Finding the right fabric

Fabric Content

While this is not an all inclusive list of contents found in upholstery fabrics, these are the basics. Knowing the pros and cons of each will help you select the fabric for you.

NATURAL FIBERS

Natural fibers generally feature flat weaves that are ideal for prints. They are softer, and tailor well for upholstered furniture. However, being a natural product they can fade in direct sunlight, and may be susceptible to pilling.

• Cotton. Made from the cotton plant, this is soft, absorbent, and fades easily.
• Linen. Made from the flax plant, linens tend to have a lot of hard plant fibers and slubs.
• Wool. Made from animal hair, wool is warm, and not often used in upholstery.
• Silk. Made from the cocoons of silk worms, silk has strong fibers and a natural shine, but can be damaged by sunlight.
• Rayon. Also known as viscose, rayon is made from wood pulp and designed to be shiny like silk.

SYNTHETIC FIBERS

Synthetic fibers are made by extruding chemicals into fiber strands. They are more durable and (in general) more resistant to staining and fading than natural fibers. Synthetic fibers are just as likely to be susceptible to pilling, however.

• Acrylic. Very durable and often has a texture similar to wool.
• Polyester. Very durable and cleanable.
• Nylon. Stain resistant and durable.
• Olefin. Durable, but can be susceptible to pilling if used in high amounts.
• Polypropylene. Related to polyester.

Fabric Types

There are several different ways to turn yarn into fabric.

• Woven. Most fabrics are woven together on a loom. Some looms can create very intricate designs using multiple colors of yarn, like the Jacquard loom. There are also other looms, like the Dobby, that make simpler designs.
• Knit. Not many upholstery fabrics are knit (like a sweater), but sometimes fabrics are adhered to a knit backing for stability.
• Velvet. Velvets are actually created on a loom by weaving two pieces of fabric face-to-face and then cutting them apart. This creates that luxuriously soft hand.
• Non-woven. Some fabrics (like microsuedes) are not actually woven. The micro-denier (really thin) fibers are bonded together in an irregular "tangle" of fibers (like felt). Sometimes they are then adhered to a knit backing for stability.
• Print. An easy way to create any kind of design is to print it onto the surface of a pre-woven fabric. Prints are usually less expensive, but the designers are no longer limited by the looms, so they can work with some amazing colors and patterns. Unfortunately, prints are more susceptible to fading because the dyes are only on the surface of the fabric.

Pattern Types

There are a great many types of patterns in upholstery fabrics, but here are some of the more common terms.

Examples from left to right: floral, stripe, chair pattern, and a body cloth

• Body cloths are solid colors or textures generally used on the body of a sofa or sectional.
• Florals are patterns with flowers or leaves, usually done at a relatively large scale. Sometimes these are also called Jacquards.
• Paisleys are tear-drop shaped patterns and tend to be relativel ornate designs.
• Geometics heavily feature squares, circles, patchwork, and so on.
• Stripes include pinstripes, awnings, ombres, herringbones, and can be balanced or unbalanced.
• Plaids include checks, ginghams, windowpanes, and hound's tooth.
• Frames feature mirrored patterns like damasks.
• Chair patterns may include diamonds, ditsy dots, or other patterns, and are in a relatively smaller scale.
• Novelties are unusual designs such as animal skins or highly decorative designs.
• Ethnic patterns include suzani or ikat patterns.
• Prints are anything printed on top of a woven fabric. These designs can be extremely complex because they are not limited to a loom, but they can also be more suscpetible to fading as the design is not worked into the fabric itself but is only on the surface.

Quality Testing for Fabric

If you've bought fabric upholstery before, you know that the fabric is often the first thing to show signs of wear and age. Most likely, the quality and longevity of the fabric is just as important to you as the construction of the furniture itself.

Fortunately there are a number of industry standard tests that a furniture manufacturer can use to ensure that the fabrics they put on their furniture will last. At Smith Brothers, we use each of the following tests before we introduce any new fabric—though we impose much stricter threshholds than most manufacturers would allow when we determine whether a fabric passes these tests.

• The Wyzenbeek Test. This test rubs either a screen or a piece of cotton against a fabric in a "double rub" motion. The more double rubs the fabric can withstand without yarns breaking, the more durable it is.
  
• The Pilling Test. This test rubs a fabric in a circular motion, mimicking normal wear. We then give it a rating based on the amount of pilling or fuzzing that appears after the test is complete.

                                                

• Dynamic Seam Fatigue Test. This test stresses a seam sewn between two pieces of the same fabric. If the seam fails too quickly, we reinforce the seams on that particular fabric while upholstering.

                                               

By: Smith Brothers of Berne