Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of fabric.
Natural Upholstery Fabric Types
Natural upholstery fabrics refer to those woven from materials found in nature.
This includes plant fibers and materials derived from animal products.
Credit:BHG / Nez Riaz
Here are some of the most common natural fabrics used on upholstered furniture.
Cotton:This natural fiber resists wear, fading, and pilling.
It isless resistant to soiling, wrinkling, and fire.
Credit: Edmund Barr
Surface treatments and blending with other fibers often make up for these weaknesses.
Durability and use depend on the weave and finish.
Damask weaves are formal; canvas (duck and sailcloth) is more casual and durable.
Credit: Adam Albright
A stain-resistant finish, such as Scotchgard Fabric and Upholstery Protector, should be applied to furnishings used daily.
Thanks to it’s durability, leather is often a popular choice for sofas and chairs.
Linen:Linen is best suited for formal living rooms or adult areas because it soils and wrinkles easily.
Credit:John Stoffer
It also won’t withstand heavy wear.
However, linen does resist pilling and fading.Soiled linen upholsteryshould be professionally cleaned to avoid shrinkage.
Silk:This delicate fabric is only suitable for adult areas, such as formal living rooms.
It must be professionally cleaned if soiled.
Synthetic Upholstery Fabric Types
Synthetic fabrics are manufactured materials designed using chemical processes.
They are typically more durable and less expensive than natural upholstery fabrics.
Acetate:Developed as imitation silk, acetatecan withstand mildew, pilling, and shrinking.
It’s not a good choice for furniture that will get everyday use.
Acrylic:This synthetic fiber was developed as imitation wool.
It resists wear, wrinkling, soiling, and fading.
Low-quality acrylic may pill excessively in areas that receive high degrees of abrasion.
High-quality acrylics are manufactured to pill significantly less.
Microfiber:Made from polyester, this popular upholstery fabric has a velvet-like texture but is much more durable.
Nylon is very resilient; in a blend, it helps eliminate the crushing of napped fabricssuch as velvet.
It doesn’t readily soil or wrinkle, but it does tend to fade and pill.
Olefin:This is a good choice for indoor andoutdoor furniturethat will receive heavy wear.
It’s highly resistant to stains, mildew, abrasion, and sunlight.
When blended with wool, polyester aggravates pilling problems.
However, recent developments have made high-quality rayon a practical, family-friendly upholstery fabric.
Vinyl:Easy-care and less expensive than leather, vinyl fabrics are ideal for busy living and dining rooms.
Durability depends on quality.
While reupholstering an item yourself can save you hundreds of dollars,the processcan be a little tricky.
You should check that the piece’s structure is in good shape before you begin.
Here are some guides to re-upholstering to help you with your projects.
Many upholsterers have fabric swatches or books that you could look through as well.
Upholstery fabric is a fabric made for covering furniture.
It’s generally heavier and more durable than most fabrics used for clothing or bedding.
Napped fabric is a finishing process for certain fabrics.
These fabrics are teased or have the fiber ends raised and then sheared off.
The process makes these fabrics warmer and softer.
That depends on what you’re upholstering and what the furniture will be used for.
Still, high-thread-count cotton will have enough durability for less-frequently used seating in a formal dining space.
