The Garden Party Guide: Natural Textiles for Outdoor Entertaining

A garden party that lasts into the evening is a different proposition from one that ends at six. The difference is usually warmth — not just of the air, but of the setting. Natural materials, good lighting, and furniture that invites people to settle in extend an outdoor gathering in a way that food and drink alone cannot.

Why natural textiles work outdoors

Most outdoor furniture is designed for practicality — weather resistance, stackability, easy cleaning. Warmth and tactile comfort are rarely part of the brief. The gap between garden furniture that is functional and garden furniture that is genuinely pleasant to sit in for several hours is usually filled by what is placed on or over it.

Wool regulates temperature in both directions. On a warm afternoon, it does not trap heat against the body the way synthetic cushions do. On a cool evening, it insulates. The material that keeps guests comfortable over lunch is the same one that keeps them comfortable when the temperature drops at dusk.

For outdoor use, natural undyed skins are the right choice. Dyed sheepskins fade over a season of regular sun exposure. Icelandic and English skins in their natural tones — cream, off-white, warm grey — hold their appearance in outdoor conditions and look at home in a garden setting without looking as though they have been put there for a photograph.

Dining chairs and tables

Draped over an outdoor dining chair, a sheepskin makes a standard garden seat worth sitting at for three hours. One skin per chair, over the back and folded onto the seat, or left to fall naturally. It does not need to be arranged precisely — sheepskin looks better when it is placed rather than styled.

For a long outdoor table with bench seating, two or three skins at intervals along the bench — rather than covering it entirely — creates a relaxed, layered effect. The gaps are part of the look.

Lounge and soft seating

For a garden lounge area around a low table or fire pit, sheepskin over each piece signals that the space is for settling into rather than passing through. One skin per seat is enough; the cumulative effect of several pieces in a group reads as generous without requiring volume.

A sheepskin on the lawn beside a seating arrangement — for guests who want to sit at ground level — is a small detail that people gravitate towards and usually mention. Short-wool New Zealand holds up to lawn use better than longer-pile options.

Afternoon use

Sheepskin is not only for the evening. On a warm summer day, it does not become uncomfortably hot in direct sun — the temperature regulation works in both directions. Having skins on the seating from the start of a lunch that might extend into the afternoon means they are available throughout without being produced as an afterthought when the temperature falls.

End of the day

Shake each piece out and bring it inside if the evening is damp. Sheepskin should not be left outside overnight. Spot clean any marks before storing. For natural undyed skins used regularly over a summer season, an occasional air on a dry day is all the maintenance needed between uses.

Get in touch

We supply sheepskin for garden entertaining and outdoor events directly. If you have questions about which type suits your setting or how many pieces you need, get in touch.

Email: hello@naturescollection.eu
Phone: +45 75 80 10 50

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