What you need to know before choosing upholstery fabric

The purpose of upholstery fabric for furniture is to provide protection, texture, and life to your furniture. Choosing the right fabric for your furniture piece is like choosing the right clothing pieces for an outfit. You want the fabric to feel nice and comfortable, yet durable and long-lasting. Much like clothing, upholstery fabric can also reflect your personal style and should match your current lifestyle as much as possible.

So, what is the best fabric for upholstery? The best fabrics for upholstery can all depend on what you’re looking for in a fabric. If you are searching for the best fabric for a sofa (previously leather upholstery fabric), we would recommend our stain- and liquid-resistant fabric options. But if you want something bold and luxurious, we would showcase our more fashionable fabrics. With Living Designs Furniture’s endless selection of fabric colors and materials, you can choose and customize your custom upholstery fabric to suit your needs and your style!

Types of upholstery fabric for furniture

Performance fabric

What is performance fabric? Performance fabric is a material that has been manufactured to be both durable and easy to clean, making it an ideal choice for upholstery fabric. Popular performance fabrics are made out of synthetic materials including polyester fabrics, olefin fabric, and acrylic fabric. These particular fabrics are treated with solutions that are moisture-wicking and anti-absorbent so that they can stay cleaner for longer.

Crypton fabric

If you are looking for the most durable upholstery fabric on the market, we would like to introduce you to Crypton fabric. Crypton is engineered to be virtually indestructible with enhanced abrasion resistance and features an impenetrable moisture barrier, resulting in a fabric that will always stay clean and will last a lifetime. This fabric feels just as lush and luxurious as any other high-end fabric and comes in thousands of color options to choose from. You won’t need to sacrifice style for quality with Crypton fabric.

waterproof fabric

Natural fiber fabric

Rayon fabric, wool fabric, and cotton fabric are natural fiber fabrics that are well-known for their ability to keep their structure. For example, a cotton fabric sofa could be very beneficial for folks who live in hot temperatures and need a fabric that is cool, comfortable, and long-lasting. Wool fabric is breathable, moisture repellent, resistant to mildew and mold, and has great temperature regulation. Rayon fabric is a great option for families who need a wrinkle-resistant fabric that will withstand many family movie nights. These fabrics are typically on the more affordable side and are easy to come by.

white sofa

Luxury fabric

If your furniture pieces are meant to be more decorative than functional — for example, a chaise — then you may want to consider silk fabric or velvet fabric to give your pieces a luxurious and trendy look. Silk and velvet fabrics are considered natural blends that are, unfortunately, very expensive, wrinkle easily, are not very durable, and are exceptionally hard to clean. These types are fabrics are more style over substance but can elevate any furniture piece into a work of art.

three chairs against a wall

Fabric customization opportunities

When you create custom furniture with our in-house designers, we want everything to be exactly to your liking — especially the upholstery fabric. That’s why we offer many options for customization so that you will never have to settle for a piece of furniture that you don’t love ever again.

You can choose from a variety of affordable and premium fabrics with special features such as stain resistance, enhanced durability, organic textiles, and hypoallergenic properties. If you already have a preferred fabric in mind, bring your own! Our designers can use your very own fabric to make your custom furniture feel one-of-a-kind.

Not only do we have a wide variety of fabric types, but we also carry thousands of fabric colors. Whether you’re into timeless neutrals or funky and trendy hues, we can find a fabric color that will perfectly match your vision.

Living Designs Furniture offers custom upholstery fabric options so you can find your perfect fabric match!

The truth is that the best fabrics for upholstery are the ones that will suit your lifestyle and aesthetic best. When you are creating a custom sofa, an accent armchair, or a custom upholstered bed frame with our designers, it’s important to think about the intention of that furniture piece. Are you a host who needs to get the most out of your sectional? Or are you excited to decorate your living space with beautiful, luxurious fabrics?

Whatever your needs are, Living Designs Furniture can help you to find the perfect fabric to match your needs. We offer many upholstery tips to help customers pick and choose a fabric option that suits their lifestyle and can last a lifetime.

Visit Our Showroom

Want to see our beautiful handmade furniture for yourself? Shop in-store at our Downtown Houston showroom and speak to an expert to help you find your perfect piece.

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