Best Material For Outdoor Car Cover

Best Waterproof Car Cover Material,Which Car Body Cover Cloth Is The Best Choice?

By @CE.FABRIC,19/03/2025

1.PE (Polyester) car cover
PE is the most common car cover material in the market. This is a synthetic fiber. It has several advantages, including strength, durability, corrosion resistance, shape retention, good elasticity, lightweight, and more. Additionally, PE is resistant to high temperatures, protects against UV radiation, and has excellent colorfastness. Furthermore, it is relatively affordable, making it an economical car cover choice.

Note that PE has average breathability and waterproofing performance. Its waterproofing capability primarily depends on the fabric density and coating treatment. Typically, PE car covers for outdoor purposes are high-density and undergo waterproof coatings such as PU (Polyurethane) or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) to enhance their waterproof performance.

2.Nylon car cover
Nylon is a more durable material compared to PE, offering better resistance to scratches and tearing. The lifespan of PE car covers is around 1-2 years, whereas nylon car covers can last for 3-5 years. While nylon has slightly lower breathability than PE, both materials have good breathability and won’t have any adverse effects on the car’s surface.

Compared to PE, nylon works better in terms of waterproofing. It can achieve excellent waterproof performance through special coating treatments like PU or Teflon. PE is particularly suitable for manufacturing high-demand waterproof products such as hiking shoes or waterproof backpacks.

Additionally, nylon is slightly more expensive than PE. If you require longer-lasting protection, a nylon car cover is a good choice.

3.Oxford cloth car cover
Oxford cloth car covers are primarily made from nylon and PE. This material is famous for its abrasion resistance, waterproofing, sun protection, and tensile strength. Oxford cloth is a common material for outdoor sports products like tents,

Typically, this type of car body cover is breathable, and soft, without scratching the car’s paint surface. Meanwhile, it is highly durable and lightweight, easy to carry and store. Additionally, it is simple to clean and can be washed with water.

Car body covers made of Oxford cloth perform well in waterproofing, rain resistance, and snow resistance, suitable for harsh weather conditions. They effectively prevent damage to the car’s paint from UV radiation, thereby extending the vehicle’s lifespan.

It’s common to see Oxford cloth car covers with a dual-sided design. One side is a silver surface used for sun protection and heat insulation. The other side is a custom-colored surface used for dust, rain, and scratch resistance. It not only caters to the owner’s color preference but also adds a decorative effect to the vehicle.

4.PEVA car cover
PEVA is an environmentally friendly material that offers excellent waterproofing and vapor permeability. It also exhibits good tear resistance, abrasion resistance, and UV protection. PEVA is a blend of PE (polyethylene) and EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), and the higher the EVA content, the greater the flexibility and toughness of the material.

In comparison to Oxford cloth car covers, PEVA is lighter and more convenient to store, place, and use. More importantly, PEVA car covers are better in terms of waterproof performance and UV protection. Additionally, PEVA car covers are more affordable than Oxford cloth covers.

If you value water resistance and UV protection and have a tight budget, go for a PEVA car cover. If durability is your priority, choose an Oxford cloth car cover. Alternatively, if you have a higher budget, consider premium options.

5.PVC car cover
We are familiar with PVC. For example, manufacturers make plastic water pipes using PVC. This material is cheap and good at waterproofing. PVC car cover can effectively protect against rain and dust.

Usually, PVC car covers are single-sided, often in silver color, and their effectiveness in sun protection and scratch resistance is moderate. The main protective feature of PVC covers is their hardness. However, they are relatively brittle and have limited protective abilities. Once scratched, they can not self-repair. The lifespan of PVC car covers is typically around 2 years.

Car covers can come in single-layer, double-layer, triple-layer, or quadruple-layer designs. Single-layer car covers are typically made of PVC for waterproofing. Composite multi-layer car covers usually consist of outer materials like Oxford cloth, PEVA, PVC, PU, etc.

The inner layer can be high-density PP cotton, cotton velvet, water-spun non-woven fabric, satin or polyester satin, etc., providing effective protection against scratches. These inner layer materials are suitable for indoor car body covers to primarily prevent dust and dirt accumulation, offering some level of scratch protection and minimizing surface damage from accidental scratches or scrapes.

For more product recommendations and performance data, contact @CE.FABRIC or visit https://www.yf-cecoverfabric.com/