Sofas, armchairs, and even outdoor sitting furniture are all objects that a household buys once in ten or fifteen years, sometimes more.
They’re a costly investment, frequently used, and represent the very center of the home. They ought to be high quality, comfortable, and durable.
The right choice of upholstery fabric is crucial here.
Read on to learn about the 9 best fabrics for your sitting furniture – which of them provide both style and substance and which will have you sacrifice one or the other.
1. Leather
The main pros of leather are self-explanatory. It’s an extremely high-quality material that’s durable, stain-resistant, and very easy to clean.
Not even house pets or children have a high chance of damaging it.
Plus, it looks just as expensive as it really is, which makes it perfect for luxury interiors.
On the other hand, you may want to keep a blanket nearby as leather easily gets cold or hot, depending on the weather.
2. Microfiber
Microfiber has many pros and one little con.
It’s made from a combination of polyester and nylon, both of which are highly durable and resistant synthetic fabrics.
Microfiber is simple to clean, doesn’t stain easily and it’s even water-resistant to a point!
Now, if you’re a pet parent and keep them in the house, I’d recommend you rethink microfiber. The fabric doesn’t fare so well against dust and hair.
3. Cotton
Cotton is a natural material, which alone makes it quite breathable and beneficial altogether.
It’s recommended for warmer areas, it’s very soft, comfortable and doesn’t wear easily. It’s also pretty easy to maintain.
However, should you stain your cotton sofa, you’ll have to treat the fabric and hope for the best.
4. Linen
Linen is quite similar to cotton, being a natural and breathable material.
It’s durable and can last you a long time if you’re careful. However, unlike cotton, linen wrinkles.
Because of this, it’s usually not recommended for the main couch in the house that gets a lot of traffic. Instead, get yourself a stylish linen armchair that isn’t used as often.
5. Wool
Wool is a true jackpot of a material. Not only is it eco-friendly and cruelty-free, but it gives the furniture a particularly warm, comfy, and cozy feel.
It’s also naturally cooler in the warm weather and can really warm you when it’s cold.
Wool is highly durable, doesn’t wear or stain easily, and is quite simple to maintain. The only ‘con’ is the fact that it’s quite pricey in comparison to other fabrics.
6. Tweed
Personally, I’m most interested in tweed when it comes to clothes, however, it turns out to be a great choice for furniture upholstery, too.
It’s made of wool or wool blends, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about its many qualities.
Tweed is breathable and comfortable, however, its biggest selling point is the unique look that the fabric provides.
The fabric makes for a couch that’s cozy, breathable, eco-friendly, and looks like the iconic Chanel suit. Can you ask for more?
7. Velvet
Velvet is a highly popular upholstery choice in modern luxury interiors. It’s plush, elegant, and shiny, and known for its striking trademark colors.
It’s also liquid-resistant and feels quite comfortable.
However, while a velvet sofa is stunning to look at, it’s not as durable as regular sitting furniture needs to be.
A small velvet loveseat in your entryway is ideal, but a family couch with a lot of traffic needs to be more durable, stain, and wear-resistant than velvet.
8. Polyester
Polyester is the fabric you choose when you want something durable, practical, cost-effective, and resistant to pretty much all stains and damage.
It can also make for some lovely designs, so you don’t need to sacrifice the style for the substance.
Now, polyester is a synthetic material, hence it’s not as soft as cotton or wool. And as time goes by, you may have a small pilling problem with it.
Still, that can be easily solved with proper maintenance.
9. Silk
Silk is a luxury material, known for its softness and shine. It makes for some unforgettable and elegant designs when it comes to furniture, though, it’s best in small traces.
For instance, a blend of silk and another fabric can be great, but alone it’s more or less decorative.
It wears easily and isn’t meant for the furniture that’s used all the time. Silk throw pillows or decor, on the other hand, are a great idea!