For many households, fall is the ideal time to pull out the blankets and get comfortable outside. Still, the functionality of a great outdoor blanket goes beyond just one season.
Late springs, hot summers, and early winters are equal contenders when considering ways to use your outdoor blanket. Here’s how to find the best and most versatile option for every season.
What To Look For In An Outdoor Blanket
Finding the best outdoor blanket means not only determining your intended purpose for the blanket but also making sure it’s comfortable, durable, and ready for several weather conditions, like all of our products here at Outer.
Since outdoor blankets can be made from many unique materials, knowing which ones are better suited for all conditions is a great place to start.
Comfortable Material
Some of the most popular material options for outdoor blankets include wool, fleece, sherpa, and polyester. These materials are all extremely comfortable, but each one will come with its own benefits and disadvantages.
Wool
Made from the fleece of an animal, wool is a natural fiber that comes in several varieties. Although sheep are the most common source of wool, other animals, like goats, camels, and rabbits, make up a portion of wool production as well.
Like the other materials listed, wool has a great range of advantages. For example, even if a drizzle of rain causes the fabric to be a bit damp, wool retains its insulating properties.
Wool is also fire-resistant, eliminating any fears of your blanket catching sparks around the Fire Pit Table. The keratin protein of wool is considered one of the most flame-resistant fibers and prevents those sparks from combusting.
Out of all these materials, however, it’s important to note that wool is the least comfortable. These types of blankets are also known to be heavy, making them less suitable for staying comfortable in warmer weather.
Fleece
For a synthetic take on wool, fleece offers wool’s natural properties while being more comfortable and better suited for the outdoors. Fleece blankets are great for insulation, but they offer the added benefit of being lightweight.
However, the major downside of fleece is that it is very flammable, making it considerably more dangerous to use blankets made from this material around the fire and in dry heat.
Sherpa
Although sherpa is technically a type of fleece, it has enough unique stand-out qualities to be placed in a category of its own. This synthetic fabric is made of yarns such as polyester or acrylic and resembles the wool clothes worn by the Sherpa people of the Himalayas.
Compared to wool and even fleece, sherpa is warmer and softer on top of being very light and water-resistant. The double-sided fabric of sherpa makes it perfect for preserving heat and protecting against extreme colds.
Just as wool and fleece don’t do well in warmer weather, sherpa traps heat, which means it will quickly increase in temperature during hotter days.
Polyester
Polyester checks all of the boxes that the previous three materials accomplish with a few added bonuses. Along with being warm, soft, comfortable, waterproof, and fire-resistant, this synthetic fiber fares well in the heat and has sweat-wicking properties.
Wool, fleece, and sherpa are all thicker and relatively heavier options, making them good choices when the temperature drops and heat needs to be retained. Polyester’s durability, on the other hand, gives it a good weight for providing warmth while being thin enough for hot days.
For the best all-season outdoor blanket, polyester is designed to adapt to its conditions. This is why we chose polyester as the material of choice for our Bug Shield Blankets at Outer.
Insect Shield Technology
Staying cool in the summer and warm during the winter is a great feature of polyester outdoor blankets, but these are not the only things to be mindful of when relaxing outside. It can feel impossible to keep unwanted pests away, especially during the warmer months.
Although not every blanket can offer a bug-free time outside, our Bug Shield Blanket at Outer is designed to do exactly that. From mosquitos, ticks, ants, flies, and so many more, the worst part of summer is eliminated through our outdoor blanket.
Our blankets are treated with invisible and odorless Insect Shield technology, which is proven to repel your outdoor haven’s nightmare pests. And extensive allergy and skin sensitivity tests have been conducted to ensure it is hypoallergenic and family-safe.
In fact, Insect Shield was given the most favorable and lowest-risk rating by the EPA and is approved for use by pregnant women, children, and pets. It’s a revolutionary addition to a time-tested product that enhances the quality of life outdoors in all seasons.
With the right blanket, every backyard party can be enjoyable without those uninvited guests.
Durable Material
While polyester is the best material for year-round outdoor activities, not all polyester is quality-made. Being weather-ready for warm and cold conditions can be misleading if the product is poorly made or produced for quantity over quality.
Our outdoor blankets are made with quality recycled polyester to ensure comfort, durability, and an ethically made product, and we make everything ourselves instead of relying on outside manufacturers.
The Insect Shield technology is also made to last. By bonding tightly to fabric fibers even after washing, this technology repels insects well throughout the blanket’s lifetime.
Environmentally Responsible
The carbon footprint of polyester is significant. While it is a revolutionary material, the necessary energy for production and recyclability factors make it less than ideal for the environment.
Here at Outer, we saw this issue and decided to take a different approach. Our blankets are made with 100% recycled fibers, giving existing materials a second life and making our products environmentally friendly.
Because of this, our outdoor blankets have the comfort and year-round durability of polyester while being an ethical choice for a better planet. With every decision we make, we keep future generations and our beautiful planet at the top of our minds.
The Best Ways To Use Your Outdoor Blanket
When it comes to blankets, the intended use is pretty straightforward. But with versatile and innovative choices, like our Bug Shield Blanket, their uses are extended throughout multiple seasons.
A Functional Accessory
One of the best parts about blankets is how elegant they look when paired with furniture. Combining these products adds a luxury feel to your outdoor oasis without overcomplicating the yard.
Pair timeless houndstooth with a Black Wicker Outdoor Loveseat, or drape your Striped Plaid Bug Shield Blanket over a 3-seat Teak Outer Sofa. Each blanket is 50” W x 60” L and also comes in houndstooth or pinstripe styles.
Need to spruce up your space even further? Our 1188 Eco-Friendly Outdoor Rugs bring additional comfort and help tie everything together. The combinations at Outer are endless!
A Camping Necessity
Even after the campfire goes out and everyone heads off to sleep, the adventure doesn’t have to end. For warm and comfortable nights camping outside, simply set up your tent and bundle up with your outdoor blanket.
Be sure to come prepared with lots of games, pillows, snacks, and even some pre-made cocktails or beers for the age-appropriate campers.
Movie Night Under The Stars
An outdoor movie night is a great way to get friends and family together for an evening of fun. The combination of a comfortable and bug-free space makes it so everyone can focus on the film instead of surviving anything nature might throw your way.
Once you have the technical equipment all set, every seat becomes the best seat in the house.
Comfort-Ready Bug Protection
When the warmer weather strikes and bug spray isn’t enough to keep the pests away, getting wrapped up in a Bug Shield Blanket means being able to wander through the garden without worrying about being bitten and bothered or exhausted from the heat.
Whether it’s a long walk or just a bit of relaxation in your Outdoor Loveseat, there’s no better way to stay comfortable and insect-free.
With Outer, There’s No Compromise
The list of choices for outdoor blankets is long enough to keep you searching forever. Materials like wool are a great fire-resistant option and hybrids like fleece are excellent for the cold, but only polyester offers all of this while being suitable for warm temperatures, too.
At Outer, we took this best-of-both-worlds material and improved it even further by making it environmentally friendly and insect-repellent. As a brand, every choice we make is focused on improving the lives of our customers.
For year-round comfort that doesn’t sacrifice on style or functionality, find everything Outer can offer to help you create the backyard of your dreams.