Sattler® vs. Sunbrella® Marine Grade: Which Is Best for Your Boat?

There’s a lot of discussion in the marine industry regarding the best marine canvas brand for your boat. Sailrite^® has been your trusted fabric and sewing supply store for over 50 years, bringing you the best brands in the industry. We stand behind the fabrics we stock, and you can rely on us for all of your marine fabrication needs. We believe that your boat deserves the best. Choosing quality marine canvas is key to the performance, look and longevity of your boat’s canvaswork, and also to your peace of mind.

Sailrite recently picked up the fabric brand Sattler. This 100% solution-dyed marine grade acrylic boasts outstanding properties, such as excellent water, UV, and mold and mildew resistance. But it left a lot of our customers asking: “Which is better? Sattler or Sunbrella?” In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss the merits of both fabric brands, their characteristics and features, and our honest opinion on which fabric we recommend to our customers. Let’s dive in.

Understanding the Importance of Marine Grade Acrylic Fabrics

Before we delve into the specifics of Sattler and Sunbrella fabrics, it's important to grasp the significance of these fabrics in the realm of boat canvaswork. Life on the water can be unrelenting and brutal. The blinding harshness of the sun, the salt and pollution in the air can all wreak havoc on your vessel and equipment. That’s why choosing quality marine grade canvas is crucial. Marine grade fabrics serve as your frontline defense against the rigors of marine life. They endure relentless exposure to UV rays, salty air and unpredictable weather patterns, ensuring your boat remains protected. Beyond durability, these fabrics are engineered to repel water effectively, resist mold and mildew, and maintain their aesthetic appeal over time.

What makes solution-dyed acrylic fabric so essential? Solution-dyed acrylic fabric is made from yarn that is colored before the yarn is created. It is a liquid acrylic solution that is combined with dye. It is then extruded and transformed into fiber. This means that the coloration runs through the fibers, ensuring superior colorfastness. In addition to its excellent UV and fade resistance, acrylic fabric is also known for its resistance to shrinking and stretching, making it a great choice for marine enclosure and shade applications.

Now that you understand the importance of solution-dyed acrylic fabric, let’s compare Sattler and Sunbrella to help you understand the similarities and differences between these two industry-leading brands.

Introducing Sattler Marine Grade Fabric

Though far from being a newcomer to the marine fabrication market, U.S. boat owners might not be familiar with this fabric supplier. Founded in 1875, Sattler Group is a leading brand in the European textile market. Known for its first-quality marine grade and awning fabrics, the company recently started breaking into the U.S. marketplace.

In 2010, Sattler Group acquired Shuford Mills in Hudson, North Carolina, along with its production operation and distribution center. The 180,000-square-foot mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as Sattler’s U.S. headquarters and production facility. With the acquisition of an American mill, Sattler Group was determined to bring the quality control and expectations the brand has for its solution-dyed marine grade fabric to the United States.

Sailrite is excited to introduce this heavyweight in the European textile industry to our mostly U.S.-based DIY audience. With a reputation for excellence and high production standards, Sattler produces a quality marine canvas fabric both casual DIYers and job shops will love working with.

Exploring Sunbrella Marine Grade Fabric

Sunbrella Marine Grade is the current industry standard for boat cover cloth in the United States. It’s a product that marine and outdoor DIYers have come to know over the years and to associate with quality and availability. Sunbrella is a quality solution-dyed acrylic that both DIYers and canvas shops have used successfully for their marine and outdoor canvaswork projects.

Glen Raven Inc., maker of Sunbrella, began as a dry goods retail business in 1872. The company began manufacturing cotton duck awning fabric in the early 1900s, and in 1961 introduced Sunbrella — a solution-dyed acrylic with vastly higher durability and fade resistance than the company’s cotton duck awning material. Though Glen Raven manufactures several textiles in the marine and outdoor arena, Sunbrella is by far its most popular and well-known brand.

Now that you know a little bit about each company’s history, let’s dig deeper and compare these marine canvas fabrics with a side-by-side comparison of their fiber makeup, fabric properties and more.

Sattler vs. Sunbrella: A Detailed Comparison

The fact of the matter is that Sattler and Sunbrella have far more similarities than differences in the quality and composition of their marine grade fabrics. Take a look at the chart below comparing the two brands:

As you can see, both Sattler and Sunbrella are equally matched on the majority of fabric specifications, certifications, warranty and other important factors. They are both premium marine canvas fabrics that will hold up to years of use on your boat. They have the same UV, water, fade and mildew resistance ratings. They are both easy to sew and can be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution.

You might also be wondering if the usage of these two fabrics is the same. The answer is, yes. Sattler Marine Grade can be used everywhere you use Sunbrella. They are interchangeable and many Sattler colors are a direct match to Sunbrella. So if you have Sunbrella canvas you need to replace, there might be a Sattler fabric that’s a perfect color match.

View our Sattler & Sunbrella Color Comparison Chart.

Recommended Marine Uses:

• Awnings
• Biminis, dodgers and T-tops
• Boat covers
• Enclosures
• Cockpit cushions
• Sacrificial sail covers
• Sail bags and sail covers
• Weather cloths
• Windshield covers

But the versatility of these fabrics doesn’t stop there. You can also use Sattler and Sunbrella on your patio for shade applications, including awnings, wire-hung canopies and pergolas. Do you have a camper or other recreational vehicle? These UV-resistant fabrics are also well-suited for RV and automotive awnings.

Our Recommendation

Ultimately, the choice is yours when deciding between Sattler and Sunbrella for your marine canvaswork projects. They are both industry-leading textile brands with decades of experience and reputations for producing quality solution-dyed acrylic that the DIY marine community can depend on.

Sailrite stocks both Sattler and Sunbrella. You now have more options than ever to choose from. Our Sattler offering is more robust, with a wide variety of color options and matching bias cut binding made from Sattler marine grade acrylic canvas for an exact color match, along with matching UV bonded polyester thread. Sailrite recommends Sattler Marine Grade for the DIY community. It’s a tried-and-true product at an unbeatable price that does not sacrifice quality to lower cost. It’s a great choice for makers on a budget who are looking to get the most value for their money.

Sunbrella is the current industry standard for boat cover cloth in the United States. It’s a well-known and trusted brand, and DIYers have come to rely on its performance and longevity. Sunbrella is more expensive per yard than Sattler, but its quality is uncompromised and canvasworkers already familiar with Sunbrella can still depend on the brand for their project needs. Sailrite offers a selection of matching binding and thread options for a full product complement.

We hope this guide has provided you with the knowledge and confidence to tackle your marine projects with skill and precision. Starting your DIY journey with quality fabric is taking the first step to a successful project and satisfying outcome. If you have any questions or insights to share, please post in the comments section below and join the conversation. Until next time, happy sewing!