Following on from my popular post about the fabric possibilities for dribble bibs I thought it would be a good idea to run a  series of these posts to talk about the other more specialist fabrics we stock in the Plush Addict Shop. We get lots of questions about which is the best waterproof fabric to use for a particular type of garment or handmade item so I figured this would be the next one in line for a bit of (hopefully!) helpful blurb.

We presently stock 5 main types of waterproof fabric and I’ll take each one in turn

• PUL, or polyurethane laminate
• Laminated Cotton
• Ripstop
• Oil Cloth
• ProCare
• Odicoat (Grab a cheeky 10% off your next Odicoat order with WATERPROOFME10)

PUL, or polyurethane laminate

PUL is a bit of a special kind of waterproof fabric as it has the marvellous magic properties of being waterproof, but breathable. So why is this important? Well it’s very special because it means you can make waterproof items of clothing and cloth nappies and your body heat has a better chance of escaping into the atmosphere through fabric so you sweat less! Brilliant.

Composition: PUL has 2 sides to it, one side is made from a polyester knit which means it has a slight stretch which is great for clothing as you get a bit of “give”, important when you’re moving around as there’s less chance of a seam giving way under stress. One side of the polyester knit has a laminate coating applied so it’s slippery and shiny; this is the waterproof layer. PUL is a soft flexible fabric which doesn’t really crease and it air dries in super quick time and  it doesn’t fray when cut. The PULs we stock contain no lead, phlalates or BPAs so are suitable for products intended for children under 12.

Right or wrong side? : I often get asked if there’s a right or wrong side to PUL and as far as the “waterproof-ness” goes there isn’t really, you can have either side as the right side and it will work just the same. That said, for aesthetic and comfort reasons the knit side is often used as the “right” side as it usually has a pretty pattern or colour and as the laminate side is shiny it’s probably more comfortable to have this away from the skin or it’d be a bit sticky. You can line your garment of course which will overcome this, and cloth nappies usually have an inner fabric which is closest to the skin, or PUL is often used as a shaped wrap which goes around a fitted nappy which has no waterproof layer of its own. In pocket cloth nappies the shiny side is often used as the “right” side simply because it makes stuffing the nappy easier.

Sealing sewing holes: When you sew your needle will leave tiny holes behind in the laminate layer which may affect the waterproof effectiveness of your garment. These holes are easily resealed by either popping your garment in the tumble dryer on low for 20 minutes, or if you are using our own brand Plush Addict White PUL this particular fabric also has “weldable” properties which means it will weld to itself when high heat is applied. You can do this with an impulse sealer but I have many customers who seal their seams using an iron (use a protective layer of fabric or pressing cloth to ensure you don’t end up with a sticky mess on your iron!)

A special note regarding our own brand of white PUL … we get this manufactured ourselves here in the UK and it has some very special properties:

1. It is double laminated which means it lasts longer and is less likely to delaminate over time, especially helpful for high laundry items
2. It is weldable which means it welds to itself when very high heat (like an iron) is  applied (use a pressing cloth). This seals the seams making them completely waterproof
3. It’s fungistatic which (apart from being a brilliant word) means it inhibits the growth of fungi, very helpful when used in a  nappy, to line a wet bag  or on items such as bibs which may be left wet or damp for some time

Laminated Cotton

Laminated cotton isn’t  completely waterproof, but more water resistant so it’s probably not the best choice for a cloth nappy or for something like a wet bag. People lean towards laminated cotton when they’d like to have a natural fibre on one side of the laminated fabric, it’s also thinner and more pliable than PUL. Because it’s a natural fibre that’s BPA free it’s also considered safe to use for foody makes such as lunch bags and sandwich pouches.

Composition: Laminated cotton is another 2 layer fabric where a high quality 100% cotton sheeting has a film of laminate applied to the right side of the fabric. This fabric has much less of a stretch than PUL and is favoured when you’d like  a natural fibre as part of your garment rather than polyester. It doesn’t fray when cut. It’s PVC-free, and BPA-free and as such is often a fabric of choice when making items for under 12s or food related. It’s pretty and pliable with a nice hand and drapes well, making it ideal for garments and a plethora of other fabulous items.

Right or wrong side? : The laminate is applied to the right side of the fabric, this means that the wrong side is 100% cotton and so can be comfortably worn against the skin.

Uses: Laminated cotton has a lovely hand and is perfect for use in children’s wear, rain coats, bags, baby bibs, play mats, changing bags, place mats, table cloths, sandwich bags, lunch bags, craft aprons, purses, pencil cases.

You can see the distinct raised box pattern present in Ripstop

Composition : Ripstop is made by weaving nylon threads together through a base material. It has an interlocking weave which gives it a distinct raised box pattern on the fabric and it’s because of this  weave that it’s difficult to tear. It’s not a breathable fabric and it doesn’t have any stretch. It doesn’t really fray when cut. It’s a bit noisier than some of the other fabrics in this genre and has that familiar rustle sound!

Right or wrong side? : the patterned side is the right side, this is for aesthetic rather than performance reasons.

Uses: Boot bags, wet bags (although I believe PUL or ProCare perform much better for this application), rain coats, waterproof trousers, ruck sacks, wash bags, pencil cases, kites, wind breaks, shower curtains, splash mats, table cloths, peg bags, tote bags, changing bags, outdoor bunting, outdoor furniture covering, nappy wallets.

Once upon a time oil cloth was actually a closely woven cotton cloth covered in boiled linseed oil to give it waterproof properties,  times have changed and things are a little less messy with today’s oil cloth.

Composition: Oil Cloth is a PVC product and is 100% vinyl and is completely waterproof. It’s very shiny, durable and quite thick so isn’t as pliable and easy to work with as some of the other fabrics in the category. It doesn’t fray when cut. As oil cloth contains phthalates it isn’t intended for projects for children under 12.

Right or wrong side? : the patterned side is the right side, this is for aesthetic rather than performance reasons.

Uses: Table cloths and protectors, bags, pencil cases, book covers, aprons, coin purses, place mats, floor mats, totes, drawer liners, place mats, garden caddies.

ProCare

ProCare  is a very durable totally waterproof barrier fabric. It’s more of a functional fabric than one that will add some pretty cheer to your makes but it does have a few special properties. It has a really high laundry tolerance, over 300+ washes the manufacturers claim. It’s also food safe making a great choice for lining a lunch bag or sandwich wrap. ProCare also meets duty, laundering and material safety standards for use in medical and institutional products. ProCare is not breathable.

Composition: ProCare is 25% polyester and 75% vinyl. It has no real stretch and does not shrink. It can be seam welded with an impulse sealer. It’s free of lead,  phthalates, BPS or brominates and is FDA GRAS compliant for contact with foods.

Right or wrong side? : One side has more texture than the other but both are quite similar. There is no functional difference when using either side of the fabric.

Uses: Wet bag linings, snack and lunch bags, mattress protection, baby bibs, furniture protection, pet and veterinary pads, changing mats

Odicoat

Alternatively you could make any fabric into a waterproof fabric using Odicoat! We posted a guide all about what it is and how to use it here.

(Grab a cheeky 10% off your next Odicoat order with WATERPROOFME10)

Phew! That is rather a lot to digest but I hope you found it helpful. I’m planning on writing a sewing tips series at some point soon so watch out for some tips on handling these more specialist fabrics too.