Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other functions where sturdiness is required. The word canvas is derived from the Arabic word for cannabis -- hemp was popularly used to make canvas. Modern canvas is usually made of cotton. It differs from other heavy cotton fabrics, such as denim, in being plain weave rather than twill weave. Canvas comes in two basic types: plain and duck. Outdoor-Fabrics.net is a perfect guide to be used while buying canvas.

Canvas is usually stretched across a wooden frame called a stretcher, and may be coated with gesso before it is to be used; this is to prevent oil paint from coming into direct contact with the canvas fibers, which will eventually cause the canvas to decay. Various alternative and more flexible canvas primers are commercially available, the most popular being a synthetic latex paint composed of titanium dioxide and calcium carbonate, bound with a thermo-plastic emulsion. Early canvas was made of linen, a sturdy brownish fabric of considerable strength. To un-wrinkle the material, use a warm iron (not a hot iron) over a piece of wet cotton to flatten the wrinkles, although hot water on the back works just as well. Canvas can also be printed on digitally to create canvas prints. For more information on different types of outdoor fabrics visit our different pages on Outdoor-Fabrics.net.