Friday, December 8, 2023
The natural fabrics are cotton, linen and silk. Jacquard is a fabric having woven patterns such as tapestries, brocades, and damasks. Jacquard designs may be simple or very elaborate. Chambray is a lightweight plain weave cotton fabric similar to denim. Chambray is woven on a colored warp with white fill yarns. Acrylic resists wear, wrinkling, soiling, and fading. A piece of furniture covered in chenille upholstery fabric will still look new in 10 years, depending on how well you take care of it. Upholstery is the art of providing furniture with padding and covering generally in the form of upholstery fabric. Polyester is a manufactured fiber that is resistant to stretching and shrinking. It is also quick drying, wrinkle resistant, and strong. Depending on the weave, cotton blends can be sturdy, family-friendly fabrics. A stain-resistant finish should be applied for everyday use. Wool blends can be spot-cleaned when necessary. Linen upholstery fabric is another plant derived fiber, and shares many similarities with cotton. Silk has a very soft hand and can be woven into nubby informal textures and shimmering paper-thin sheets. Nylon doesn’t readily soil or wrinkle, but it does tend to fade and pill. Cotton is a fiber that grows out of a plant and is woven in many forms. Cotton is a popular plant based fiber that is used extensively for many kinds of upholstery fabric. Olefin is a good choice for furniture that will receive heavy wear; however, it lacks the pliability and movement that natural fibers offer. Consider the luxuries of silk upholstery fabric and its gorgeous appeal. Rarely used alone, nylon is usually blended with other fibers to make it one of the strongest upholstery fabrics. Avoid delicately colored upholstery fabrics around children and pets. i.e. White is going to appear dirty fast. Spandex is a manufactured fiber known for its high elasticity. When blended with wool, polyester can cause pilling. This natural fiber provides good resistance to wear, fading, and pilling. It is less resistant to soil, wrinkling, and fire. Velvet is a short, dense, cut-pile woven fabric with a luxurious feel and appearance. Polyamide is a manufactured fiber that is a type of nylon. Polyamide is known for its exceptional strength, elasticity, and luster. Consider the size of the pattern on the piece of upholstery fabric. Consider whether it is appropriate for the size of the furniture it is covering, as well as the room size. Upholstering for specific uses, such as in automobiles and boats, generally has a narrower set of upholstery fabric options. Upholstery fabrics are usually a little heavier and more durable than multi-purpose or drapery-weight fabrics. A large bold upholstery fabric pattern might work better in a larger room, while a smaller pattern might be a happier choice for a smaller space. Ideally, upholstery fabric should compliment your room’s decor and the furniture itself while also proving practical for your needs. When executed properly, a mix of fabrics can be beautiful. The challenge is to find a few fabrics with a common thread that ties the combination together. Acrylic fibers are also man made and include such brand names as Orlon, Acrilan, Dolan and Dralon. Cotton is a fabric or yarn made from cotton fibers that have been obtained from the seed pod of the cotton plant. It is soft, breathable, and the most widely used natural fiber. Faux Suede is a fabric woven with a nap to resemble suede. Today’s faux suede is primarily made of microdenier polyester. Although it requires an investment, having an extra set of drapery, slipcovers and pillow covers allows you to adapt your interior design to the changing seasons. What type of upholstery fabric should you choose? Jacquard is a heavier fabric that tends to be multicolored and used for upholstery, as well as drapery. The attractiveness of the napped suede look has lead to microsuede gaining in popularity in upholstery fabric applications, replicating the feel of real suede and adding stain resistance and durability, in addition to lower costs. Small or dimly lit rooms benefit from the use of plain fabrics, vertically striped fabrics or fabrics with a small motif. Backing is a sprayed coating or another layer of fabric applied to the back of fabric. A backing may be needed to give the face fabric more body or to make it more appropriate for upholstery.