Fabric and Materials Guide for Furniture
A general purpose guide for all fabrics. In this guide, we'll review the most common materials used in furniture.
Are you wondering how particular fabrics stack up against one another? Search the fabric you're looking and we'll show you properties about the fabric like strain resistance, durability, and more. We hope this helps you pick the right material for your new furniture!
Acrylic
This is a 100% synthetic fiber. It's used in a lot of outdoor furniture (like Sunbrella).
How is it made? It's made from synthetic polymer known as acrylonitrile. This is a type of plastic.
Properties:
- Easy to clean
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
- UV resistant
Blends
There are almost too many types of blends to cover in a single guide, so we'll cover the most common ones.
Cotton/Polyester Blends Receives the comfort benefits of cotton with the durability of polyester. It's also more affordable.
Polyester/Acrylic Blends This blend makes it less likely to overheat when sitting on. The addition of polyester also helps with pilling and shrinkage.
Cotton
Cotton is a natural fiber derived from cotton plants. Its use in furniture became popular after the cotton gin, but it's been used since 3000 B.C.
How is it made? It starts with a seed which turns into a cotton plant. From there, it's processed with a cotton gin and cleaned. They take the extracted cotton fibers and weave yarns from them.
Properties:
- Breathable
- Soft
Considerations
- Not stain resistant
- Not UV resistant
- Wrinkles easily
Note: Blending this fiber with another can change the properties and considerations.
Jute
Jute is a natural fiber extracted from plants in the genus Corchorus. Often used in baskets, rugs, and cabinets.
How is it made? There are two main Jute plants that the fiber is extracted from. Both are within the genus Corchorus. Fibers are bundled together and immersed in slow running water. Afterwards, producers strip non-fibrous material and sell the fibers from within the Jute stem.
Properties:
- Anti-static
- Biodegradable
- Scratch resistant
Considerations:
- Not stain resistant
- Not UV resistant
- Spot clean only
Leather
Leather is made from tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides.
How is it made? First, the hide is prepared. Then it goes through a tanning process where the proteins in the hide are stabilized. Finally, it's completed with crusting. This process helps to thin and lubricate the leather. There are optional finishing steps depending on the furniture needs which includes oiling, brushing, coating, polishing, glazing, and tumbling.The grade of the leather is determined by which layer of hide is used.
Common uses in furniture: Seating upholstery (Couches, sectionals, lounge chairs, etc.)
**Properties:**
- Semi stain resistant
Considerations:
- Not breathable
- Not stain resistant
- Not UV resistant
- Patina (color) can change over time
- Spot clean only
Linen
This is a 100% synthetic fiber. It's used in a lot of outdoor furniture (like Sunbrella).
How is it made? It's made from synthetic polymer known as acrylonitrile. This is a type of plastic.
Properties:
- Easy to clean
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
- UV resistant
Olefin
A fiber made from polypropylene.
How is it made? See the polypropylene production process described below. Afterwards, the melted material is run through a spinneret to turn it into a thread. That thread is then spun into a yarn used in fabrics.
Common uses in furniture: Seating upholstery
Properties:
- Recyclable
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
Considerations:
- Sensitive to heat and sunlight
Polyester
A synthetic woven fiber made from a chemical known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
How is it made? There are quite a few ways of making polyester. For fabric production, the process starts by polymerization of petroleum-derived ethylene glycol and purified terephthalate acid. This melts down to produce PET. It's then pushed through spinneret to form semi-crystalline fibers which are sometimes chemically treated to create polyester fabric.
Common uses in furniture: Used with all sorts of furniture upholstery. It's also commonly woven with other fabrics like cotton.
Properties:
- Scratch resistant
- Semi UV resistant
- Stain resistant
- Moisture-wicking
- Wrinkle resistant
Considerations:
- Coarse texture
- Not biodegradable
- Retains heat
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer. In short, it's a type of plastic.
How is it made? There are quite a few methods for creating polypropylene. All of those methods use some sort of heat and pressure in the presence of a catalyst for polymerization. Once that phase is complete, it's then melted down and molded into the form sold for commercial use (like a chair).
Common uses in furniture: Chairs, tables, and lots of outdoor furniture.
Properties:
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
Considerations
- Not biodegradable
- Not UV resistant
Rattan
Rattan is a natural fiber derived from a family of climbing palms.
How is it made? This fiber is primarily found in the tropics. Harvesters climb up the palms, cut them down, and bring them to a factory where they are cleaned and bleached. Then the rattan poles are processed to make furniture.
Common uses in furniture: Baskets, chairs, cabinets, and rugs. Often associated with Boho styled furniture.
Properties:
- Biodegradable
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
- UV resistant
Considerations:
- Coarse material
Wool
Wool is a fiber derived from the shearing the fleece of a sheep.
How is it made? Each year, sheep farmers shear their sheep. The wool is then cleaned before being carded. In the carding process, the wool fibers get pulled through fine metal teeth which helps straighten the fibers and made the softer. Finally, the wool is spun into a yarn.
Common uses in furniture: Seating upholstery and rugs.
Properties:
- Moisture wicking
- Heat retention
Considerations:
- Can be coarse
- Pilling