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When purchasing a new piece of furniture, inevitably one of the biggest concerns is longevity. As the fabric is the “skin” of the garment, its resilience is undoubtedly the most important factor, especially in high traffic areas. Still, most people have no idea how to choose the most durable fabric, and that’s okay! We are here to help.

The first thing you need to know is how accurately is the durability of a fabric measured? Most fabrics go through one of two test methods known as Wyzenbeek and Martindale to give the fabric an “abrasion” or “double rub” rating. Essentially, the fabric is pulled tight by a standard weight fabric and rubbed in two directions; if two thread breaks occur or if noticeable wear is detected, the number of scouring processes is noted as the abrasion value. 30,000 double rubs are considered the minimum durability for commercial use; Hotels, conference rooms, etc. Between 30,000 and 100,000 is considered heavy-duty. Although these tests serve only as tools to predict wear, when looking at fabrics it can be helpful to know that the higher the wear rating number, the better they performed on the durability test.

However, there are definitely other factors to consider when choosing a fabric for durability. Most fabrics have standard durability levels across the board based simply on what they’re made of. The most durable materials are leather and micro-denier (“microfiber”). Leather is tough and is easy to vacuum, wipe down and condition for durability. 100% Polyester Micro-denier is extremely tightly woven making it very difficult for dirt and/or liquids to penetrate its surface and making it very difficult to tear, tear or pill. Depending on the weave (canvas is best!), cotton is also very resilient to wear, fading and pilling, but is prone to wrinkling and staining; A cotton-polyester blend is a great compromise to avoid wrinkling, and a stain treatment can balance its absorbent properties. Although wool is typically very warm, it is extremely resistant to pilling, fading, dirt and fading. A blend with polyester or viscose can make it more skin-friendly. Manufactured to imitate wool, acrylic fibers do not easily fade, soil or wear, although less expensive versions will usually show some level of pilling after a period of heavy use. Viscose can go both ways – high-quality viscose can be extremely durable, but be careful when looking for viscose at a very low price – it can wrinkle easily and sometimes absorb water stains. Other very durable fabrics are olefin, nylon and vinyl; all very good choices for heavy-duty pieces of furniture.

Linen and silk are among the least durable fabrics. Don’t get me wrong – both can be gorgeous and luxurious additions to a beautiful piece of furniture – but they should probably only be used in “adult” areas where food and drink aren’t going, as they will stain (and wrinkle). easy. Both require professional cleaning if stained and will not withstand heavy use. However, both breathe well and resist pilling and fading.

Whatever fabric you fall in love with, there is almost always a more durable alternative. If you want leather but don’t have time to take care of it, opt for vinyl or micro-suede. If you love linen but need a kid- or pet-friendly fabric, opt for synthetic linen (either a cotton-poly blend or 100& polyester). If you love the formal and quirky feel of silk and velvet but don’t live in a formal setting, try micro velvet instead. A good piece of furniture should suit your taste, but it must also suit your use; From the start, make sure you are honest with yourself about how you treat your sofa and it will sail smoothly!

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