Although we always prefer replacing old furniture with a newer one, sometimes it just needs to be reupholstered. The right upholstery type can transform the entire look of your space. There is an exclusive range of colors, textures, and patterns, such as leather, cotton, silk, and linen, so be sure to consider what suits your existing interior best.
When choosing upholstery for your furniture, you should know its durability and its resistance to stains. Here we’ve got you covered with some of the natural & synthetic upholstery fabrics to help you make the right decision.
Natural Upholstery Fabrics
Some of the most common types of natural fabrics used on upholstered furniture are as follows;
- Cotton
Cotton is considered the best upholstery fabric as it offers powerful resistance to fading, wear, and pilling but is less resistant to fire, wrinkling, and soil. The durability of the fabric depends upon the finish and weaves. The most durable weaves are canvas (duck and sailcloth) and damask.
- Leather
If you want a luxurious house, leather upholstery could be the best idea. The material is tough and can be vacuumed easily using a damp cloth.
- Linen
Linen is another choice for furniture upholstery, but it can’t withstand heavy wear. However, the fabric resists fading and pilling. If it gets soiled, it will require professional cleaning to avoid shrinkage.
- Silk
Homeowners don’t choose to upholster their furniture with silk fabric as it is only suitable for adult areas. Once it gets soiled, Professional cleaning would be required.
- Vinyl
Ideal for dining rooms and busy living areas, vinyl fabric is less expensive than leather. The durability of the fabric depends upon the type of quality you choose.
- Wool
Wool fabric is highly resistant to soil, fading, pilling, and wrinkling. Durable and sturdy, the fabric is usually blended with synthetic fiber to make its cleaning easy.
Synthetic Upholstery Fabric s
Synthetic fabrics are those that have been designed through chemical processes. Unlike natural upholstery fabrics, they are typically less expensive and more durable.
- Acetate
- The first type of synthetic fabric we’re going to talk about is acetate. It can withstand pilling, mildew, and shrinking but is less resistant to soil and wrinkle. It’s considered an ideal choice for furniture upholstery as it fades with continuous sun exposure.
- Acrylic
Developed as imitation wool, the acrylic fabric resists wrinkling, wear, fading, and soiling. The fabric is usually divided into two categories: High-quality acrylics (pill significantly less) and low-quality acrylics (pill excessively).
- Microfiber
Microfiber is made from polyester, and it is the most considered fabric for upholstery. Ideal for High-use living areas as it resists stains, water, and fading.
- Nylon
Nylon, when blended with other fibers, becomes the strongest upholstery fabric. The material can’t easily get wrinkled or soil, but it tends to get the pill and fade.
- Olefin
Olefin is the best furniture upholstery fabric as it is highly resistant to mildew, stains, sunlight, and abrasion. For these reasons, olefin upholstered furniture can be used both indoors and out.
