyester fabric is popular for outdoor cushions, upholstery, soft furnishings, pet accessories, handbags and outerwear garments. Known for staying dry in wet weather, the fabric is remarkably hard-wearing and tough, with a soft finish and sumptuous appearance. It is Crib 5 tested to comply with UK fire safety regulations and suitable for wearing as clothing. Boasts a white print face and a smooth, non-suede, off-white backing.

Ready, Steady, Print!

Choose from our stunning selection of fabrics per metre wide. These include cotton, linen and other natural fabrics, as well as synthetic fabrics and fabric blends. View the selection, then make your list and add to your cart.

Design your own fabric

Delivery

maake uses the most cost-effective delivery services possible. Although we do not provide free UK delivery, we offer the option to collect your fabric order in person if you live within the vicinity of our North London factory (NW10).