Materials & Construction

Four decisions separate outdoor furniture that lasts from outdoor furniture that photographs well. Here is where we land on each of them, and what the alternative would have been.

Anodized aluminium frame

Anodizing converts the surface of the aluminium into a hard oxide layer rather than coating it with something that can chip. There is no paint film to break through to bare metal, so there is nothing for corrosion to start on — which matters most around pools and near the sea.

The cheaper alternative: painted steel. It looks identical in a photograph and rusts from the inside out at the joints, where you cannot see it happening until the joint fails.

Our colour finishes are electrostatically painted over the anodized frame, so even where there is paint, there is treated metal underneath it.

Phifertex® mesh sling

The seat is Phifertex®, a 100% woven vinyl-coated polyester mesh made by Phifer Incorporated, which has woven fabric in Tuscaloosa, Alabama since 1952. All Phifertex is made in the USA. It is the mesh specified widely for commercial and hospitality outdoor furniture, and it is the single most expensive component in a chair like ours.

What makes it different from ordinary outdoor fabric is the order of operations. Each polyester core yarn is individually extruded and coated in PVC before it is woven, so moisture never reaches the polyester fibre at all. Phifer's word for the result is “slingable”: the fabric will carry the weight of a person under tension without sagging, stretching or splitting. That is a genuinely different requirement from a cushion cover, and most outdoor fabrics cannot do it.

What comes with it:

  • GREENGUARD® Certified. Screened against more than 360 volatile organic compounds plus a cap on total emissions, so it is not offgassing into your patio. Phifer was the first manufacturer in the outdoor fabric industry to achieve the certification.
  • Microban® antimicrobial protection, built in. It inhibits the bacteria, mould and mildew that cause stains and odours, works continuously for the life of the fabric, and does not wash off or wear away. Phifertex fabrics are the only outdoor furniture fabrics in the world that include it.
  • Flame resistant. NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Class A, IBC Class A, UFAC Class I, FMVSS 302, and California Technical Bulletin 117-2013.
  • A three-year limited warranty from Phifer on the fabric itself, on top of our own two years. See Returns & Warranty.

The cheaper alternative: a foam cushion in a fabric cover. It holds water, goes musty between weekends, and has to be carried indoors every time the sky changes. The other cheaper alternative is unbranded PVC mesh, which looks the same on a screen and is where a low-cost sling chair saves its money.

Microban® technology is not designed to protect users from disease-causing microorganisms and is not a substitute for normal cleaning practices.

High-frequency welded seams

The sling is joined by high-frequency welding, which fuses the material to itself. There is no thread anywhere in the seam.

The cheaper alternative: stitching. Look closely at any sling chair that has failed and the fabric is usually fine — what has gone is the thread. It sits proud of the material, takes the UV, holds the salt, and eventually lets go at the hem.

Polyamide KFR-30 connectors

The hinges and joints carry every load path in a folding chair, and they are where cheap folding furniture breaks. Ours are glass-reinforced engineering polyamide, chosen so the pivots stay tight through repeated folding and through cold weather.

The cheaper alternative: whatever commodity plastic is cheapest at the joint. It is the reason so many folding chairs crack at the pivot in their second or third season.

Care

The frame takes a wipe with a damp cloth. The sling is more robust than people expect, and Phifer publishes its own cleaning method for it:

  • Mix one tablespoon of liquid dish detergent and two tablespoons of household bleach into a gallon of water.
  • Apply with a sponge or a soft cloth.
  • Rinse thoroughly with clean water and let it air dry.

Yes, bleach — diluted at roughly that ratio it is Phifer's own recommendation, and it is why this fabric can be brought back from a season outdoors rather than replaced. Keep the mesh out of direct contact with oil-based products, which accelerate ageing of the fabric; if it happens, clean it promptly. A hose rinse is fine for sand and salt. Folding the furniture away over winter is not required, but it will slow UV fading of the sling.

Specifications

Bosphorus Folding Sun Lounger

  • Open: 74.8" x 22.8", seat height 9.8" (190 x 58 cm, h 25 cm)
  • Weight: 11 lb (5 kg)
  • Maximum load: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Sling: Phifertex® 100% woven vinyl-coated polyester mesh, woven in the USA
  • Ships in: 31.5" x 23.6" x 7.9" (80 x 60 x 20 cm) · 13.2 lb
  • Warranty: 2 years, plus Phifer's 3-year limited fabric warranty

ChillGo Folding Lounge Chair

  • Open: 29.5" x 21.7", seat height 7.9-9.8" (75 x 55 cm, h 20-25 cm)
  • Weight: 6.6 lb (3 kg)
  • Maximum load: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Sling: Phifertex® 100% woven vinyl-coated polyester mesh, woven in the USA
  • Ships in: 29.5" x 21.7" x 4.7" (75 x 55 x 12 cm) · 8.8 lb
  • Warranty: 2 years, plus Phifer's 3-year limited fabric warranty

Every lounger and every chair ships with its carrying bag included.

Our frames are handcrafted in Turkey. The Phifertex® mesh is woven in the USA.

Phifertex® is a registered trademark of Phifer Incorporated. GREENGUARD® is a registered trademark of UL LLC. Microban® is a registered trademark of Microban Products Company. Ottomara is an independent brand and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of them.