Upholstery Quality

Fine upholstered furniture, whether fabric or leather, should wear well, clean easily and look great for years.

The upholstery fabric that you choose will depend on how you are going to use your furniture, where it will be placed in your home and how much time you want to spend maintaining it.

Since up to 70 percent of the furniture price can be attributed to the textiles used, it is important to choose an upholstery fabric that is appropriate to your lifestyle. Quality upholstery will be durable, resist stains, soil, abrasion, sunlight and will be easy to clean.

Many times fabric manufacturers will blend fabrics together to create the best look, feel, color and texture. Blended fabrics often provide a color rich appearance and stand up better to the normal wear and tear of life.

When choosing upholstery or leather, request a sample of the textile that you are considering and take it home to make sure your choice works with the other furnishing in your room.

10 tips to remember choosing your upholstery fabric

1. Fabrics with a high thread count per square inch and a tight weave are most durable.
2. Natural fibers are easy to clean, but will absorb stains quickly
3. Man-made fibers are more stain resistant, but will be hard to clean if a stain does occur.
4. Textured fabrics can fray – choose a flat weave, such as a jacquard for the best results.
5. The fabric should lie nicely. There should be no gaps, puckers, or looseness.
6. Patterns hide soil better than solids.
7. Light colors show dirt, dark colors show lint and hair.
8. If the fabric has a pattern, it should match perfectly at each seam.
9. If washable slipcovers are available, make the investment and buy them. It will increase the longevity of your furniture.
10. Buttons, trim, and piping accents should be firmly attached and evenly spaced.

4 tips to remember choosing leather

1. Leather
2. Top-grade leather is durable, beautiful and gets softer with time.
3. Choose top-grain rather than split grain for the best results.
4. Quality leather will have undergone one of three colorizing processes. The first is called aniline dying; it is soaked in the dye without other finishes or pigments applied. ( Note: Leather may have some color variation because it is a natural product.) The second process is a “protected” aniline that applies a small amount of coating or pigment, which protects from stains and fading. The third process, pigmentation, used on stiffer, lower-grade leather treats the leather with a surface color. Finishes and pigments provide greater protection against scratches, stains and fading.

Below is a chart of the basic fabric types along with their pros and cons.

Fabric type	Pros	Cons
Cotton Natural fiber	Takes color dyes well Strong versatile	Has a tendency to wrinkle and stretch. Absorbs stains quickly
Linen Natural fiber	High quality linen will have the feel of silk. It doesn’t fade. Insect resistant Used mostly for drapery or wall coverings. Easy to clean	It does not wear will and may wrinkle easily. Prone to mold and mildew
Silk Derived from silk worms	Strong resilient Can last a long time Does not mildew easily	Does not tolerate sunlight Expensive
Wool Sheep fleece	Available as a soft or smooth texture Wrinkle resistant Soil resistant Sunlight resistant Mold resistant Durable	Needs protection from insects Expensive
Cellulose Acetate Synthetic fiber	Durable Strong luster Ability to take dyes Resistant to wrinkles Resistant to mildew Easy to clean	Doesn’t interact well with solvents Does not react well to abrasions
Acrylic (Plush velvet) Man-made fiber	Soft natural feel Dries quickly Resistant to fading Resistant to mildew Resistant to insects Great for outdoor furniture Easy to clean	Not flame retardant
Nylon	Dyes well Drapes well Durable Resistant to abrasion Resistant to mildew Insect resistant	Fades easily Not resistant to sunlight
Olefin Made from petroleum	Resists moisture Resists mold Resists chemicals Resists abrasion Easy to clean	Sensitive to heat Can be damaged by sunlight
Polyester Microfiber	Dull sheen or soft feel Strong Durable Resists abrasion Tolerates sunlight Resists mold Resists insects Polyester blends wear well Easy to clean	Subject ot pilling Soils easily
Leather	Strong Durable Resists abrasion Tolerates sunlight Easy to clean	May scratch May crack Absorbs room temperature – may be cool in winter, hot in summer Susceptible to mold