21 [Images + Cost] Waterproof and Water Resistant Fabrics

Fabrics are mainly used for clothes. When the cloth is used with water, it can be wet, and then it will be mold, stain, and swell. As a solution for this, waterproof fabrics have been made. There are types of waterproof fabrics under many trade names. Below are the best waterproof fabrics and in-depth detail of their usage.

If you are going to choose any waterproof fabric, you should know the price, usage, durability, and many more. Keep your reading until the end of this. You will gain huge knowledge about waterproof fabrics.

Waterproof fabrics are made as layer by layer. There are 3 main layers, but according to the usage, it can be varied.

The inner layer, mid-layer, and shell layer are those. The shell layer is the outer layer, and it helps to protect the other two layers and also the inside of the cloth. Mainly it prevents water, and wind to inside. There is good mechanical strength in the shell layer. If the shell layer is damaged, water will leak inside easily in this kind of fabric.

The breathability of the fabric is letting vapor transfer inside and outside. For humans using clothes, this is very important to prevent sweating. Due to sweating, it is profusely uncomfortable to wear.

The cost of the waterproofing fabrics depends on many factors. There are some Eco-Friendly waterproofing fabrics that you can use as environmentally friendly.

Below are the best waterproof fabrics that you can use for any purpose.

01. Polyester

Polyester is a water-resistant fabric
Polyester is a water-resistant fabric

Price – 2$-5$/ Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistant – Yes

Melting point – 482°F (295°C)

Tenacity – 8.5 grams per denier

Usage – The polyester fabric is a synthetic compound that is derived from petroleum refining. Synthetic fiber using polyesters is highly water resistant, high wind resistant, and environmentally resistant fabric. By applying the external coating, waterproofness can be increased.

Polyester is a category of ester. it is a type of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include naturally occurring chemicals like cutin and plant cutiles with polybutyrate. Due to the strong wrinkle and tear resistance, this can be used for outdoor purposes.

It can be used for garments and home furnishings, shirts, pants, jackets, hats, bed sheets, blankets, upholstered furniture, and computer mouse mats. For the car tire reinforcements, industrial polyester fibers, yarns, and ropes are used. In the mechanical field, it can be used for conveyor belts, safety belts, coated fabrics, and plastic reinforcements with high-energy absorption.

02. Polyester Fleece

Polyester fleece is water resistant
Polyester fleece is water resistant and use for the blankets

Price – 3$-6$ / kg (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Yes

Melting Pont – 482°F (295°C)

Tenacity – 8.5 grams per denier

Usage – Polyester fleece water resistance depends on the thickness of the cloth. The denser fleece is more water replant But adding waterproof membranes to the outer shell can be made more strength and waterproof materials.

Polyester fleece is soft and fuzzy. Due to this, it can be used for sweaters, sweatshirts, mittens, hats, blankets, and any other application with protecting warmth. Fleece is made with petroleum refining. This is the same as polyester but with few characteristics that are changed. Hence its usage is also a bit different. This is a non-biodegradable material. And also, their biodegradable fleece is also available.

03. Polyester Microfiber

Polyester microfiber is a strong water resist fabric
Polyester microfiber is a strong water resist fabric

Price – Less than 5$ (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Yes

Melting Pont – **

Tenacity – 37.6 grams per denier

Usage – Polyester microfiber is a highly water-resistant fabric. Its diameter is fewer than 10 micrometers. There is a special waterproofing coat applied to the shell layer. Due to this, it can be used for many outdoor purposes as a waterproof fabric. Due to the supple suede finish, it can be used for jackets, tents, covers, etc.

04. Polyurethane Laminate (PUL)

Fabrics can be waterproof using PUL
Fabrics can be waterproof using PUL

Price – 8$ – 10$ / yard

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont – 135-145 ℃.

Tenacity – Depend on the film thickness of the fabric.

Usage – Polyurethane Laminate fabric is made by laminating single or both sides of the cloth with a thin film layer of the polyurethane. This is a 100% waterproof cloth. It is less breathable and streicher somewhat as well as soft and flexible. Due to this, it can be clean easily with washing marching. Especially you can clean the fabric with diluted bleach or alcohol.

PUL is used for the water and wind barriers. Hence for the shower curtains, waterproof equipment, outwear clothing and covers, and tent,s it can be used widely.

05. Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)

TPU is a waterproof fabric
TPU is a waterproof fabric

Price – 3$-5$ / Sq: meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont – 146°C

Tenacity – 5076 psi (tensile strength)

Usage – TPU stands for Thermoplastic polyurethane, which is applied as a coating on the base textile such as nylon or polyester. Due to the TPU, it is a high waterproofing, flexible, and durable material.

TPU coated fabrics are UV resistant. It can stand for extreme weather and environmental conditions with heat and moisture. TPU is with excellent properties such as excellent bending, abrasion, and tear-resistant, high tensile and elongation strength, high-temperature resistance, and high deformation rate, and it is extremely resistant to chemicals like ozone, oxygen, oil, and fuel.

Additionally, the TPU is used for bladder applications due to its high air and liquid holding capability. Specially TPU is used for water safety wears due to its fully waterproof abilities. Check this for more detail about TPU.

06. Nylon

Nylon is a strong water-resistant fabric
Nylon is a strong water-resistant fabric

Price – 1$-5$ / Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Water-resistant

Melting Pont – 255°C

Tenacity – 840 mN/tex

Usage – Nylon is not waterproof fabric. It is water-resistant material. It absorbs the water and wet. by removing the water, it dries. This is a quick process than cotton. Hence it is good water-resistant material. But we can improve the water resistance to waterproof by applying a special coating on the exterior surface of the fabric.

TPU, PU, Wax. can be used as a surface coating to improve waterproofing. Waterproof nylon is used for umbrellas, swimsuits, tents, bags, etc.

07. Waxed Canvas

waxed canvas bag
Wax is used to waterproof the canvas

Price – 12.84$ / Yard (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Yes

Melting Pont – Wax will melt 45-60 °C 

Tenacity – 3.0 to 6.0 grams per denier

Usage – Wax canvas is waterproof fabric. By applying the wax coat (based on paraffin) on the outer surface, the wax canvas is made. This is a much durable fabric until the wax remains on the surface. When the wax is removed, it acts like a normal cloth and lets the rain come inside. Considering the price, it is more expensive than the normal canvas.

If water is immersed long time period, it will be impermeable, and the cloth will be saturated. So if you use this for the outdoor purpose, you should know about this. Waxed canvas is used for bags, tents, hats, wallets, jackets, and covers. The folding marks can be easily removed with heating with a hair drier. It is a great advantage for the user.

08. Laminated Cotton

laminated cotton as waterproof fabric
When cotton is laminated, it becomes waterproof

Price – 2$-5$ / Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Water-resistant

Melting Pont – 83–111 °C (For crystalline resins)

Tenacity – 840 mN/tex

UsageLaminate cotton is a soft, lightweight fabric with high strength. Polyurethane laminate is used for laminating process. The Exterior side is laminated, and it is shinier and highly waterproof. When the laminating layer is damaged, it will absorb water highly.

Cotton is soft and absolutely comfortable. Hence laminated cotton is a highly demanding fabric. It can be used for wallets, mats, diapers, napkins, baby jackets, and many more. When the fabric is laminated, it is less flexible. Nowadays, laminated cotton is substituted for soft plastic. Shower caps, splash mats, aprons are a few of them.

Read More About – Water Repellent Fabrics Vs Waterproof Fabrics: See the Difference

09. Oil Cloth

Oil clothes are waterproof
Oil clothes are waterproof

Price – 5$-10$ / Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont – 123°C

Tenacity – Depend on the fabric

Usage – Oilcloth is known as enameled cloth or American cloth. Linseed oil is boiled and coated on the fabric for waterproofing the fabric. Linen and cotton clothes are used for this. For waterproofing, a thin coating and a long curing time are required.

This is mainly used in table clothes, bedrolls, sweaters, tents. Nowadays, the PVC layer is used instead of linseed oils. Therefore clothes are a bit hard, smooth, and shinier surface. It is easy to clean with water. This is 100% waterproof. and also, it is a less degradable material.

10. Wool

Wool is a water resistant fabric
Wool is a water-resistant fabric

Price – 10$-15$ / Kg (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the wool)

Water Resistance – Water-resistant

Melting Pont – 130°C

Tenacity – 8.8-15 CN/Tex

Usage – Wool is a comfortable cloth material. It is a water-resistant material. By adding coatings like “lanolin” to our layer, you can improve the waterproofness of the fabric. Mainly wool is a product of the sheep. The boiled wools are very water-resistant. By putting wool into boiled water and then made the wool denser. This process increases the waterproof quality increased.

Raincoats, jackets, bags, and many fashionable things are made with wool.

11. Liquid Latex and Rubber Coated Fabric

Rubber coated fabrics
Rubber coated fabrics image source: https://www.colmant-coated-fabrics.com/

Price – 1$-5$ / Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Water-resistant

Melting Pont – 180 °C

Tenacity – 61.5 cN/tex

Usage – Liquid latex and rubbers are coatings that we can apply to the fabrics for waterproofing. It acts as a cover for the surface. When the cover is damaged, water can be a leak inside. When you apply the coating, there should be 2 layers perpendicular to each.

According to the purpose, you need to increase the layers of the latex and rubber. If the fabric is used outside, you will need more layers. 5-8 may be fine for that. When there are more layers applied, it will be more weight. You can make latex-based waterproof fabric by using this.

12. Vinyl Fabric

 Vinyl fabrics are waterproof
Vinyl fabrics are waterproof

Price – 10$-15$ / Yard (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont – 100 °C – 260 °C

Tenacity – **

Usage – Vinyl fabrics are stand for PVC fabric. PVC is an outer coat, and it prevents water absorption to inside. These are totally waterproof clothes. There are two main vinyl fabrics. marine vinyl and normal vinyl. Marine vinyl is waterproof, UV protected, and prevents colour fading in sunlight. It is also with antibacterial and antifungal additives to make it mildew resistant.

Marine vinyl is great for outdoor application with rain and lights. But topper vinyl surface is damaged it can be water absorbed easily. Mainly it is used for a broad variety of applications, including sports clothing and equipment, awnings, space vehicles, fire protective clothing, automotive components, and military and commercial tents.

13. Pleather-Based Fabrics

Price – 6$-10$ / Yard (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont – **

Tenacity – 5.5-7.0 gpd

Pleather-based fabric is made with both polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Hence this is called fake leather. Due to PVC and PU, it is a highly waterproof fabric. Pleather fabrics are mainly used for seat covers, bags, vehicle interior designs, jackets, wallets, etc.

14. Leather

Leather is a water resistant fabric
Leather is a water-resistant fabric

Price – Genuine leather – 40-60 $
Bonded leather – 15-30 $

Water Resistance – Water-resistant

Melting Pont – 65°C

Tenacity – **

Leather is a natural material. Leather will not be waterproof 100%. Hence we need to add additional coatings such as bee wax and mink oil for increasing the waterproofing capacity. There are so many artificial coatings that can be applied on the surface of the leather to protect the water.

Leather is mainly used for boots, jackets, bags, hats, wallets, pouches, and many more. So if you use leather, better use it with any coatings to stop water leaking.

15. Densely Woven Fabrics

Densely woven fabrics are waterproof
Densely woven fabrics are waterproof

Price – 6$-10$ / Meter (For wholesale price: It depends on the quality of the fabric)

Water Resistance – Waterproof

Melting Pont –**

Tenacity – **

Densely woven fabrics are made with high dense knots to stop water from leaking inside. When woven patterns are more closed, the pores percentage will be reduced. hence water will not too much penetrate the inside. This is a reasonable solution. Mostly densely woven cotton gives the best reasonable protection with water.

Above are the ways to produce waterproof fabrics. But in the market, you can find such a product as you need. So I could find these fabrics brands and their availabilities in the market. So you had better check it with the brand in the market.

Best Waterproof and Water Resistant Brands in the Market

Read More About – Why I Bought 15000 mm Waterproof Jacket

16. GORE-TEX®

GORE-TEX® garments are waterproof-breathable and windproof. hence it can be used for outdoor purposes. GORE-TEX® is a registered trademark of W.L. Gore & Associates. GORE-TEX® is made with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and it is a more durable, breathable waterproof, and windproof fabric found in lots of outdoor clothing, footwear, and accessories. You can check many waterproof clothes GORE-TEX®

17. MemBrain®

MemBrain® is another waterproof clothes shop. You can see many water reples in the shop. The textiles are waterproof and breathable. This is an old company with huge waterproof products. So if you need to buy something, try this.

18. Malden Polartec®

Malden Mills Industries is the original manufacturer of Polartec polar fleece and manufactures other modern textiles. This is the pioneered company for polar fleece and textile since 1981. They are supplying. You can order any kind of fabric here.

19. Pittards®

Pittards® is a place for the man and women gloves, bags, wallets, travel bags, and aprons with waterproofing.

20. CLEANGARD®

CLEANGARD® water- and dirt-resistant fabric. It is highly resistant to stains, grease, and water. A finish which, combined with regular maintenance, will ensure that your canvas will last a long time.

21. Dickson®

This is 95% eliminate the greenhouse effect. It will keep your interiors feeling fresh and, depending on the colour, block 90% to 100% of UV rays.

Conclusion

Waterproofing is essential for outdoor fabric usage. For both rain and sun, it should be stand up. And also, for human clothes, we should think about two main factors, breathability, and waterproofness. When you select the fabric for outdoor, you must check how good it is for the above factors. The waterproof layer should be protected without any damages. Else it will be easy leaking the water.

After referring all from the top, it will really help you to select a waterproof fabric for any usage.

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Owner Randy Organ

Randy Organ

I am Randy Organ, a researcher as well as 10 years experienced technician for home construction. My hobby is studying new problems and seek well technical and modern solutions. Water is an invaluable resource. But it hurt much more to many more industries. Structures and electrical are a few of them. Here I try to find ways and solutions for the water leaking