You must be wondering what fabric should I choose for my upholstery. The choice can indeed become difficult when there are lots of different options. But the ideal upholstery is the one that is durable. This must be your factor when buying upholstery for furniture, especially if you have kids, pets, or a high-traffic place.A durable fabric will be better able to withstand wear and tear. These materials are best at resisting those pesky stains and have color fade resistance as well – the perfect long-term option. At this point, you must be asking what are the most durable fabrics for upholstery.
Why Durability Matters in Upholstery Fabrics
Upholstered furniture is not just an expense for home decor, with the right fabric, it ensures that your sofa, chair, or bed remains in the best condition for years. Durable fabrics provide a lot of functional benefits like increased longevity to withstand daily wear & tear, minus the fraying edges and color fading. Such materials also feature easy maintenance and cleaning – they also resist staining. A tough fabric can resist clawing, biting, and rough play from pets and kids.
If you are looking for Upholstery in Dubai, you need to choose the durable fabric all the more. This is because in Dubai, the climate is hot, and the lifestyle requires furniture that can resist intense heat, dust, and use.
7 Best Choices For Durable Fabrics For Upholstery
With all said and done, here are the 7 best choices for durable fabrics for upholstery. All of these fabrics have durability factors in common with other added features.
1. Leather: Timeless and Extremely Durable
Leather is one of the best and the most durable upholstery choices. It also happens to be a timeless classical choice due to its natural elegance. Its resilience to spills, pet hairs, and scratches makes it a great option for any place with kids or pets. The surface is easily cleanable; you can simply swipe off the liquid spills.
One great quality of leather is that it ages beautifully, meaning it gets a rich patina over time. If you can look past its high price tag, it’s definitely a great option for your formal living room’s Sofa Upholstery in Dubai.
2. Microfiber: Soft, Durable, and Stain-Resistant
This material is a synthetic one but it is known worldwide for being highly durable and resistant to stains. Microfiber is made from the fibers of polyester to get that suede-like texture, but very easy to take care of. The furniture upholstered with this material gives you an extremely soft and comfy sitting surface. It is resistant to stains and spills, a perfect option for a busy household. The polyester fibers in it do not wear down that easily, and neither does the color fade away quickly.
Yes, the textured surface of the fabric does make it susceptible to attracting pet hair and dust much more frequently. Also, it can absorb the oils from your skin, such as from your arms or neck. This is why cleaning microfiber furniture coverings is a bit of a hassle. Still, it’s a cost-effective option with longevity.
3. Polyester: Budget-Friendly and Durable
This furniture covering fabric is not only versatile in use but is quite an affordable choice. Low price is its 2nd strongest quality, right after being highly durable. It offers great resistance to wear & tear and blends well with other fabrics for added comfort and durability. Polyester can last as long as 10 years if properly upholstered over your furniture. Due to its synthetic nature, it also has color fade resistance and does not shrink under cold or hot washing.
All this makes cleaning polyester upholstered furniture quite easy. The two downsides of polyester are that its surface traps heat, which makes it less breathable, and it’s not as luxurious as natural fibers. However, there are blends of polyester and wool that make them perfect for Arabic Majlis Dubai.
4. Olefin: Highly Resistant to Stains and Moisture
This is another great choice for furniture upholstery if your main concern is durability. It’s made from polypropylene, which gives it strong moisture resistance and resilience to scratching and wear & tear. Olefin is mostly used to upholster outdoor furniture, but you can also use it for indoor furniture. Its tightly woven fibers give it water resistance, making staining a thing of the past. The colors are etched within the fibers, so it doesn’t fade in direct sunlight exposure. The fabric itself is built to be cost-effective and has strong resistance to daily wear & tear.
Be warned that it doesn’t feel as comfortable as other fabrics when sitting down on it. It also just serves the purpose of furniture covering because it’s not that luxurious like velvet or leather. For outdoor furniture that has high sunlight exposure, olefin is a great choice to maintain style and longevity.
5. Velvet: Surprisingly Durable with a Luxurious Feel
Velvet seems like a delicate fabric at first, but high-end velvet furniture upholstery is quite durable. It adds a soft, plush texture to your furniture, adding to your room’s elegance. Its fibers are built to resist the crushing from all the sitting, helping it stay maintained well. You can also get velvet coverings in a wide range of colors.
The only drawback we can find is that its fibers attract pet hair and dust much more than other fabrics. So, if you can take care of the maintenance end, there is no better and more sophisticated option than a synthetic blend of velvet.
6. Cotton and Linen Blends: Natural and Breathable
Cotton and linen, even individually, are great options for furniture upholstery. Both are soft fabrics that have a breathable nature with a highly durable construct. When you blend any of these two fabrics with synthetic fibers, they start to become much more durable and get resistant to wear and wrinkles. These fabrics are quite comfortable and breathable and come in a wide range of patterns and color choices. You can get them in specialized coatings to have stain resistance.
7. Wool: Naturally Resilient and Warm
Wool is a natural fabric that is known for its high durability. It offers a natural resistance to dirt and moisture. You can even have the wool blend with other fabrics to drastically improve the durability. It has a natural stain and water resistance to it. Its strong fibers are resilient to maintain their shape for a long time.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Upholstery Fabric for Your Needs
When you are selecting your upholstery fabric, you should factor in things like your room’s functions, your lifestyle, and the frequency of maintenance you can do. Whether it’s revamping your sofa upholstery, designing an Arabic majlis, or choosing the right fabric for bed covering, focus on style and functionality.
