A revolution in fabrics

Marine fabrics are using natural fibres, less harmful chemicals and longer-lasting colours. Jake Kavanagh looks at the cut of the cloth

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Marine fabrics, both inside and outside the boat, have a tough life so they have been developed to cope with extremes of heat, cold, sunlight, water ingress and humidity. Nowadays you can add some other considerations - the demand for easy cleaning and unadulterated style.

Manufacturers are catering to the entire range of boaters, from the budget-conscious day-sailor to the multi-millionaire superyacht owner, so it's little surprise that producing robust and fashionable marine fabrics has become a highly competitive sector.

Also driving sales is an increasing awareness of the environment. Boat owners are seeking fabrics that are comfortable and attractive to live with, yet haven't cost the earth, literally. At the marine trade show, METStrade, fabric specialists rolled out their latest collections, and here are some of our favourite advances.

Artificial leather

By using 100% silicon, the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, fabric makers have produced a remarkably flexible and resilient cloth. Silicon-based 'faux leather' is very soft to the touch and is available in a wide range of colours. Typical examples are from the French manufacturer Alonso Mercader, whose sales manager Jofre Bosch demonstrated the enhanced stain resistance by marking the surface with a ballpoint pen. The ink vanished with a simple rub of his thumb.

"This material has only just been released, and is selling really well," he explained.