With patio season around the corner, most consumers are excited to start shopping and ordering outdoor furniture and décor. With the majority of us having spent a large percentage of the last year indoors, outdoor spaces will feel like even more of an oasis. Consumers want their balcony gardens to feel like the vacation or spa getaway they desperately need.

Furnishing an outdoor space can be quite expensive, which is why the most important feature of outdoor furniture and décor is durability. But what’s the best way for your customers to keep their pieces looking fresh? Here are a few things to keep in mind while you’re buying outdoor throw pillows for your retail store this year.

Maintaining Decorative Cushions and Covers

In order to keep outdoor throw pillows looking brand new, your customers will want to follow these simple, but effective, maintenance steps:

• Keep a water-proof cover on outdoor throw pillows at all times.
• If a decorative cushion is not water-proof, use a fabric-appropriate spray to seal it.
• Vacuum or fluff pillows often to prevent dust buildup.
• Store decorative cushions in water-proof containers when not in use to protect them from the elements.
• Use outdoor throw pillows for decoration purposes and avoid leaving them out in the sun.
• If necessary, spot clean decorative cushions to avoid a full wash cycle.
• Make sure decorative cushions are fully dry before storing away.

How to Wash Outdoor Throw Pillows

If your customers must wash their outdoor throw pillow or decorative cushion cover, make sure to have the right materials to wash the fabric. Each fabric will require a different style of washing, much like laundering clothing. This step is crucial when washing any outdoor throw pillow or decorative cover.

Follow this simple fabric guide:

• Machine or hand wash: linen, polyester, cotton
• Dry clean: upholstery, velvet, wool, silk
• Spot clean only: leather, suede*

*Do not wash suede, leather-trimmed, silk, or wool-covered cushion covers with water.

For step-by-step instructions on how to wash throw pillows properly, read our in-depth laundry guide.

How to Dry Decorative Cushions

Make sure your customers read the specific washing and drying instructions on your decorative cushion cover offerings prior to this step!

Once an outdoor throw pillow has been spot cleaned and washed, the best drying method will need to be determined. This step is important to ensuring an outdoor throw pillow is completely dry before stowing away or being put to use. Decorative cushions need to be dried properly otherwise they risk moisture build-up, mildew, or water stains. 

For most decorative cushions, the first step to drying them is to hang until almost fully dry. Air drying a cushion or cushion cover is the best way to prevent shrinking or heat damage. Most washing and drying machines can damage fabrics, so it’s best to avoid using that method to fully dry your throw pillows.

Following the drying methods listed on the outdoor throw pillow’s tag, continue until fully dry. Make sure both the pillow insert and decorative cushion cover are dry before assembling your throw pillow. If you’d like more tips on how to dry cushions properly, read our in-depth laundry guide.

Where to Buy Wholesale Throw Pillows

At Westex, we offer a variety of wholesale throw pillows and decorative cushions. In fact, we can manufacture over 8,000 cushions per day! We offer countless of wholesale decorative cushion designs, patterns, and colours to match any décor. 

Our decorative cushions and throw pillows are made with three types of inserts: feather, polyester, and recycled microgel. You can learn more about our wholesale decorative cushions on our site.