Are all patio umbrella fabrics the same? No, they are not! The material the fabric is made out of and the way it is dyed creates a wide diversity of fade-resistance in outdoor fabrics. For example, with piece dyed fabrics, a piece of white fabric is dipped in colour so that only the outside layer of the fabric is coloured. With solution-dyed fabrics, the entire thread is dyed before the fabric is woven together, providing far greater fade resistance. Most patio umbrellas have the piece dyed fabric, which does not retain its colour very long in the sunlight. All our umbrellas are made with solution-dyed fabrics, so that they resist fading much longer. Our solution-dyed polyester has a one year no-fade warranty, our Starbric blend of solution-dyed polyester/olefin blend fabric has a two year no-fade warranty, and our Agora solution-dyed acrylic fabric has a five year no-fade warranty. If you are comparing our products with others, ensure you ask about the type of fabric and if there is a fade guarantee on it!