Choosing the Right Sofa Fabric for Your Home

Choosing the Right Fabric

April 9, 2021

Choosing the fabric for your new sofa is a big decision- being that it’s a piece that you’ll likely keep in your home for a substantial period. You want it to fit in perfectly with your home and life. To ensure you pick the right upholstery for your lifestyle, read on to determine what factors you should consider in terms of durability. Knowing these factors will help you in your search for home furniture in Lafayette.

Consider the purpose that your new sofa will serve and which room of your home it will sit in. Will it occupy a quiet home office or a living room where you plan to entertain? Do you have children and or pets that will be on the sofa frequently? All of these are questions you’ll want to consider when picking out the fabric for your sofa.

Natural vs. Synthetic

There are two basic types of fabrics to consider, natural and synthetic. Natural upholstery fabrics refer to those woven from materials found in nature, including plant fibers and materials derived from animal products. Synthetic fabrics are artificial materials designed using chemical processes. They are typically more durable and less expensive than natural upholstery fabrics.

High Durability

Those who intend to entertain, have children or pets, durable, easy-to-wash fabrics will suit you well. If a guest spills red wine or one of the kids or pets has an accident, you’ll be able to wash it as needed, unlike more demanding fabrics.

If you have pets, natural blends and fluffy textures are a great option, but the natural fabrics are likely to cause your allergies to flare up if you are an allergy sufferer. Long natural fibers are perfect depositories for dust, dirt, and pet hairs. So, if you have a sensitivity or allergy, smooth, synthetic blends will be a better choice.

Here are few examples of natural and synthetic durable, easy-to-wash upholstery.

Natural Fabrics

Cotton Blend: Cotton blends can be sturdy, family-friendly fabrics depending on the weave. A stain-resistant finish should be applied for everyday use.

Vinyl: Easy care and less expensive than leather, vinyl fabrics are ideal for busy living and dining rooms. Durability depends on quality.

Leather: This tough material can be gently vacuumed, damp-wiped as needed, and cleaned with leather conditioner or saddle soap. It’s important to note that the sofa should be authentic genuine leather to avoid scratches and punctures from pets. 100% genuine leather is too thick and tough for their nails to puncture through the fabric, while faux or recycled leather is much thinner and more likely to be scratched or punctured.

Wool: Sturdy and durable, wool and wool blends offer good resistance to pilling, fading, wrinkling, and soil. Generally, wool is blended with synthetic fiber to make it easier to clean and reduce the possibility of felting the fibers. Blends can be spot-cleaned when necessary.

Synthetic Fabrics

Olefin: This is a good choice for furniture that will receive heavy wear. It’s highly resistant to stains, mildew, abrasion, and sunlight, so that it can be used both indoors and out.

Microfiber:  This popular upholstery fabric made from polyester has a velvet-like texture but is much more durable. It resists water, stains, and fading, so it’s excellent for high-use living areas.

Low Durability, High Luxury

If you intend for your sofa to be in a low-traffic room like an office or library, you can have a luxurious fabric that will not require frequent cleaning. Bear in mind that they are likely to need a professional clean at some point. The thread count does matter when it comes to luxury fabrics: the higher the thread count, the better, and the longer your sofa covers will last.

Here are a few natural and durable synthetic fabrics for your luxurious sofa.

Natural Fabrics

Cotton: This natural fiber provides good resistance to wear, fading, and pilling. It is less resistant to soil, wrinkling, and fire.

Linen: Linen is best suited for formal living rooms or adult areas because it soils and wrinkles easily. It also won’t withstand heavy wear. However, linen does resist pilling and fading. It would be best if you professionally cleaned soiled linen upholstery to avoid shrinkage.

Silk: This delicate fabric is only suitable for adult areas, such as formal living rooms. It must be professionally cleaned if soiled.

Synthetic Fabrics

Acetate:  Acetate was developed as imitation silk and can withstand mildew, pilling, and shrinking. However, it offers only fair resistance to soil and tends to wear, wrinkle, and fade in the sun. It’s not a good choice for furniture that will tough everyday use.

Rayon: Rayon was developed as an alternative to silk, linen, cotton, and rayon. It’s durable, but it does wrinkle. However, recent developments have made high-quality rayon very practical as a family-friendly upholstery fabric.

Whether you plan to have a plush sofa or a couch that needs to sustain a lot of wear and tear, Albarado’s Fine Furnishing has a huge collection of sofas and chairs in Lafayette, LA, that will make it easy to find one to suit your personal preferences. The staff is here to help you find the best couch for your lifestyle. Contact us today or stop by our showroom to find your perfect couch!