Upholstery fabric is tightly woven fabric. The thread count is more and it
wears better. It does not wiggle or move around. It is often heavy. It is
tough, durable and do not soil or fade. It is sometimes also known as home
furnishings or decorator fabric and is usually 54 inches wide.
Upholstery fabric usually has a balanced weave, where all the yarns are
about the same size and strength. A twill weave upholstery fabric resists
wear and shows soil less than a plain weave of similar quality.
Flat-surfaced upholstery fabric shows the effect of abrasion. Pile fabrics
withstand abrasion quite well. A latex backing is often applied to the
upholstery fabric to help stabilize them. Latex forms a coating which helps
keep soil from sifting through. It prevents seam slippage. Loosely woven
upholstery fabric should have an applied backing inorder to ensure stability
and longer wear.
Types of Upholstery Fabric
Leather -Though expensive, but is a wonderful choice.
Vinyl - It is tough and easy to wipe off, but is not good at skin.
It feels cold in cool room and stick to skin in warm rooms. Polyurethane
faux is better than polyvinyl chloride faux.
Nylon - It is resilient and last longer. Stains are removed easily.
Nylon velvet is a very durable.
Cotton - It is absorbent, feels cool against skin in warm climate
and is comfortable in colder climates. Heavier-weight cottons like canvas
and denim wear well.
Linen - It is tough but wrinkles easily and tends to feel stiff. It
is expensive and needs extra care while cleaning inorder to retain its color
and shape.
Wool - It is strong and warm. It has moth problem and shrinkage
potential.
Acrylic blends - It is washable and is resilient while deterring
shrinkage. It has wooly appearance without the moth problem. Pure acrylics
tend to pill.
Polyester - It is strong, resistant to wrinkles and is attractive.
It neither stretches nor shrinks. It can pill but blend with cotton combines
the advantage of both of these fabrics.
Characteristics of Upholstery Fabric
- It is durable.
- It is easily cleanable.
- It is resistant to soil and fading.
Uses of Upholstery Fabric
- Autos
- Boats
- Furniture
- Home decoration
