2021/07/07 15:03:57
Upholstery Fabric Trends 2021: Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Furniture
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Furniture is a sum of many parts. There’s the wood for structure and support, the cushion for padding and comfort, the furniture paint job and vanish for the appearance, and the fabric to hold everything up and give the furniture that complete look. Upholstery fabric is what sells the furniture, the piece could have everything else right, but if it fails on the fabric front, it is most likely to be ignored. This underlines how important furniture fabric is.
We are going to look into furniture fabric, what it is, why it matters on the bigger scale of things., the factors that one has to pay attention to when selecting it, the types that exist, the fabric trends. If you are a furniture enthusiast who has been looking to learn more about fabrics and how they fit into the whole setup, then stick around and learn a thing or two.
What is Furniture Fabric?
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Also called furniture upholstery, this is the work of providing all types of furniture with different types of cover that comes in the form of padding, seats, webbing, fabric, leather, strings, among many others. Upholstery is what makes it possible for furniture to be usable since most of the other parts simply provide support and structure.
Upholstery dates back to the 18th century where its use began to gain traction in London when some furniture makers started experimenting with different types of materials to make seats and couches more comfortable and stylish. This trend suddenly picked on quickly and started spreading to other parts of the world, and that is what has transformed the furniture industry into the behemoth that it is today.
Types of Furniture Upholstery
There are countless types of furniture upholstery used around the world; most styles are influenced by geographic locations and the cultures in those regions. But on a broader scale, they can be split into two main categories discussed in detail below.
Natural Fabrics
These are fabrics that are made from natural resources from plants and animals; they are not artificially produced from scratch. They are the oldest forms of fabrics dating back to the early 18th century and are mostly associated with luxury furniture. Natural Fabrics are further divided into several mini-categories in the following ways.
Leather
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Leather is the most commonly used type of furniture upholstery and is associated with luxury furniture. It is also among the most expensive due to the process it takes to make them and the durability it packs. Leather furniture is also known to be very comfortable and hard to damage unless you deliberately choose to mishandle it. It gives any interior space a grand and expensive look and feels.
Pros
● Easy to maintain when it comes to cleaning as it is usually smooth. All it takes is a simple wipe by a wet cloth, and all the dirt is taken care of immediately. Most are also coated with an anti-spillage coat that stops liquids from being absorbed.
● Leather is highly durable; depending on how well you use and maintain it, you could go ten years without as much as a scratch on any part. This means that the value doesn’t depreciate that much if you ever choose to re-sell it.
● Leather can be designed using any type of color, and this increases the options that people can choose from. Once the color is set, it never fades off easily unless you expose the furniture to direct sunlight for too long.
Cons
● It is harder compared to other fabrics; the comfort may not be that good when compared to something like cotton or wool.
● Most leather surfaces are tanned, and this leads to cracks manifesting and which can disfigure the appearance.
● Leather upholstery is very expensive
Wool
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Wool is another popular natural fabric that is derived from sheep and is used to provide padding for most furniture pieces. It is widely available and easy to process compared to other natural fabrics and is extremely comfortable, warm and soft. Wool fabric is mainly used for big couches that can support heavy people as it can be compressed and still revert back to its original form without sustaining any damage.
Pros
● It is widely available and easy to process
● It is fire and water-resistant
● It is eco-friendly and can be combined well with sustainable furniture pieces
● Wool is highly durable
● It is resistant to mildew and mold
● It never fades
It doesn’t wrinkle and reverts back to its original shape quickly
Cons
● It is expensive
● It produces a lot of lint
Cotton
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Cotton is derived from the cotton plant and has been used for a variety of roles for centuries, with furniture being the biggest beneficiary. It is the most durable natural fiber around and it makes for great padding for couches and other forms of furniture. Cotton can also be transformed into any design and used with any color. It also comes in varying grades depending on your budget.
Pros
● Very natural and eco-friendly
● It can be dyed with any type of color
● It is comfortable and soft, ideal for padding
● It is highly breathable
● It is durable with the right maintenance routine
● It is free of pilling
● Resistant to abrasion and scratches
● It is hypoallergenic, making it ideal for people who are sensitive
Cons
● It wrinkles easily
● It gets stained too easily
● It soaks up liquids too fast
Silk
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Silk is the most luxurious and the most expensive natural upholstery around. It is produced by silkworms, a process that takes a very long time, and this is what leads to the high prices as it is a rare material. Silk is known and loved for its softness and a rich shine that transforms everything it is used on into a rich end product.
Pros
● Very durable when well maintained
● It has a very luxurious look and feels
● It can be designed in a variety of colors, designs, and patterns
● It retains its shape well without creasing
Cons
● Silk is extremely expensive
● It requires dry-cleaning since it is delicate
● It is not suitable for rough furniture
● It doesn’t work well in houses with pets and children
● It can be damaged when exposed to direct sunlight for long
● It is vulnerable to fading, and it isn’t resistant to spills
Linen
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Linen is another widely used natural fiber that is derived from the flax plant. It is cheap to produce and use, and this is why it is widely used by many furniture manufacturers around the globe. It can also be combined with synthetic materials to further strengthen it for better fabrics.
Pros
● Linen has a comfortable and alluring texture
● It strong and durable
● It is the most affordable natural upholstery
● It doesn’t pill
● Abrasion-resistant
● It has a natural luster and sheen that gives it an elegant look
● It is resistant to mildew and mold
● It doesn’t fade
● It can be washed with water without getting damaged
● It is eco-friendly
Cons
● It is prone to wrinkling
● It gets dirty too easy
● It can’t handle rough use
● You need professional cleaning to avoid shrinking
Jute
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Jute is another plant extract that was popularised in Bangladesh where it was commonly used to make mats and ropes in the past. The material has been adapted for furniture where it is used as fabric with an unrivaled aesthetic appeal. However, owing to the complicated process it takes to make furniture ready, it is not commonly used in furniture circles.
Pros
● It adds a natural touch to furniture
● It is the best material for making unique looking furniture
● It works well with other fabrics like leather
Cons
● It is prone to wrinkling
● The process of making it is complicated and hard
● It turns yellow when exposed to direct sunlight
● It becomes weak when exposed to moisture
Synthetic Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics were invented as a cheaper and more readily available alternative to natural fabrics, which tend to be costly and complicated to make. Most of the synthetic fabrics are derived from plastic and other man-made materials that can be quickly made in the lab or a factor. The following are some common types of synthetic upholstery used for furniture.
Polyester
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Polyester is the most commonly used synthetic upholstery that is made using microfiber. It comes in so many colors and textures that make furniture look unique and different when compared to other materials. It may not be as strong as leather, but seats made using this material have that exotic and expensive-looking feel that can transform any kind of space into a classy one.
Pros
● It is comfortable and soft to touch
● It is easy to clean any furniture that uses polyester as the upholstery
● It dries very quickly in the event of a spillage
● It is scratch and abrasion-resistant
● It is slightly breathable and doesn’t absorb smells
Cons
● Polyester cracks easily if subjected to extreme conditions like heat or cold
● It is tensile and stretches over time to create a very ugly look
● It is flammable
Olefin
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Olefin is a by-product of petroleum and is a very durable material that is suited for furniture used in homes that have pets and rough children. It can withstand any kind of rough treatment, and that's a respite that many houses that have huge families will truly appreciate. Olefin has the look and the feel of wool, and they could easily be passed for each other. Olefin is one of the longest-lasting upholstery in the market and cheaper than natural ones.
Pros
● It is water-resistant
● It is resistant to chemicals and fire
● Stain-resistant couch
● It doesn't fade easily
● It can accommodate all types of colors and dyes
Cons
● It is vulnerable to heat, direct sunlight, and oil
● Its use is limited
● It doesn’t deal well with oil-based stains
● It can become brittle when left in the sunlight for too long
Rayon
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This is a semi-synthetic fiber that offers a high level of comfort and feels almost the same as silk. It is actually easy to mistake it for silk until they are placed side by side for comparison. It is not as durable as natural fabrics, but it does get the job done as far as looks are concerned, and sometimes, that’s all that matters.
Pros
● It is cheap
● It is comfortable and soft
● It is resistant to mildew and mold
● Some newer versions are very durable
● It looks very good
Cons
● It doesn’t maintain its form for long
● It scratches too easily
● It wrinkles too fast
● It gets deformed by water
Acetate
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Acetate is another popular synthetic upholstery that was made in an attempt to imitate silk as it has a similar shine and luster. Having this as fabric for your furniture would transform your house in ways that most of the other types of fabric cannot. It may not be as strong but sometimes, the end justifies the means.
Pros
● It is resistant to moisture
● It has a lustrous and shiny appearance
● It is resistant to pilling
● It is cheap
● It keeps mold and mildew at bay
Cons
● It is weak
● Wrinkles way too fast
● It can only be maintained through dry cleaning
● It is not designed for everyday use
● It stains easily, and it is hard to get it off
● It is prone to scratches
● It lacks elasticity
Acrylic
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This is another loved upholstery that imitates natural wool in both appearance and texture. Acrylic is easy to make and can blend well with all kinds of colors to create unique variations. Another reason why this material is used heavily is the fact that it can be recycled, reducing the damage that most plastic materials inflict on the ecosystem.
Pros
● It is soft
● Easy to clean
● It dries pretty fast
● It can be combined with several colors
● It can withstand direct sunlight, making it ideal for outdoor furniture
Cons
● It develops pilling
● It melts when exposed to direct flames
● People tend to be allergic to acrylic
Velvet
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Velvet is among the most beautiful fabrics you can use for furniture as it has this elegant look that even rivals that of silk. It can be turned into any color without losing its lustrous shine, and it is extremely soft to touch, making it the ideal material to use on expensive living furniture pieces. Using velvet will always transform the interior space on the spot.
Pros
● Luxuriously soft
● Looks royal and elegant
● It reflects light in the most amazing way
● It can be dyed with just about any color
● It has insulation properties
Cons
● Cleaning velvet is complicated
● It is very expensive
● Durability depends on the use
● It is only ideal for formal furniture, not the kind to use in homes that have kids and pets
Why Furniture Upholstery Fabric Is Important to Consumers
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Looking at the many types of sofa fabric that exist, it is easy to start wondering why the hype. The fact of the matter is that upholstery is what makes furniture usable; without it, all you have is a wooden skeleton that can’t do much for you. The following are reasons why furniture fabric is very important to consumers.
● Comfort: Fabric is what makes the furniture usable. The frames need cushions, and the cushions have to be held in place and covered by upholstery. The type you choose to go with is what will determine the level of comfort. Some fabrics offer softness and warmth that make relaxation easy. You also have to be aware of the suppleness of the fabric; it has to support your body weight without causing any discomfort in any way.
● Care: The ability of furniture to stay for long and maintain that sleek look depends on the fabric. The higher the quality, the easier the maintenance and vice versa. Consumers are more concerned with fabric that’s able to resist scratches, heat, water, and any other element that may damage it. The upholstery should not stretch after a few uses, either.
● Color and Patterns: Upholstery provides furniture owners with an opportunity to use any patterns and colors they like. Most of the fabrics used for furniture are compatible with all kinds of dyes, and this makes it easy for beautiful patterns and color combinations to be used to further enhance the aesthetics of the furniture.
● It Determines the Cost: The cost of wood furniture is determined by a combination of several parts, the first one being the quality of the wood or the material used to make the skeleton and the fabric used to cover up the skeleton. Depending on the type of fabric used, it could range from very expensive like silk and velvet to affordable like linen and polyester.
● Style: Upholstery is what determines the style of the space that the furniture will be used in. Things like the color to go within the house are usually determined by the color and design of the furniture that is to be brought into the house. This is how furniture fabric is very important to buyers because it forms the basis of the style they will be going with.
Choosing the Right Furniture Fabric: Things to Consider
Fabric is everything to furniture. It is the equivalent of a dress or a suit. It determines how classy or how cheap the furniture piece will look like. Therefore, when it comes to selecting the upholstery for your furniture, there are some factors that you have to keep in mind in order to find what fits your needs sufficiently.
Budget
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This is a big one. Furniture fabrics are distinguished by their quality, and this is further separated by the price. It ranges from the most expensive, like velvet and silk to the cheapest, like linen and polyester. Each of these has its own qualities that are desirable to each financial group. If you have the funds, then you should consider going for something classy like velvet, but you have to know the limits of what you can do with that.
The Household
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Depending on the nature of the household taking in the furniture upholstery, there are some fabrics that cannot simply survive where kids and pets exist. Some fabrics cannot withstand scratches from cats and dogs, they cannot survive liquid spillage, something that is common in a house full of kids. If you have this kind of household., you are better off going for tougher fabrics. Luxurious fabrics like velvet and silk should be limited to houses where furniture is not used too much.
Allergies
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Are you allergic to some of these fabrics? There is a good number of people who begin swelling and hyperventilating when they come into contact with some fabrics used for furniture. Figure out what you are allergic to and avoid them completely to be on the safe side. Fortunately for most allergic people, there are some materials that are neutral and can be used by anyone. This increases their pool of options.
Ease of Maintenance
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At some point, furniture has to be cleaned and the type of fabric used will determine the nature of cl3aning. Some fabrics only need a simple wipe with a wet towel, and they are back to being clean. Then there are some that shrink up badly once they come into contact with water. Then there are some that are so high maintenance that you have to use dry cleaning services to clean them. The question you have to ask yourself here is simple, how far are you willing to go for your furniture fabric.
Durability
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Everybody wants to have furniture that will last them years since they don’t come cheap. The same applies to the upholstery. Each is made using different materials that have different tensile strengths. Some can withstand direct sunlight, and some melt when they are in close proximity to heat. You need to figure out if you want something that will last you for years or a temporary option that you can replace within a year or two.
Appearance
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This encompasses the color, the patterns, and design of the fabric. The good thing about all fabrics used for furniture is that they are compatible with all types of dyes,, and this makes it easy for different furniture upholstery styles to be created from the same material. You need to figure out the colors and patterns that appeal to your taste and go with that and use that to also decide how the interior design setup of the house would be.
Resistance
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A good furniture fabric should have several forms of resistance against some natural elements that usually affect furniture and everything associated with it. It has to be resistant to sunlight, to fading, to moisture and liquid spillage, to mold and mildew and to heat. Find a fabric that is able to withstand these kinds of elements, and you will have furniture that will last you for ages.
2021 Upholstery Fabric Trends
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Trends keep changing every year as far as furniture fabrics are concerned. New styles come up and die the next day to be replaced with better ones. 2021 is another year that holds a promising array of furniture trends that are going to take the world by storm.
There is a gradual move towards the use of eco-friendly alternatives to upholstery as the world becomes more concerned with the wellness of the environment. There will be more innovative creations in the future that will replace the synthetic fabrics that are derived from plastic and the likes. This will include the use of plant-based materials, pending the research being carried around the world.
The use of multicolored fabrics is also on the rise as more people are switching from using single-color fabrics towards more creative options. Getting this has always been a challenge, but that is changing now as people are now able to try out their creative sides without any fear.
The use of pronounced corners in furniture designs has also changed the way upholstery is used, and this has opened a new door for people to try out things that have never been seen before. This doesn’t just affect the fabrics, but the best hoses are designed since furniture has to fit into the space available.
Conclusion
Fabric is what makes furniture, and the types of materials that can be used for this role are unlimited, with new ones being created every day. When it comes to anything to do with furniture, caution and diligence have to be exercised considering how expensive they are. For more information on furniture upholstery and how they are designed, and where to find the best one in the market, check out our website at any time of the day.
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2023/06/07 08:11