Sling Fabrics Explained: Phifertex, Textilene and Batyline

October 20, 2026

When you order new slings you will be asked to pick a fabric, and three names come up again and again: Phifertex, Textilene and Batyline. Here is what they are, how they differ, and how we would choose for a chair that lives in Tucson sun.

The short version

All three are the same recipe: polyester yarn coated in PVC and woven into an open mesh. The polyester gives strength; the PVC coating gives weather, UV and mildew resistance and lets the fabric dry fast. Each brand makes several weights and weaves, so the meaningful choice is weight, weave and color more than brand.

Phifertex (Phifer)

Phifertex is a vinyl-coated polyester mesh made by Phifer and one of the most common sling fabrics in the trade.

• Phifertex standard weights come in solid colors, stripes and patterns.
• Phifertex Plus is the heavier version. Fabric retailers list it as a “very heavyweight” 100 percent vinyl-coated polyester sling mesh, 54 inches wide, engineered for applications that need extra strength and strong enough to support human weight.
• Phifertex jacquards and textured weaves give a woven look.

For a dining chair or chaise in full sun, Phifertex Plus is a common upgrade.

Textilene (Twitchell)

Textilene is Twitchell’s brand of woven PVC-coated polyester.

• Textilene 80 blocks up to 80 percent of the sun’s rays and is used widely for slings as well as shades.
• Textilene 2x2 is described by sling shops as a heavy-duty sling, umbrella and cushion fabric.
• Textilene Sunsure is a high-strength sling fabric engineered for long-term resistance to fading, mildew, soiling and wear.

Batyline (Serge Ferrari)

Batyline is made by the French Serge Ferrari group: a high-tenacity polyester yarn base with a PVC coating, in a mesh structure, valued for resisting stretching and for comfort. It comes in several lines (Iso, Eden, Duo and others) with different weaves and looks.

How they compare

We have not listed claimed lifespans for each, because the makers do not publish comparable figures and the real driver is exposure, not brand. Cost guides put standard sling mesh at about five to seven years and premium fabric at seven to ten or more.

What it costs

• Fabric alone: about $30 to $70 per sling for standard vinyl-coated polyester mesh, and $60 to $120 or more for premium fabrics such as Sunbrella.
• Installed: typically $85 to $120 per chair, $100 to $115 per recliner, $105 to $160 per chaise and $70 to $80 per ottoman, fabric and labor included. Premium fabrics sit at the top of those ranges.

See the pricing page and the sling and strap cost calculator.

How we would choose for Tucson

1. Go heavier for full sun. Heavier weights such as Phifertex Plus or a heavy-duty Textilene give the coating more to lose before the fabric fails.
2. Mind the color. Lighter colors stay cooler to sit on in summer. Dark colors look rich but get hot on a sunny patio.
3. Match the set. If only some chairs need slinging, take a sample of the existing fabric so the new ones come close.
4. Think about use. Pool chaises get wet, sunscreened and splashed; dining chairs under a ramada have an easier life. Spend the money where the abuse is.

How each maker warrants sling fabric

The fabric warranty you get with a new set depends far more on the brand than on the mesh. From each maker’s published residential terms:

None of that coverage carries over to a replacement sling. Once you re-sling, it is the replacement fabric and the installer that matter.

Sun lotion voids more than you think

Brown Jordan’s warranty says its fabric is not covered where deterioration or discoloration comes from chemicals, cleaning products or sun lotions, and Tropitone warns that suntan products containing PABA permanently discolor fabric and should be cleaned off at once. Whatever mesh you choose, a towel over the sling at the pool protects it better than any fabric upgrade.

Cleaning PVC-coated mesh

Phifertex, Textilene and Batyline are all PVC-coated polyester, so cleaning advice for one broadly applies to the others. Homecrest’s care guide allows a stronger mix on PVC sling fabric than on its vinyl straps: strong detergent with one cup of chlorine bleach per three gallons of water, rinsed thoroughly and air dried. Tropitone, by contrast, says no bleach on fabric unless specified for solution-dyed acrylics, and recommends 1/4 cup of mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water. Both say no power washing or stiff brushes. If you are unsure which mesh you have, start with the mild soap, which no maker objects to.

Installation is the other half

The best fabric installed loose sags early. A new sling has to be measured from the old one and the frame, splined, slid into both rails and stretched to length before the rail bolts are started, usually with a spreading clamp to get the tension. Seized or stripped rail bolts are where many DIY jobs stall; see rails loose or bolts stripped.

If your chair has individual bands rather than one panel, it is not a sling chair at all; see vinyl strap restrapping. For sling work, start with sling replacement.