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Upholstery Fabric
Upholstery fabric usually refers to the decorative materials and fabrics that cover your chairs and sofas. Upholstery fabrics have also been used for wall coverings. The very nature of upholstery fabrics requires a sturdiness and an ability to withstand wear and tear. When looking at decorator and designer fabrics that are intended for upholstery it is imperative that you find some method of determining your fabric's durability as well as it's beauty. On many of our high quality decorator and designer fabrics you will find a value for a Double Rub test. The higher this number is the more durable these fabrics are. Not all of our fabrics have a double rub listed. Be sure to ask us if you see a fabric you would like to use for upholstery that does not have a double rub value listed. Remember this, if one of our decorator or designer fabrics has a double rub value listed for it, then it is definitely rated for use as upholstery.
Otherwise, it may be drapery fabric suitable for curtains, pillows, table linens and more.
Drapery Fabric
Fabrics with a loose weave are translucent when you hold them up to the light, these fabrics work well for window treatments.
Natural Fabrics suitable for drapery.
- Cotton fabrics are used extensively for draperies. Cotton fibers handle abrasion and accept dye beautifully. They are also available in in many colors and prints. Cotton is capable of accepting finishes and treatments that render it shrink-resistant, stain-repellent, flameproof and water-repellent.
- Another fabric suitable for drapery is linen. Linen fibers are very strong and accept dyes and finishes well. The unevenness of linen yarns gives them a natural richness and the waxy finish of the fibers wards off dirt and adds luster. Linen fabrics are very good at holding their shape. Be aware, however, that linen wrinkles easily and needs careful cleaning. Linen is sometimes blended with cotton to make a stronger fabric that resists wrinkling much better than linen by itself.
- Wool has a natural spiral that creates air pockets that insulate against winter cold and summer heat. This characteristic and its smooth drape, make wool well suited for draperies. Wool tends to spring back to its original shape when stretched and is also more naturally resistant to sunlight than plat based natural fabrics.
Synthetic Fabrics suitable for drapery
- Rayon, the original artificial silk, is made from wood pulp. It takes dye well and has a fine drape. Rayon is blended with other fibers to decrease static electricity, improve softness and enhance dyeing. Another advantage is that Rayon is not flammable. However, this fabric is weakened by sunlight.
- Acetate also used wood pulp. It also drapes well. However, it does burn and melt readily and is also weakened by sunlight
- Polyester is able to blend well with other fibers which imparts characteristics such as wrinkle resistance, resiliency, cleanability and an ability to retain presse in pleats. When used behind glass, polyester resists degradation to sunlight.
- Acrylic fabrics can be spun to resemble natual fibers, but with added strength and lower cost. It also does not burn readily. Acrylic fabrics have good resilience and elasticity, resist mildew, moths and sunlight and hold color well.
Designer and Decorator Fabric
Whether you call this type of fabric Designer Fabric, Decorator Fabric or even Decorative Fabric, they all have a few characteristics in common. They are constructed to be durable, long lasting, color fast and heavier in weight than clothing fabric. They usually come in widths of at least 48 inches or more and are not to be confused with your normal clothing fabric. This category of fabric includes such well known names as Waverly, Stroheim, Duralee, Kravet, Robert Allen and Fabricut and is used for upholstery, slipcovers, curtains and drapery. When selecting these fabrics it is important to consider both the aesthetic properties of the fabric such as color, pattern and design as well as things like fade resistance, fire resistance, mildew resistance and so forth. Many of these factors will be determined by your climatic conditions, amount of sunlight hitting the fabric, traffic in the area of the fabric, possibility of stains, etc. Each fabric must be evaluated by your unique requirements.
