Choosing The Best Upholstery Fabric- Factors You Should Consider
Upholstery basically refers to the covering (padding, springs and fabric covers) on furniture. Buying new furniture or re-upholstering old furniture can be quite an expensive task and as such every care should be taken that the right kind of upholstery fabric is chosen which can survive both the tests of time and durability and also match with our home décor. This article can give you a few good suggestions about different upholstery fabrics and their features which can help you to choose the most suited fabric for your requirement.
The important factors that have to be considered while buying a fabric are- style, color, durability, thread count, fade resistance and comfort. The fabric should suit the furniture and also add to the beauty of the room, color determines if the fabric can withstand stains and also it helps in setting the mood of the room, durability is important as we would want the fabric to last for a long time, thread counts is an indicator of fabric strength and fade resistance means the fabric can withstand constant exposure to the sun without fading. These factors are critical in determining the choice of the fabric.
Cotton is a very popular choice for upholstery fabric material as it is made of natural fiber. It has the feature of durability and offers good resistance against wear and tear but it is very easy for stains to show on it and it is very difficult to clean it too. Hence, it should not be used on pieces of furniture that are frequent used.
Cotton blend is a much more sturdy fabric and is suited for everyday use. Using a stain-resistant spray on it can help protect it. The most popular and trusted choice for fabric by people all over the world is leather. It gives a classic look to the room, is easy to clean and lasts for a very long time, the only factor that could go against it is the price as leather is expensive. However if we can invest in it, it can serve us for years together.
Vinyl is a practical choice for many families as it provides all the features that leather has but on the flipside, it has an uncomfortable texture and is difficult to clean. Silk can give a rich look to a room but it has to be cleaned and used very carefully. Wool is stain and soil resistant but it can shrink at times.
A new entry into this field that has quickly gained popularity is microfiber fabrics. They are durable, nice and soft to touch and easy to clean. Rayon can wrinkle easily, however the latest versions of this fabric have made it a practical choice for family use. Linen is more suited for formal environments as it wrinkles easily. There are several other fabrics also available like acetate, acrylic, olefin and polyester.
Thus there are a number of upholstery fabrics available in the market and as such, depending on our need and requirement, after considering all the merits and demerits of all the fabrics, we should chose the most appropriate fabric for our furniture.
The important factors that have to be considered while buying a fabric are- style, color, durability, thread count, fade resistance and comfort. The fabric should suit the furniture and also add to the beauty of the room, color determines if the fabric can withstand stains and also it helps in setting the mood of the room, durability is important as we would want the fabric to last for a long time, thread counts is an indicator of fabric strength and fade resistance means the fabric can withstand constant exposure to the sun without fading. These factors are critical in determining the choice of the fabric.
Cotton is a very popular choice for upholstery fabric material as it is made of natural fiber. It has the feature of durability and offers good resistance against wear and tear but it is very easy for stains to show on it and it is very difficult to clean it too. Hence, it should not be used on pieces of furniture that are frequent used.
Cotton blend is a much more sturdy fabric and is suited for everyday use. Using a stain-resistant spray on it can help protect it. The most popular and trusted choice for fabric by people all over the world is leather. It gives a classic look to the room, is easy to clean and lasts for a very long time, the only factor that could go against it is the price as leather is expensive. However if we can invest in it, it can serve us for years together.
Vinyl is a practical choice for many families as it provides all the features that leather has but on the flipside, it has an uncomfortable texture and is difficult to clean. Silk can give a rich look to a room but it has to be cleaned and used very carefully. Wool is stain and soil resistant but it can shrink at times.
A new entry into this field that has quickly gained popularity is microfiber fabrics. They are durable, nice and soft to touch and easy to clean. Rayon can wrinkle easily, however the latest versions of this fabric have made it a practical choice for family use. Linen is more suited for formal environments as it wrinkles easily. There are several other fabrics also available like acetate, acrylic, olefin and polyester.
Thus there are a number of upholstery fabrics available in the market and as such, depending on our need and requirement, after considering all the merits and demerits of all the fabrics, we should chose the most appropriate fabric for our furniture.