When a client says: “I just want all my furniture to be upholstered in something indestructible.”
I want to say: “Really? How about concrete? Does concrete work for you?”
I didn’t think so. We all want the things we’ve paid a lot of money for to hold up, look good for a reasonable amount of time, and not shed and pill all over our clothes when we sit in them. But nothing is indestructible. Even concrete. So let’s start with a little information that will guide you or your designer’s decision making process. We can put all these miracle/not miracle fabrics in the broad category of Performance Fabrics. Performance Fabrics have some amazing qualities and they are only getting better because Designers, clients and residential fabric consumers are demanding them. They are not indestructible and like everything else in life, there are trade-offs when using them.
This used to work well, right?
Here are some of the key names and qualities to know about:
Sunbrella
This is a trade name for a process whereby the threads of the fabric are 100% Solution Dyed Acrylic meaning the fabric as it is woven it completely composed of well, plastic. It is stain resistant, mold and mildew resistant, fade resistant, washable and is considered indoor/outdoor fabric. These plastic threads can be dyed, so the fabrics can have patterns too.
Pindler #8705 Harrow color Fresa in Sunbrella
Content: 100% Solution Dyed All-Weather Acrylic
Finish: Mildew & Fade Resistant, Soil & Stain Resistant
Abrasion: 30,000 DBL Rubs
Nanotex
This is a process, where the already woven fabrics are treated to be stain resistant. The process gets into the fibers (at a molecular level) so it is not a surface coating but a fluoropolymer based finish that provides water and stain resistance. These are for indoor use only.
Pindler #6244 Ames color Domino with Nanotex finish
Content: 83% Polyester, 17% Linen
Finish: Easy Clean Nanotechnology
Abrasion: 100,000 DBL Rubs
Nanotex Resists Spills provides breakthrough spill resistance. Each fibert has been fundamentally transformed through
nanotechnology, and the result is a fabric that:
• Repels liquids
• Outperforms conventional fabric treatments
• Provides long lasting protection
• Extends the life of the fabric
• Retains fabric’s natural softness
• Allows fabric to breathe naturally
Crypton
Also a process where again, already woven fabrics are treated at the molecular level to be stain resistant, mildew and microbe resistant, odor resistant but this one is actually a little more eco-friendly. Indoor use only
.
Kravet #32890.730 Little Pop color Blossom
Contents: 100% Polyester
Direction: Up The Bolt
Durability: Heavy Duty
Finish Treatment: Crypton
In addition, there are ‘proprietary names’: Kravet fabrics (huuuge company that makes a gazillion fabrics) has their own ‘Performance’ process called Kravet Armour. Perennials has a 100% Solution Dyed Acrylic Line, Link Fabrics too and there are lots more.
But. There is always a ‘but’
All these fabrics, processes etc.. can impact the ‘hand’ of the fabric. What is hand? ‘Hand’ to fabrics is like ‘umami’ is to food; a certain something that makes it soft, comfortable, pleasing, desirable. And not all ‘performance fabrics’ have the proper ‘rub count’ (Wyzenbeek or Martindale-industry ratings that reflect the durability-think someone in jeans sitting and sliding on your sofa. Every time their bum moves it’s a ‘double rub’.) So you could have a Performance fabric with a low rub count; it won’t get stained but it might not hold up either. Or it could be Sunbrella with a high rub count and it will look good forever because no one, I repeat no one, will sit in that chair because the fabric is so stiff and scratchy.
So what should consumers use for the furniture their families and pets sit on, spill on, shed on, drool over, ad nauseum?
Firstly, they should listen to their Designer’s recommendations. What I recommend for my clients is the type of fabric that will meet the most of the requirements. Here are a few examples:
Photo: Jane Lockhart Int. Design
Banquette seating and pillows in a Kitchen – Sunbrella
Edward Ferrell Worth Club Chair
Comfy Lounge Chair: Nanotex, Crypton
Century Furniture Pablo sectional
Family Room Sectional: Sunbrella, Nanotex, Crypton
You would want your Designer to find the softest performance fabric that also has a high double rub count.
Then sit back and relax a little. Obviously you want everyone in your house to be comfortable on the furniture, right?
