Olefin — water-repellent and breathable
Olefin | best value for money
Olefin is a 240 g/m² acrylic fabric that is water-repellent and breathes well at the same time. That makes it pleasant on warm days: the air keeps moving under the sail while you still sit sheltered from the sun and a passing shower. Light to handle, quick to install and the most affordable choice in our range.
- 240 g/m² | acrylic fabric, water-repellent and breathable
- Colour fastness 6/8 | very good resistance to fading
- Wind resistant up to 60 km/h
- Lifespan up to 5 years with correct maintenance
- Max. 16 m² | triangles, squares and rectangles in standard sizes
- Three colours | Dark Grey, Desert Sand and Light Grey
- Multi-layer reinforced corners with D-rings, anti-mould treatment, OEKO-TEX Standard 100
No made-to-measure option for olefin standard sizes only. If you are looking for a fully waterproof sail or a larger span, choose polyester or Sunbrella® acrylic.
Polyester or acrylic | fully waterproof
Olefin is water-repellent: it keeps a shower out while the fabric carries on breathing. Looking for a sail that also keeps you dry through prolonged rain, or do you need a larger span? Then these two are the better choice.
- Polyester WeatherMax® | 270 g/m², fully waterproof, colour fastness 8/8 with a 10-year colour guarantee, up to 80 km/h and 49 m², also made to measure. For a sail that stays up all year round.
- Sunbrella® acrylic | 260 g/m², fully waterproof, colour fastness 7/8, up to 80 km/h and 35 m², also made to measure. A softer, more textile sail for a terrace where the look matters.
Have a look at our polyester shade sails or acrylic shade sails, or compare them on the waterproof shade sails page.
Olefin in figures
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | Olefin |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Acrylic fabric – olefin |
| Fabric weight | 240 g/m² |
| Water-repellent | ✓ |
| Breathable | ✓ |
| UV protection | UPF 50+ |
| Colour fastness | 6/8 |
| Wind resistance | 60 km/h |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
| Maximum size | 16 m² |
| Made to measure | – |
| Shapes | Triangle, square, rectangle |
| Colours | Dark Grey, Desert Sand, Light Grey |
| Corner finish | Multi-layer reinforced, with D-rings |
| Use | Semi-permanent, all season |
| Mould-resistant | ✓ |
| OEKO-TEX Standard 100 | ✓ |
1. Water-repellent & breathable
Olefin is water-repellent: water beads off and runs away along the slope, so you can simply sit out a shower. At the same time the fabric keeps breathing, which stops the heat from building up underneath. On a hot day that feels noticeably more pleasant than sitting under a completely closed fabric.
Looking for a sail that also keeps out long, persistent rain? Then choose polyester or acrylic: those are fully waterproof with a water column above 3000 mm.
2. Slope & water run-off
With a water-repellent sail the slope matters even more than with a waterproof one: the water has to run off. Give the sail a slope of 25 cm per linear metre, measured from the highest to the lowest point, so that rainwater always drains towards one side.
- 4x4 m sail | two corners at 3 m, two corners at 2 m
- Triangle | simply drop one corner lower
- Highest point against the facade | this way the water runs away from the house
- Lowest point away from the table | so the water doesn't come down next to your chair
If water pools in the middle, the sail will sag and the water will eventually seep through. A pocket like that can also quickly weigh tens of kilos. The slope partly determines how tall your poles need to be, too.
3. UV protection
The olefin fabric comes with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 50+ as standard the highest score available, the same as on our other sails. A UPF of 50+ means the fabric lets no harmful UV rays through. So you can enjoy the shade without any risk, even on the hottest summer days completely safe for children and adults alike.
UPF 50+ is the same protection category as professional sun-protective clothing.
4. Colour fastness
Over time, UV rays cause fading and make fabric brittle. Colour fastness is expressed on a scale from 1 to 8, with 8 as the maximum achievable score. Olefin scores 6/8: a very good result for a sail in this price range.
If you take the sail down every autumn, it has considerably fewer UV hours to cope with each year. That is exactly why olefin holds its colour so well with seasonal use.
5. Wind resistance
When correctly installed, the sail stays firmly tensioned up to 60 km/h. That is less than polyester and acrylic (both 80 km/h), but ample for a terrace or balcony that is not fully exposed to the wind. The multi-layer reinforced corners with D-rings spread the tension across the whole sail.
If a storm is forecast, take the sail down. It is usually the anchor points that give way first, not the fabric itself. With a rope cleat that takes just a few minutes, without any tools.
Is your terrace in a windy spot or on a roof terrace? Then polyester or acrylic is the safer choice.
6. Finish of the fabric
The corners of a shade sail take the highest tensile load that is where the wind load and the pull of the tensioning system come together. On olefin they are therefore:
- Multi-layer reinforced | better distribution of the tension and less point loading
- Fitted with D-rings | a sturdy, simple attachment point you can clip your rope or tensioner straight into
- Quick to release and refit | handy when you take the sail down in strong wind or frost
Our polyester and acrylic sails have a different corner finish: 316 stainless steel corner pieces with an internal steel cable running from corner to corner. That allows higher tension, and therefore larger sails.
7. Attachment
Thanks to the D-rings in the corners, you can quickly attach an olefin sail to a wall, to poles or to a combination of both. Because the sail is light and you take it down in strong wind or frost, a system that releases and refits easily is the most practical:
- Wall anchoring in 316 stainless steel | suitable for concrete and solid brick
- Aluminium poles | with an internal pulley system or external tensioning
- Wooden robinia poles | for a natural look
- A combination of wall and poles
Allow at least 35 cm between each corner of the sail and its attachment point so you can tension it properly. Ideally fix the highest point to the facade, so the water runs away from the house. Free-standing garden walls are not suitable: they cannot take the wind load.
Find out everything about our poles and mounting parts, or get in touch for personal advice.
Maintaining olefin shade sails
Olefin has an anti-mould treatment and an impregnation layer that keeps water and dirt off. On a water-repellent sail that layer really counts: once it wears away, water no longer beads off but soaks into the fabric. Since you take the sail down at the end of the season anyway, maintenance fits neatly into that moment: clean, impregnate, dry.
Cleaning
Impregnating
Storing
With correct maintenance, olefin lasts up to 5 years. You will find the right products among our maintenance products, developed specifically for technical outdoor fabrics.
View the maintenance productsWhat do you use an olefin shade sail for?
Olefin is the choice for a smaller span that you leave up all season: water-repellent, breathable, light and affordable.
Home terrace
A sheltered seating area for the whole season, without a major investment.
Balcony
The standard sizes from 3x3 m to 4x4 m fit most balconies.
Sandpit & play area
UPF 50+ above the spot where the children play.
Courtyard or patio
Dry and comfortable in an enclosed outdoor space, out of the wind.
Holidays & camping
Light to handle and quick to set up, so it is easy to take along.
Warm, sheltered spot
The fabric breathes, so the heat doesn't build up underneath.
Did you know ...
that olefin is the most affordable way to sit dry under a shade sail? It belongs to the same family as our polyester and acrylic sails: it keeps out both sun and rain, and with UPF 50+ it offers exactly the same UV protection as our most expensive sails. The difference lies in the maximum span, the wind resistance and the colour fastness not in the protection you get underneath.
Would you like to see the sails in real life and compare the three colours side by side? You can, in our showroom in Mouscron, close to Kortrijk. Can't make it to us? Then we'll send you free samples along with further information.
Visit our showroomFrequently asked questions about olefin shade sails
Is it waterproof or water-repellent, how much wind can it take, is it available made to measure and how long does a sail last? The answers to the questions we get most often. Yours not among them? Ask it using the form below.
When correctly installed, the sail is wind resistant up to 60 km/h. That is less than polyester and acrylic, which go up to 80 km/h. For a sheltered terrace or balcony that is ample; if your terrace is fully exposed to the wind or you have a roof terrace, choose polyester or acrylic instead. In strong wind or frost you take the sail down thanks to the D-rings that takes just a few minutes.
What is an olefin shade sail?
An olefin shade sail is a piece of fabric you tension between fixed points, keeping out both the sun and a passing shower. The sail hangs at a slight slope so that water always drains towards one side instead of pooling in the middle.
Olefin is a 240 g/m² acrylic fabric that is water-repellent and breathes well at the same time, with UPF 50+ and a colour fastness of 6/8. It is the lightest and most affordable fabric in our range, available in standard sizes up to 16 m², in three colours: Dark Grey, Desert Sand and Light Grey.
The corners are multi-layer reinforced and fitted with D-rings, so you can tension the sail firmly and take it down again just as quickly.
Why choose olefin?
Olefin is the sensible choice if you want protection from both sun and rain without moving into the highest price bracket. You get the same UPF 50+ as on our most expensive sails; the difference lies in the maximum span, the wind resistance and the colour fastness.
The sail is light and easy to handle, so you put it up in spring and take it down again in strong wind or frost. You don't need any foundations for it: a facade, a set of aluminium poles or a combination of both is enough.
Olefin shade sails in different sizes and shapes
Our range includes triangles, squares and rectangles in standard sizes, up to a maximum of 16 m². If no standard size fits, or you need a larger span, polyester and acrylic are also available made to measure. Allow an extra 35 cm per side for tensioning.
The advantages of an olefin shade sail from Above & Beyond
Comfort
Water-repellent and breathable: you stay dry during a shower, but on a warm day the air keeps moving under the sail. With UPF 50+ you also get the highest UV protection available.
Value for money
Olefin is the most affordable way to put shade and shelter above your terrace. The sail is made from fabric carrying the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label and has an anti-mould treatment.
Free choice
The anchoring is never included, and that is deliberate: a terrace against a brick facade calls for something different from a lawn or a concrete surface. You choose the poles, wall plates or ground fixings that suit your situation.
What do you use an olefin shade sail for?
Anywhere you want shade all season long, over a manageable surface:
Discover our other shade sails too
Looking for a fully waterproof sail or a larger span? Then have a look at our polyester shade sails, waterproof up to 49 m² with 8/8 colour fastness. If the look of the sail matters just as much, the acrylic shade sails are the better choice. If you mainly want to keep the heat out and rain is not a factor, take a look at the breathable sails in HDPE and coir. You will also find stretch tents, gazebos, star tents, inflatable tents, pagoda tents and sailcloth tents with us.
An olefin shade sail above your terrace
Above a dining table or a seating area, olefin simply does what it needs to do: it keeps the sun off and lets you sit out a shower, from the first fine days to the end of the season. Hang it with a slope of 25 cm per linear metre and position the lowest point away from the table, so the water doesn't come down next to your chair.
Accessories for your shade sail
Make life easy for yourself with the right fixings and accessories: a rope with a cleat to tension the sail and take it down again, wall plates, ground screws or a base plate with a concrete weight. For maintenance you will also find the cleaning and impregnation products developed specifically for technical outdoor fabrics.
A direct answer
A question about our olefin shade sails?
Not sure about the size, the slope, or whether olefin is strong enough for your spot? Ask your question and our team will help you further.
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