Choosing the right kind of material for your upholstery can be difficult without proper knowledge about it. However, if you know the properties and categories that lie within upholstery fibers, things might get easier for you. The Upholstery materials can be divided into two broad categories, the natural upholstery fabrics which occur naturally, and the synthetic fibers which are made by man, combining one or two different fabrics. There are certain properties that natural fibers-cotton, linen, and silk lack in themselves and thus synthetic fibers are developed to get something better with the desired characteristics.
In this blog, we’ll share some best suitable natural and synthetic fiber options for your upholstery work.
- Cotton: Cotton, as many people must be aware or may have an idea about, cotton has been one of the most popular natural fiber for upholstery work. Cotton fiber has been in use since ages for every kind of upholstery work. The flexibility to draw cotton fibers in any color and design makes it one of the most suitable fibers for making upholstery. However, despite all its benefits, cotton has certain drawbacks like cotton is highly flammable, with continuous use cotton upholstery will wrinkle, and even you know cotton will fade.
- Wool: The second in the list of best upholstery materials is wool. Wool which is often used for woolen but very few people know that good upholstery can be made of wool. Wool that is made from sheep fur, is most widely used for upholstery work in areas that have a cold climate. Wool is soft fabric and provides the warm feel for people living in the areas with colder climatic areas. However, like cotton, even wool as a fiber for upholstery has certain flaws. Woolen upholstery is very difficult to clean, and due to continuous exposure to the sun, it can get faded. Furthermore, woolen upholstery lures moths towards them which damage the woolen fabric and it’s not easy to keep them safe.
- Leather: The most expensive upholstery is made from leather. The leather is kind of expensive to obtain because leather is made from animal hide but leather upholstery is the most durable and stylish of all upholsteries. Due to the classic look that it gives to the upholstery, leather is the most demanded material for upholstery. However, the repairing cost of leather upholstery is higher, compared to the other fibers and also the most difficult to maintain.
- Nylon: Nylon is a synthetic fiber that is made from monomers, which is one of the elements of the plastic family. Nylon is also a popular material for upholstery work, especially due to the durability factor and the attractive look that it gives to the upholstery. One more additional advantage that nylon has over natural fibers like cotton and wool is that nylon is stain resistant to a great extent and it’s easy to clean a nylon upholstery. But, like the natural fibers, nylon can fade away or get damaged after continuous exposure to the sun.
- Polyester: The most suitable synthetic fabric for upholstery work is popular due to its dependability, durability, and the attractive look that it provides. Not just that, polyester is a blended fabric which has both the characteristics of the natural and synthetic fiber. Also, polyester is resistant to mildew, fiber damaging moths, hard to remove stains, plus, it’s easy to clean a polyester upholstery.