Types of Fabric for Your Furniture

Types of Fabric - When choosing a fabric for your furniture, there are a few things you must consider. The color of the fabric is very important. You might want to use a darker color if you have children and suspect your sofa will collect a number of spills and mud over the years. Stains are harder to see on dark-colored fabrics. Microfiber, for example, is easy to clean and has a nice feel to it. A sofa that is used for decoration and isn’t used much can use fabrics such as velvet that are made to be attractive but are harder to clean. If your sofa is used frequently you might want to avoid textures such as raised patterns because they wear down quickly and make your sofa look much older than it is.

Fabric sofa by Eilersen

You need to consider if the furniture will be in a part of the house that receives the heaviest traffic. Furniture that will get a lot of daily heavy wear needs to be covered in tough, durable, tightly woven fabrics. You want to consider the thread count of the furniture. The higher the thread count, the more durable the fabric. A thread count of 150 is a good average for fabric. A thread count of 400 is the highest thread count you should consider. You also want to find out the fade resistance and mildew resistance of your fabric. If the fabric fades easily, you should consider rearranging your furniture to avoid direct sunlight and look for fabric that is mildew resistant if you live in a humid climate. If someone in the house has allergies, you might want to consider fabric such as microfiber because it is lint free and does not attract dust.

Sutton Fabric Sectional by Carter

Your fabric choice should approximate the style and character of the piece it is covering. For example, a traditional fabric would look better on a traditional style of frame. Some fabrics appear casual, while others might look more formal. Choose a fabric to echo your won style or theme that you have established throughout the home. The size or width of the pattern should be appropriate to your room size. Large repeating patterns generally look better in larger rooms while more muted or smaller patterns work better in larger rooms. Consider whether the fabric color is warm or cool. Be sure the fabric is the correct mood for the room the furniture is going into.

Regardless of color, texture or grade, fabrics should always be chosen to serve your needs, both fashionable and practical. We provide our customers with a huge choice, so you don’t settle for anything you’re not in love with.

The name for standards made by the government to establish a guideline telling if a fabric is strong enough for your needs is called Fabric Wearability Code. Fabric Wearability Codes are found on sample swatches found in stores.
However a fabric rates on a double rub test is how strong the fabric is. The test is performed by a back and forth motion that tells how much wear and tear comes from sitting and getting up from a seat.

Eaton by Dellarobbia

Heavy Duty fabric holds up to 15,000 rubs back and forth which classifies it as heavy duty. It is thick and stiff but can still be soft enough for a family room.
Medium Duty fabric holds from 9,000 to 15,000 rubs. The smaller the number is, the softer the fabric. Medium fabrics can be used for many different rooms and places.
Light Duty fabrics can usually take between 3,000 and 9,000 rubs back and forth and can usually get through one to three years of use. They are very delicate and are mostly used for occasional use such as guest room furniture.
Delicate fabrics that only withstand 3,000 double rubs should be used only on pillows and other decorative furniture.