BLOG ARTICLE

15 January 2021

Should your sun umbrella come with UV protection?

With high summer most definitely upon us Down Under, the days have gotten longer and the weather warmer, so we are all spending more time enjoying the outdoors. And like most things in life – too much of a good thing can become detrimental. So, when it comes to summertime and enjoying the sun - it never hurts to take extra precaution in keeping your sun safe, and that goes beyond your preferred SPF and a hat.

Beyond Shade: Patio Umbrellas that Protect

Antego Black Cantilever Patio Sun Umbrella
Antego Black Cantilever Patio Umbrella

A key element of every functional outdoor living space is shade, and that’s where a quality sun umbrella for your patio, garden or outdoor entertainment area that comes with added UV protection is essential. The number one reason people choose to avoid their outdoor ‘room’ is lack of shelter from the heat and rain, and an outdoor shade umbrella will provide a super stylish and impressive addition to your favourite summertime space as well as protect against the sun's harmful rays.

When it comes down to the umbrella you choose there are two important things to consider: is it easy to move and control, and how effective and durable is the fabric? We have most definitely taken care of the latter by only working with the very best outdoor umbrella fabric available on the global market: Sunbrella®. Providing much needed shade is what the Sunbrella® fabric does best – supplying protection from the elements, comfort in the heat of the summer and undeniable style in an array of colours for over half a century.

Umbrella Canopies with UV Protection

With SPF 50 + and UV protection that filters close to 100 per cent of UV radiation, Sunbrella® takes care of your family and friends when entertaining outdoors without you even having to think twice about it. Sunbrella® shade fabrics are also breathable and allow air to pass through them, creating a comfortable space below no matter how high the humidity factor on your average New Zealand summer’s day.

In addition, our chic sun umbrellas not only protect you, but they always look beautifully presented while doing so. This is due to the unique makeup of Sunbrella® fibres, which come saturated with highly UV stable pigments. Traditional dyeing methods only add colour to the fibre’s exterior, but Sunbrella®’s performance characteristics are an integral part of the fabric. This means they are not an applied finish that would wash off over time, and will maintain their signature hue for many years to come.

Your protection from the sun does not end with the canopy fabric, either. As the sun moves through the sky, the area shaded by your umbrella will change over the course of the day. Choosing a quality outdoor umbrella option that can either tilt or rotate ensures that you are protected from the sun, no matter the angle of the sun.

Ibiza Outdoor Teak Sofa with Sunbrella cushions
Ibiza Outdoor Teak Outdoor Collection with Sunbrella cushions

Sunbrella Cushions

A blog extolling the virtues of Sunbrella® wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that we use their high performance fabric on our deep seating furniture too, as well any relaxing and dining chairs that have cushions. It is important that we use the best, and of particular note is the fact that the Sunbrella® family is worldwide. If our furniture is sourced from Italy, it comes with Sunbrella® Italy fabric. If it is from Belgium or France or Holland? It is from Sunbrella® Europe. And lastly, for our New Zealand and Australian Design Warehouse clients, it comes from New Zealand.

We are forever thankful that Sunbrella® is part of our beautiful outdoor furniture family, and we can’t place enough emphasis on what an honour that is. If you have more questions about Sunbrella® fabrics and the furniture that we use it on, don’t hesitate to call us or drop into our Parnell showroom today. We’d love to give you a tour of the beautiful products we have in situ and available now, which are designed for using throughout this season and many beautiful long, hot New Zealand summers to come.