The more natural fibres a fabric has, the more refined, luxurious it is. Remember, however, that such fabrics are also much more delicate. If you want a fabric to be durable, rather choose one with synthetic fibres. Synthetic fabrics tend to be more resistant to tearing and abrasion, and are often hydrophobic, i.e. reducing the absorption of liquids.
The basic types of upholstery materials
Alcantara – a soft and hard-wearing fabric resembling suede. Its equivalent is alcantara. Due to its ease of cleaning, alcantara is often used for car upholstery.
Plush – a soft and fluffy material, owing its characteristics to the so-called pile, which is sheared in the production process. Plush can be divided into: velvet – has a very short pile, which is sometimes enriched with silk; velvet – has a higher pile than velvet; velour – is characterised by uneven shading. Resistant to dirt and abrasion, easy to clean.
Microphase – a soft, flexible and lustrous synthetic material. Its advantage is very high abrasion resistance. It is perfect as a sofa or armchair upholstery fabric, but will also be perfect for curtains and drapes.
Chenille – a thick, soft fabric with high resistance to stretching, abrasion, tearing and dirt. It is somewhat reminiscent of corduroy and most often has a linen weave. Because of its durability, chenille will be a good fabric for a sofa in a home with children.
Flock – a soft to the touch but hardwearing synthetic fabric that resembles velvet. It is dense and its surface has a barrier of protection that does not allow dirt to be absorbed. It is difficult to pull with claws, so if you have pets, flock will be the best fabric for a sofa for your home.
Braid – a flat woven fabric with a distinct structure, usually made from two-coloured threads. It manifests great strength.
Jacquard – a very distinctive, patterned two-sided fabric of high weight. It is created by weaving on Jacquard looms, from which it takes its name. Jacquard is renowned for its high quality and rich patterns. It is popular as an upholstery fabric for vintage-style sofas and armchairs.
Leather and eco leather – natural leather has the status of a luxurious and very durable material. Its disadvantage, apart from its high cost, is the need to clean the sofa with specialised products. A cheaper substitute is eco leather, which as an upholstery material for sofas and armchairs shows even greater durability and waterproofness.
Fabric composition
The more natural fibres a fabric has, the more refined, luxurious it is. Remember, however, that such fabrics are also much more delicate. If you want a fabric to be durable, you would rather choose one with synthetic fibres. Synthetic fabrics tend to be more resistant to tearing and abrasion, and are often hydrophobic, i.e. reducing the absorption of liquids.
Grammature
Weights are an indication of the density of a fabric in grams per square metre. The higher the grammage, the thicker the fabric. However, it is not the only indicator of a fabric’s strength.
Abrasion resistance – Martindale test
If you are interested in the durability of a fabric, it is essential to pay attention to this property. The Martindale test is performed using a machine that rubs the fabric under constant pressure until it is worn through. The number tells us after which cycle the fabric has been damaged. It is assumed that 2,000-4,000 cycles is about a year of very intensive use. The range of results of this test is very wide indeed. I would rather advise against fabrics below 20,000 cycles. Nowadays you will encounter fabrics with scores even above 210,000 cycles.
Pilling resistance of the fabric
This is, in other words, the fabric’s resistance to mottling. Here, too, tests are carried out and the results are expressed on a scale of 1-5, where 5 is no change and 1 is complete pilling of the surface. You may also come across category A (pilling resistance) and B (no pilling resistance) designations.
