Why Are Patio Cushions So Expensive? | Everything You Need to Know!

All of us want to have a perfect patio for our home! Imagine relaxing in the luxury of your dream patio, enjoying the perfect balance of class and comfort.
You must have worked hard to achieve this outdoor living space, but has it been a bit heavy on your pocket? Or are you just looking to replace your old patio cushions, and the prices got you off guard?
If you are wondering why are patio cushions so expensive, you are at the right spot!

Being outdoor pillows, patio cushions have to survive under harsh conditions such as prolonged exposure to sunlight, wind, rain, dust, and debris. Therefore, to ensure their durability and longevity, manufacturers prioritize using premium quality material in these cushions, which in turn increases their price.

But that’s not just it!

Today, in this article, we are going to cover this topic in and out; we’ll be looking at what patio cushions are made from, what factors make them so expensive, and if there are any cheaper alternatives available in the market. So, without further ado, let’s begin!

Patio Cushions | What’s So Special About Them?

If you love to spend most of your time on your patio, it’s worth it only if you feel “sophisticatedly comfortable.” 🙂
That’s where the patio cushions come in—they provide a fusion of style and comfort!
Not only that but patio cushions are also expected to be highly durable and able to withstand wear and tear over time. For that purpose, they are fabricated with high-quality, waterproof, and UV-resistant material.
Patio cushions need to survive under harsh outdoor conditions! They are left scorching under the dazzling rays of the sun; they sit lonely in the rain, and they cough dust and debris daily.
Being durably versatile is a primary factor contributing to the higher cost of patio cushions, though it is not the only one. In the following section, we will elaborate further on this point and explore additional factors that affect the pricing of outdoor patio cushions.
So, let’s begin!

Why Are Patio Cushions So Expensive? | Factors Affecting Their Price!

There are a lot of factors that affect the price of outdoor patio cushions.
Let’s discuss them in detail!

A. Material Quality

First and foremost, we have the material quality. As I mentioned before, patio cushions are made up of sturdy fabrics that are soft and comfy at the same time. Isn’t that fascinating?
In this section, we’ll look at the different types of materials used in making patio cushions and how these materials are unique in providing benefits to patio owners.
Let’s take a look!

1. Fabrics Used in Making Patio Cushions

There is a wide variety of high-tech materials used to craft patio cushions.
Let’s first dive into different kinds of these fabrics:

1. Sunbrella^® fabrics: Sunbrella fabrics are known for their durability and resilience. Their colorfast fabrics can add an unparallel blend of colors and textures to your space. They are crafted of tightly woven acrylic fibers, making them robust. They are UV-resistant, waterproof, comfy, and easy to clean, making them one of the most popular and high-end choices for patio cushions.
2. Outdura: Outdura fabrics fall in the category of solution-dyed fabrics. They are high-performance colorfast fabrics resistant to UV rays. They are also waterproof, easy to clean, and provide a wide range of colors and styles to choose from.
3. Textilene: Textilene is a high-quality, PVC-coated polyester fabric often used in making patio cushions. It is known for its durability (stretch, tear, and UV resistance), weather resistance, easy maintenance, breathability, and aesthetics.
4. Batyline: Batyline is like Textilene in composition but is a bit more comfortable. It offers a unique blend of strength, comfort, ease of maintenance, and aesthetic appeal to your space. Also, it is made up of 100% recycled materials.
5. Teflon: Teflon is a coating material used to make the fabrics stain and water-resistant. Teflon-coated fibers offer great ease to homeowners due to their effortless maintenance and durability.

Some More:

1. Marine vinyl: Marine vinyl is a material designed to survive harsh marine environments. As outdoor patio cushions are exposed to extreme weather conditions such as harsh sunlight, rain, wind, etc., the highly durable and weather-resistant properties of Marine vinyl make it an ideal choice for making patio cushions.
2. Acrylic fibers: Acrylics are synthetic fibers known for their durability, water-resistant, and UV resistance. They quickly dry out after the rain, can withstand wear and tear, and their UV protection keeps them looking new for a long time.
3. Weather-resistant cotton: As the name suggests, it is a type of cotton fabric that has been treated with a water-repellent coating. It’s more resistant than normal cotton fabric and has water-resistant properties. Moreover, it’s more breathable, comfortable, and looks appealing at the same time.
4. Polyester: Polyester is a synthetic fabric resistant to abrasion and tearing. Its hydrophobic property makes it water-resistant and easy to clean. Patio cushions made of polyester retain color and vibrancy for a long time.
5. Olefin fabric: Olefin is a synthetic fiber commonly used in making outdoor patio cushions. It is also known for its durability, lightness, colorfastness, and resistance to mold and mildew. Olefin fabrics are soft to the touch.

Now that you know about the fabrics, let’s see what goes in them.

2. Fillers Used in Making Patio Cushions

The following are the most common fillers used in making high-end patio cushions.

1. Feathers and Down: Feathers and down are one of the most expensive fillers used in making patio cushions, as they provide a high level of comfort and luxury. They are lightweight, breathable, and have a high loft (they can fluff back after being compressed). However, they might not be as durable as other materials.
2. Natural Latex Foam: Natural latex foam is made from the sap of latex trees. It serves as an eco-friendly alternative to polyurethane foam. Natural latex foam is known for its durability, permeability, comfort, and resistance to dust mites, mold, and other allergens. Therefore, it is often used in filling outdoor patio cushions.
3. Spring Coils: Spring coils are also used as a cushioning material in high-end furniture. Coiled steel wires provide strength and resilience to the cushions and prolong their life. Also, they prevent heat build-up in the cushions by providing proper air circulation.

Some More:

1. High-Density Foam: Heat-density foam is a highly supportive material that provides durability to cushions. Patio cushions filled with high-density foam are generally more resilient and don’t sag over time. They are not as luxurious as feather-filled cushions but provide a good balance of strength and comfort.
2. Polyester Fiberfill: Polyester fiberfill is a synthetic material used for padding patio cushions. It is soft, lightweight, easy to clean, and more affordable than many other materials.
3. Polyurethane Foam: Polyurethanefoam is one of the most versatile forms of cushioning material. Different types of polyurethane foam include high-density foam, low-density foam, memory foam, open-cell foam, and closed-cell foam. Each of these types has its characteristic features, for instance, open-cell foam is porous and more breathable—it is used to counter moisture and humidity; on the other hand, closed-cell foam is tightly sealed and provides water-resistance—it is used to counter rain. Memory foams mold their shape according to the user’s body, and high and low-density foams provide durability and lightness respectively.

Why are patio cushions so expensive, you ask? Now you know what kind of material complexity goes into making premium quality outdoor patio cushions.

That said, let’s see what other factors affect the pricing of these pillows.

B. Design & Style

Design and style infer a significant effect on making patio cushions so expensive.
Let’s look at all the categories in detail.

1. Size and Shape

Patio cushions come in various shapes and sizes.
The size of your patio cushions will depend upon the size of your furniture. You’ll need bigger cushions for outdoor sofas, and smaller cushions for outdoor chairs. Choosing from different sizes provides you with a sense of control over the pricing—bigger cushions will cost more than smaller cushions.
On the other hand, shapes also affect the price of patio cushions.

There are a lot of options when choosing patio cushions based on their shapes. There are round, square, rectangle, and even custom-shaped patio cushions. Custom-made, complex-shaped, and larger patio cushions will, of course, cost much more than their counterparts.
Therefore, it is best to choose patio cushions that complement your particular outdoor space and are according to your needs and budget.

2. Design Features

Design features greatly impact the look and feel of your patio cushions, but in addition to that, they also affect the pricing.
There are a lot of different methods for designing patio cushions—or cushions, in general.
They include piping, tufting, embroidery, layering, contrasting, etc.

1. Piping: Piping is a popular design feature that’s often added to cushions. It involves sewing a decorative cord along the edges of the cushion, giving them a refined look.
2. Tufting: You might have seen button-tufted cushions and sofas before. It is a decorative technique that involves securing the gathered fabric with a button, creating a luxurious look.
3. Embroidery: If you are a fan of embroidered fabrics, you’d love to have embroidered patio cushions on your patio. Sewing in the design onto your cushion fabric adds a personalized touch to your outdoor living space.
4. Layering and Contrasting: These methods involve laying or contrasting your patio cushions with your other outdoor furniture. For this purpose, you might need to invest in cushions with different colors and textures, which can add a bit of dent to your wallet.

In this way, design features considerably affect the prices of patio cushions.

Cushions with more complex and up-to-date design features will be more expensive than the others due to the additional material and labor costs.

3. Branding

High-end and luxury outdoor furniture brands will cost you much more if you buy your patio cushions from them.
Choosing a reliable and well-known brand for your patio cushions can help ensure that you get high-quality, durable, and stylish cushions that stand up to harsh weather conditions. Top-notch brands are popular for their attention to detail, use of high-quality materials, and commitment to customer gratification.
Although high-end brands are famouse for their quality, they can be expensive and might get out of budget for some people.

4. Customization

The cost of custom-made patio cushions can vary according to the level of design complexity, material quality, and crafting skills. Custom-made patio cushions are tailored according to the user’s preferences. That’s why most people are ready to pay a premium price for them.

C. Shipping Costs

Lastly, shipping costs can also have a massive impact on patio cushion prices.
Shipping and handling costs depend upon the distance between the customer and the manufacturer. The more the distance, the more will be the shipping cost.

Moreover, shipping costs can be affected by the sizes of the patio cushions. Larger and bulky cushions are harder to handle. Therefore, their shipping and handling costs would be greater than the lighter cushions—although, many retailers offer shipping discounts if you order in bulk amounts.
Also, shipping costs may also depend upon the shipping method; for example, express or expedited shipping can cost more than normal shipping.

Why are patio cushions so expensive, you asked? I hope you now have the answer!
Now that you’ve learned different factors that affect the price of patio cushions, let’s see if there are any cheaper alternatives available in the market.

Are There Any Affordable Options?

Of course! There are a lot of options to buy patio cushions within your means.
Let’s take a look at them:

1. Buy Online

Online or E-businesses are often more affordable than their brick-and-mortar counterparts.
You can find amazing deals on patio cushions from different online retailers. Due to the transparency of competition in the online market, people mostly set reasonable reservation prices for their products.

2. Buy Stock Cushions

Sock cushions are actually pre-made patio cushions. Business owners produce these Vastly and come in standard shapes and sizes.
Although they come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, these cushions are perfectly to fit standard patio furniture and are often available at home improvement stores, department stores, and online marketplaces.
If you don’t want any customization or fancy stuff on your patio cushions, these can be a much more affordable option for you.

3. Clearance and Off-Season Sales

Economically well-versed and clever people are always looking forward to sales.
If you are one of us, you can easily find premium patio cushions at discounted prices.
Many retailers offer clearance sales at the end of the season to sell out excess stock and free up space in their inventory. Moreover, if you go out to buy patio cushions in winter when most people prefer to stay indoors, you can find them at lower prices.
These are great ways to get good quality products at cheaper prices.

That’s all for today! Let’s head toward the conclusion.

Conclusion!

To conclude the talk, I must say that you should also be vigilant when buying different goods.
If you have excellent bargaining power and market knowledge, you can compare different prices and fetch the perfect deal.
Today, we discussed everything about why patio cushions are so expensive; what’s so special about them, the factors that affect their pricing, and the cheaper options available in the market—we discussed everything in detail.
I hope you liked today’s article! Thanks for reading,