A Guide to Upholstery Fabrics

Certain home accessories are a ‘must have’ for every home and furniture is certainly no exception. SO when you’re looking at home decor and mixing and matching items to create a certain look, you’ve probably wondered what upholstery fabrics are out there for you to use. With so many different home accessories and decor out there, it can become quickly overwhelming; especially when you’ve got to stop and research all the different types of upholstery fabrics. Here’s a guide to the basics of upholstery fabric.

Acetate

Acetate is an imitation silk but is significantly more durable than real silk. That being said, it is still not ideal for everyday use as it will easily wrinkle and become damaged.

Acrylic

An imitation wool, acrylic upholstered furniture is typically resistant against wear and tear, wrinkling and other damage. However, low quality varieties may become easily worn and damaged.

Cotton

Cotton is perhaps one of the most natural products out there, at least next to leather. Furniture in this fabric is resistant against fading and many cotton upholsteries can take a great deal of wear and tear, especially since many cotton upholsteries tend to be treated with a variety of surface treatments to prevent staining and other damage from occurring.

Cotton Blend

Cotton blends tend to retain many of the same characteristics of standard cottons. However, be sure to check with the manufacturer to see if a stain resistant finish needs to be applied to help lengthen the lifespan of the furniture.

Linen

Though a seemingly easy choice, linen is very easily dirtied. It is not ideal for furniture that will give heavy use, as it wrinkles easily. Furthermore, linen upholstery must be professionally cleaned, as at-home cleaning products can cause discoloration or shrinkage.

Leather

Leather is extremely versatile, but perhaps not ideal for homes with pets as it can become ripped by sharp claws. However, it can be wiped off easily, making it great for furniture in homes with children. It can also be vacuumed and cleaned with a number of leather products.

Nylon

Nylon is typically blended with other fibers to create a more durable upholstery for furniture.

Olefin

The ideal furniture upholstery for families, olefin-based upholsteries tend to be the most resilient against heavy wear and tear.

Polyester

Much like many other synthetics, polyester is typically blended with other fabrics such as cotton, to create a more durable upholstery. When added to other materials, it helps to reduce issues such as fading or wrinkles.

Rayon

Another type of imitation silk, upholstery fabric made from rayon or rayon blends tend to be extremely durable. Despite its durability factor, furniture covered in this fabric still tend to become easily wrinkled.

Silk

Not only is silk expensive, it can be difficult to clean and maintain. It is not ideal for heavy use furniture or for furniture that may be used by young children or pets. Professional cleaning is a must for silk upholstered furniture.

Vinyl

Vinyl is easy to clean and usually made to mimic the look of leather. It is also less expensive, with durability varying based on the overall quality of the product.

Wool

Another natural fabric, wool is extremely durable and perfect for heavy use. Typically, furniture upholstery manufacturers blend wool with a synthetic to help increase it’s durability and to help make it an easy-to-clean fabric.