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Water Resistant Canvas Fabric

Canvas with a water resistant finish gives you the strength of a cotton canvas plus a surface that sheds rain rather than soaking it up. It's the cloth for tote bags, rucksacks, garden and furniture covers, aprons, seat pads and anything else that has to live outdoors or take a soaking. This collection covers midweight and heavyweight water resistant canvas in a wide range of colours, plus waxed cotton canvas, oil cloth and ripstop.
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Most projects that need a waterproof cloth don't actually need a fully waterproof one. A tote bag caught in a shower, a cover over garden furniture, an apron in a busy kitchen: what those want is a cloth that beads water off and dries quickly, and that's exactly what a water resistant canvas does. It's also far nicer to sew and to handle than a laminated or rubberised fabric.

Water resistant or waterproof?

It's worth being straight about the difference, because the words get used loosely. Water resistant means the finish makes water bead and run off the surface, and the cloth will keep you dry through rain for a reasonable time. Given long enough under sustained water, or pressure at a seam, some will eventually get through. Fully waterproof means a coated or laminated fabric that water cannot pass through at all, usually at the cost of breathability and a stiffer handle.

Nearly everything in this collection is water resistant rather than fully waterproof, which for bags, covers, aprons and outerwear is generally what you want. If you need genuinely waterproof, look at our waterproof and water resistant fabrics collection, which includes the coated and laminated options. Remember too that the fabric is only one part of it: a seam is a row of needle holes, so a bag made from waterproof cloth still isn't a waterproof bag unless the seams are sealed or lapped.

What's in the range

Midweight water resistant canvas is the everyday option and comes in the widest colour range, suiting totes, aprons, pouches, linings for larger bags and light covers. Heavyweight water resistant canvas is the one for rucksacks, heavy-duty totes, seat pads and outdoor covers that need to last. Waxed cotton canvas and oil cloth have a traditional wax finish that darkens and marks with use, which is the point: they wear in rather than out, and can be re-waxed years later. Ripstop is the lightweight one, woven with a reinforcing grid so a small tear doesn't travel, and it's the choice for packable bags and linings.

For plain cotton canvas without a water resistant finish, see our canvas fabrics collection, and there's a fuller range of wax finishes in waxed cotton fabric.

Sewing with water resistant canvas

These are substantial fabrics and they ask a little of the machine. Use a heavier needle, a longer stitch, and a walking foot if you have one, since coated and waxed surfaces can drag under a standard foot. Clips work better than pins, because a pin leaves a permanent hole in a water resistant finish and you don't want a row of them along a seam line. Where several layers meet, grade the seam allowances to keep the bulk manageable.

Press with care and always with a cloth: wax finishes melt and coatings can mark under a hot iron. Most of these fabrics prefer a sponge and cool water to a machine wash, since washing gradually strips the finish. Waxed cotton can be refreshed with a wax bar when it eventually stops beading. Follow the guidance on the individual product page, as finishes differ.

Is water resistant canvas the same as waterproof?

No, and the difference matters for what you make. Water resistant means the finish makes water bead and run off, and the cloth will keep contents dry through rain for a good while, but sustained soaking or pressure can eventually get through. Fully waterproof means a coated or laminated fabric water cannot pass through at all. Almost everything in this collection is water resistant, which is what most bags, covers and aprons actually need.

Can I make a fully waterproof bag from this fabric?

The fabric will shed water well, but a bag is only as waterproof as its seams, and every seam is a line of needle holes. For genuine weather protection, use lapped or taped seams, keep seam lines off the base where water collects, and consider a separate waterproof liner for anything that must stay dry. For everyday use, a water resistant canvas bag with ordinary seams handles rain perfectly well.

What weight of water resistant canvas should I use?

Midweight suits totes, aprons, pouches, light covers and bag linings, and is easier to sew on a domestic machine. Heavyweight is the choice for rucksacks, heavy-duty totes, seat pads and outdoor covers where the cloth needs to hold its shape and take real wear. Ripstop is the lightweight option for packable bags. If in doubt, order a sample, as weight is difficult to judge from a photograph.

How do I wash water resistant canvas?

Sponging with cool water and a mild detergent is the safest approach, because machine washing gradually strips the water resistant finish and takes the performance with it. Avoid hot washes and fabric softener entirely. Waxed cotton should never go in the machine, but it can be refreshed with a wax bar when it stops beading. Check the individual product page, as finishes vary across the collection.

Do I need a special needle or machine for canvas?

Not a special machine, but a heavier needle and a longer stitch length make a real difference, and a walking foot helps considerably because waxed and coated surfaces drag under a standard presser foot. Use clips rather than pins, since a pin leaves a permanent hole in a water resistant finish. Grading the seam allowances where layers meet keeps the bulk manageable.

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