Armchair Upholstery Fabric: A Practical Selection Guide

Pick out the fabric for the armchair, don’t just stare at the color

Picking sand to release is really not as simple as just looking at the color. You are actually setting the “fate” for this chair for the next few years. Think about it, a chair placed in the corner of the study where you occasionally sit and read a book, is it the same as being stepped on by bear children, scratched by cats, and exposed to the sun every day in a crowded living room? The requirements for fabric durability, color retention, and good care vary greatly between low-frequency corners and high-frequency activity areas. So before asking “what kind of material this is”, think about where this chair will be placed, who it will be for, and whether there are any pets in the house to cause trouble.

Don’t think “100% polyester” means everything

Many people have a misconception when buying cloth. They open their mouths and ask about the fiber composition, thinking that they can just figure out whether it is cotton, linen, wool or polyester. In fact, a piece of sand has at least five doors from the inside out: fiber composition, yarn shape, weaving method, surface texture and post-processing. Fiber is just the most basic raw material. Take polyester, for example. By changing the way it’s spun and woven, it can become plain weave, jacquard, or that fuzzy imitation sherpa (bouclé). Therefore, the merchant’s label “100% polyester” can only indicate the composition. It is impossible to guess whether it is wear-resistant or not and cannot pill just by looking at these words.

Incidentally, common words like bouclé (loop yarn), canvas (canvas), velvet (velvet), chenille describe what the cloth looks like and how it is woven, not the fibers themselves. For example, loop yarn has knots and loops on its surface, but it can be made from various materials; canvas is a thick plain weave fabric. Whether it can be used depends on how the fibers and weaving methods work together. Don’t be fooled by a nice name.

The sins suffered by different parts of the chair are different

The degree of wear and tear varies greatly in different parts of the chair. The seat cushion needs to be rubbed by carrying dozens of pounds of weight every day, which is the easiest to pill, wear thin or crack the seams; on the armrest side, the elbows rub against each other every day, and the outer edge is also the easiest to get dirty; as for the backrest and sides, it is much easier. Therefore, the material selection process requires staring at the “most likely to break” area. Wear resistance, pilling resistance and color fastness must be checked one by one. Don’t think that the whole chair is invincible just because a piece of cloth has a high “wear resistance index”. Wear resistance cannot replace pilling resistance.

If you are tinkering with old furniture, you will pay more attention

If you’re changing the fabric of an antique chair (Antique Chair), things get complicated. Before you start, you have to decide on a tune: Do you want to use it as a historical fabric that retains its original flavor like a cultural relic? Or do you want to find an antique piece of fabric to restore the accent of that era? Or perhaps they simply want to make this old antique usable again?

Different goals, completely different paths. If it is an original fabric with real historical value, do not remove it, wash it or dye it casually. That irreversible damage will completely destroy all traces of history. If you are looking for a replica fabric that matches the style of the era, in addition to looking at the image, you also need to check the pattern age, weave and material. Looking at it visually “like that” does not mean that it is historically accurate. If you just buy a new piece of fabric “in an antique style”, then honestly choose durability by the standards of modern furniture, and don’t let the word “retro” take you away.

Moreover, making an antique sofa (Antique Sofa) is much more troublesome than making a single chair because it is large, has many joints, and requires the right flowers. More importantly, don’t confuse “antique fabric (Antique Upholstery Fabric)” with “antique soft bag material (Antique Upholstery Material)”. The fabric is just the outermost layer of leather, while the materials also include the old lining, springs, sponges or brown pads, stitching, etc. inside. If the wooden frame inside had already loosened, the soaked cotton would have turned into powder and even become infested with insects, and the more expensive cloth on the outside would have been a flower stand. When getting old furniture, you should never just focus on the surface.

Be careful of some “pit” when looking at data

When looking at fabric parameters, don’t be silly and just focus on the numbers. For example, in the wear resistance test industry, there are two completely different test methods, Martindale (Martindale) and Wyzenbeek (Wiesenbeck). The machine grinding methods are different, and the data roots cannot be interchanged. Some businesses use ACT standards, such as dry friction color fastness level 4, wet friction level 3, or reaching level 4 (AATCC standard) after 40 hours of light exposure, but this is only the minimum reference bottom line in the laboratory. The “hours” in these indicators are not the same as the actual number of years they can be used at home.

Remember one thing: wear resistance, pilling, snagging, seam tension-these are all matters to each other. Moreover, no matter how good the laboratory data is, when it is actually made into a sofa, the tailor’s craftsmanship, what kind of filling is stuffed in it, and even your usual sitting posture will affect its final lifespan. When taking the parameters, Shun asked: Which batch does this data correspond to and how was it measured?

Understand the cleaning code and decide how you will serve it in the future

Cleaning codes are a must-see when buying cloths. W means you can use water-based cleaning agents, S means you have to use solvents like dry cleaning, WS means both. If you encounter X, you will have to vacuum it or pay a professional team.

But don’t be naive. Just because you have a code doesn’t mean the dirty stuff will wash out, and it doesn’t mean you can just pick it up and throw it in the washing machine. I usually vacuum quickly, dry it quickly if I spill water, and try to wipe the invisible corners when I encounter stains. These good habits are more effective than any fairy fabric.

Before paying for the order, plate the bottom again

The last step is to check the specifications and pay the money. For a reliable piece of sand to be released, the specification sheet must at least include the composition ratio, weaving method, door width, weight, batch color number, front and back distinction, and what post-processing has been done. If you choose one with plush direction (such as velvet), stripes or jacquard pattern, make sure to check the cutting direction. This will not only affect the appearance of the patchwork, but will also directly determine how much rice cloth you want to buy.

Finally, let me tell you the truth: if you have the conditions, you must get a sample back. Place it in the natural light of your home to see the color, and feel the thickness and feel. The rollover rate is too high when you just stare at the photos that have been edited on the screen.

To put it bluntly, choosing fabric for an armchair is about finding a piece of fabric that is most suitable for your lifestyle. Only by understanding the usage scenario, thoroughly touching the material base, and understanding the parameters and cleaning requirements can the cloth you pick out really stay with you for a long time and become more and more pleasing to the eye.