Furniture Fabric Guide: What to Look for When Shopping for Upholstery
Find the right upholstery fabric for your home.
Upholstery material is a top consideration when purchasing a new piece of furniture. From sofas to sectionals, armchairs to bed frames, it's important to consider which furniture fabrics are best suited for your lifestyle. Evaluating key factors like durability, cost, and maintenance can help you determine which one works for you.
Our guide covers all you need to know about furniture fabrics, including the benefits for each upholstery material and how they might stack up against one another.
Leather & Faux Leather
Velvet
Polyester & Polyester Blend
Linen
Cotton & Cotton Blend
Performance
Leather & Faux Leather
Built to last, stain-resistant, and hypoallergenic, leather is a timeless choice for upholstery.
Benefits
Genuine leather upholstery is notably more durable and longer lasting than most fabric upholstery. Its smooth, supple surface is comfortable and can be kept in excellent condition with regular conditioning and basic upkeep, and the hypoallergenic quality makes leather a great option for those who are sensitive to allergens. Plus, the natural texture and hue add an organic feel to any space.
Faux leather is a budget-friendly alternative that mimics the look and feel of genuine leather. This type of leather is made from synthetic materials and is non-porous, making it easy to clean.
Tip!
To learn more about the different types of leather, check out our guide Furniture 101: Your Guide to Leather Types for Furniture.
Things to Consider
Genuine leather upholstery can be a costly investment and does require regular maintenance to improve its longevity. Leather sofas, sectionals, and chairs should be regularly vacuumed to remove any debris, and moisturized to prevent any cracking or excess creasing.
Faux leather is much more affordable, but can be more prone to cracking over time, whereas genuine leather often softens with wear. Whether you choose to go for genuine leather or faux leather, both are sure to bring a bit of luxury to your home.
If you're looking to make a statement with your new sectional or headboard, velvet is the way to go.
Benefits
Velvet is made with ultra-fine natural or synthetic fibers and cut into a short, dense pile for its statement-making texture and softness. This also creates the lustrous finish that gives velvet its glam reputation. Because the fibers are so densely packed, velvet is quite durable and can withstand plenty of everyday wear, but make sure to follow the specific cleaning instructions on the care tag to prolong its lifespan and keep the surface looking its best.
Things to Consider
Though velvet is surprisingly easy to care for, it can experience "bruising," which refers to the flattening of the pile. This has an easy fix – just use a soft upholstery brush to gently smooth out the surface or apply a light steam from a handheld steamer.
Velvet is a relatively low-maintenance furniture fabric, which makes it a versatile option for any upholstery.
Polyester and polyester blend upholstery is a popular pick for furniture because of its stain resistance and affordability.
Benefits
Crafted from synthetic fibers, this furniture fabric is highly durable and hypoallergenic. It can be stain-resistant and water-repellent, giving you extra time to wipe up spills before they can settle. Polyester upholstery is also resistant to fading, so you can choose a brightly hued sofa without worry about the color changing over time.
Things to Consider
Polyester upholstery tends to develop a static charge over time, which can cause the surface to gather small particles like pet fur or lint. You can easily clean the fabric with a soft brush or a vacuum with an upholstery attachment to remove the particles.
Its approachable price tag and minimal maintenance make polyester and polyester blend upholstery a great option for a budget-friendly shopper who wants comfort and value.
Linen is a classic upholstery material known for its lightweight composition and hypoallergenic qualities, but can be more prone to wrinkling.
Benefits
Linen is made from flax fibers and woven into a soft, durable weave that's naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic. The flax fibers are incredibly strong, which makes linen a long-lasting and durable fabric for upholstery. The weave is lightweight and breathable for warm weather climates, and linen softens over time for a fabric that gets better with age.
Things to Consider
Linen is more wrinkle-prone than other upholstery fabrics, and depending on your preferred look, can increase the amount of maintenance required. Additionally, linen isn't stain-resistant, so this could be a deal-breaker for homes that need a more easy-to-clean upholstery option. However, many linen pieces have removable covers or slipcovers that can be machine-washed.
Linen can also cost more than synthetic materials like polyester. Though it can be more expensive than other upholstery materials, its ease and softness are worth the investment for shoppers who want laid-back-yet-luxurious upholstery to lounge on.
Cotton upholstery is made from durable natural fibers for a soft finish and reliable comfort.
Benefits
Also made from natural fibers, cotton upholstery is soft and inviting. This furniture fabric is hypoallergenic, breathable, and wicks away excess moisture, which makes it a great option for warmer climates. Upholstery made from a blend of cotton and synthetic fibers often features higher durability and an increased resistance to stains, fading, and pilling.
Things to Consider
Cotton is highly absorbent, making it more prone to stains if something is spilled on it. However, many cotton sofas, sectionals, and chairs feature removable covers that can be machine-washed. Cotton fibers also break down over time when placed in direct sunlight, so it's best to place these pieces of furniture away from windows.
Cotton upholstery adds a comforting and casual feel with its low-maintenance appeal and natural breathability, which makes it ideal for a shopper who wants a cozy, versatile upholstery material and doesn't mind washing the covers regularly.
Performance fabrics are great for bridging the gap between the sofa that you want and the sofa you need.
Benefits
Performance fabrics are designed to be the most durable upholstery material. Made with a blend of synthetic and natural fibers or treated with a protective layer, these furniture fabrics are characterized by their stain-resistance, durability, and minimal maintenance. Performance fabrics are great at handling everyday wear, standing up to spills, resisting color fading, and avoiding abrasion.
Things to Consider
High-quality performance fabrics tend to be on the pricier side and may be stiffer than other fabrics like linen or polyester. If you aren't concerned with stains and spills or prefer the look of other fabrics, performance fabrics might not be the best fit.
Because this upholstery material is so easy to clean, it's an excellent option for busy homes with small children or pets – or if you simply prefer a pristine sofa without constant upkeep.
In addition to the upholstery materials themselves, here are a few other things to keep in mind.
Custom Upholstery
If you've got a particular vision for your new piece of furniture, custom upholstery can help you speed up the shopping process. With several silhouettes and a wide range of fabrics, you can easily create a piece that feels unique to your style.
Color & Pattern
Maybe equally important to the feel of the fabric, color and pattern are another part of the upholstery equation. Color might even be the first thing you think about when choosing a new piece of furniture. From soothing neutrals to jewel tones, there are several shades to choose from.
Synthetic furniture fabrics like polyester, velvet, or performance fabrics are less likely to fade than natural fabrics like dyed linen. If a bold-hued armchair or headboard is part of your design vision, it's best to pick the synthetic fabric to ensure the color stays bright.
Use & Location
Where you place this piece of furniture and how you plan on using it can help you determine which fabric would be best. Everyday seating sees frequent use, so that's a place where you'd want to look for a durable material that can handle everyday wear. Upholstered pieces that you don't sit on (like a headboard) won't need the same level of durability.
