Types of Upholstery Fabric
Natural Fabrics
Upholstery Cleaning in Downey — Natural fabrics are produced from natural fibers which come from plants or animals.
Chenille
Chenille’s soft coating stack inspired its name — it is the French word for”caterpillar.” Its extra weft threading gives it a distinguishing nap. This casual cloth is ideal for comfortable pieces like oversized recliners, sofas, papasans, and children’s furniture, but it can also do good things with printed side seats and traditional accent seats. It may also be made from synthetics like rayon, although chenille is made of natural fibers.
Cotton
Cotton furniture upholstery is typically a blend, combining this stylish, breathable all-natural fiber using polyester, linen, nylon, etc., for added texture, durability, or resistance to wrinkling.
Jute
A natural fiber produced mostly in Bangladesh and India, jute was traditionally used for matting and rope. Though prone to wrinkling, it is a great material for contemporary rustic accent pieces such as an ottoman, adding a somewhat rougher texture that pairs well with leather or wood.
Leather
Leather upholstery may vary greatly in cost and quality, depending on its quality and therapy.
Full-grain leather: organic imperfections or marks are left undamaged, and Full-grain leather uses the entire animal conceal rather than layers. Here is the thickest leather.
Top-grain leather leather can be second in quality only to complete grain and employs the animal’s strong layers hide.
Corrected-grain leather: Corrected-grain leather has been treated to remove imperfections and then awarded an imitation grain to get a uniform look.
Leather Split leather is composed of the bottom or drop split of the hide. With bycast/bicast leather, a synthetic surface layer is laminated to the surface.
Linen
Produced from yarn, linen is an extremely strong cloth fiber. It is a fabric that offers durability and immunity that is natural to abrasion, pilling, and moths. It’s often utilized along with cotton for elasticity. Neatly tailored pieces such as parsons chairs, traditional dining seats, and tufted arm chairs offer a fantastic look for linen.
Silk
Luxurious and soft feels at home in formal settings and is best maintained to zones. Silk is backed in order to add weight and durability and comes from both synthetic and natural varieties. Sunlight can cause this fabric to fade so think strategically about where you place a lace upholstered piece.
Velvet
Velvet is a lavish woven fabric distinguished with its thick and short pile. This soft and glistening material can be produced from natural or synthetic fibers and varies in quality and type. Though comparatively hard to clean, velvet stands out for its comfort, feel, and rich color, making it a favorite alternative for dramatic pieces like traditional button-tufted headboards and earthy accent chairs.
Wool
Most wool you locate on sofas and accent chairs today is really a blend of synthetic and natural fibers. The inclusion of synthetic materials assists the fabric stand up better to wear and makes it easier to clean.
Synthetic Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics, also called engineered fabrics, are fabrics produced from fibers to natural fibers. Synthetic fabrics are more resistant to staining and fading and are far much more durable than natural fabrics.
Faux Leather
Faux leather is made from polyurethane, a more eco-friendly option to PVC or vinyl. PU is much more watertight than PVC, and it’s also degradable.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a knit blend polyester cloth that is thicker than suede and a whole lot easier to clean (just remember to dab instead of rub). This dense material is made of woven fibers, providing the aesthetic qualities of suede to durability and moisture resistance. This cloth is ideally suited to chaise lounges, sectional or convertible sofas, and casual seats in a modern style.
Nylon
A synthetic fiber, nylon is generally blended with other substances to create a strong and durable material. It’s typically easy to maintain and is not likely to wrinkling.
Olefin
Olefin is a manmade material that is produced from melting pellets. Any color is added and the threads are stitched together. Because the colours are baked in rather than added to the surface, olefin will hold its color and may be cleaned with bleaches. This durable cloth is great for upholstery.
Polyester
First introduced in the 1950s, polyester is a synthetic fabric that does its best work in tandem with materials like wool and cotton.
Rayon
This material was developed to mimic fabrics like linen and cotton. It’s commonly blended with different kinds of threads to create a blended material that’s appropriate for upholstery.
Blog
March 24, 2025
