Upholstery fabric
Upholstery materials include furniture, especially seats, padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The term also refers to materials used in some furnishings. Upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder which refers to an artisan who makes upholstery fabric. The term applies equally to household, automobile, aircraft, and boat furniture and can be applied to mattresses, especially the upper layers, although they often differ significantly in design. A person who works with upholstery is called upholstery. An apprentice upholsterer is sometimes called an outsider or reprimanded. Traditional furnishings are made by hand using materials such as coil springs, animal fur (horses, pigs, and cows), coir, hay and straw, Hessians, linen scrims, wadding, etc., and each layer is made by hand. In contrast, today's furnishings use synthetic materials such as dacron and vinyl, serpentine springs, etc.
Upholstery fabric is a soft covering on chairs and seats that
makes them more comfortable to sit on. The fabric quality and production
parameters, the serviceability of upholstery fabric effect by various factors.
In this study, the effects of weaving/knitting of various GSM and upholstery
materials on the properties of friction, abrasion, tensile strength, and
flexibility were studied. Test results showed that knitted fabrics with more
floating lengths showed better flexibility and better abrasion strength. The
fabric shows good resistance to abrasion where there are high binding points.
Upholstery fabric history
In 18th-century London, upholders often acted as interior decorators responsible for all aspects of a room's decor. These individuals were members of the worship organization, whose traditional role, before the 18th century, was to provide upholstery and textiles, and accessories for funerals. In partnership with 18th-century Greater London furniture makers, a cabinet-maker typically teamed up with an upholder: Vile and Cobb, Ince and Mayhew, Chippendale and Rannie or Haig.
Upholstery fabric properties
i. Complex weave upholstery fabric's abrasion resistance is
higher than plain and basket weaving, due to the high binding points of the
fabric.
ii. The weight of the fabric affects the abrasion resistance of
the upholstery fabric. Increased fabric weight increases abrasion resistance.
iii. Woven Upholstery fabric shows higher abrasion resistance
than Knitted upholstery fabric.
iv. As the weight of the fabric of the upholstery material
increases, the strength of abrasion on both the woven and the knitted
upholstery fabric decreases.
v. Long floating woven furnishings show higher abrasion strength
than shorter floats.
vi. When comparing woven and knitted, the knitted structure
shows high crocking fastness.
vii. As the weight of the upholstery fabric increases, so does
the flexibility of both woven and knitted fabrics.
viii. In woven fabric, a long floating weave shows less flexible
firmness.
ix. An upholstery fabric of knitted structure shows a superior
cushioning effect or comfort feature compared to woven fabric.
Upholstery fabric types
i. Cotton upholstery fabric
Cotton upholstery fabric is soft, breathable and durable,
comfortable, cleanable, and economical, but it can be dirty and wrinkle very
easily. It is easily dyed but cotton can fade or turn yellow when exposed to
direct sunlight. Cotton is usually blended with polyester, linen, nylon, etc.
to increase its strength and durability as well as add texture. High-quality
cotton blends should contain 45% to 60% cotton and it is also an excellent
choice for washable slipcovers.
ii. Linen upholstery fabric
Linen upholstery fabric is made of flax fiber. Elegant and
unparalleled, pilling and dirt resistant, linen upholstery is a great choice
for a living room but keep in mind that it shrinks easily. Also, linen is not
suitable for heavy wear and is exposed to direct sunlight. Linen blends are
less bulky but if you choose 100% linen slipcovers, for example, it is
advisable to dry clean them to avoid shrinkage.
iii. Wool upholstery fabric
Wool upholstery materials are very strong and durable and versatile. These fabrics vary in texture and pattern but generally have very
good resistance to pilling, fading, wrinkling, and staining. The wool is
breathable, easy to clean and maintain, and retains its beautiful appearance
for many years.
iv. Silk upholstery fabric
Silk is a symbol of luxury that has excellent visual aesthetics,
it is soft and pleasant to the touch and instantly adds class, style, and
sophistication to the interior. Silk upholstery fabric is extremely valuable
because silk fibers are one of the strongest and can be stretched and stretched
to fit perfectly into the shape of the furniture. Silk does not wrinkle as
easily as cotton or other natural fabrics but when exposed to sunlight it fades
quickly and the fibers run out quickly. It is advisable to place your furniture
in a room with silk upholstery where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
Silk fabric requires a lot of maintenance because it absorbs liquids and stains
easily. Silk upholstery fabric is not a good choice for furniture used on a daily
basis. It is recommended for the formal living room or dining room where
furniture is not often used.
v. Velvet upholstery fabric
Velvet upholstery fabric is made from dense woven fibers that
can be made of silk, cotton, linen, or wool. Depending on the fibers, velvet can
be very luxurious (silk velvet) or more casual (cotton velvet). This fabric
comes in a wide range of colors and styles. Usually, velvet is dyed after being
woven and the colors are very rich. However, velvet upholstery fabric is much
harder to clean and maintain than other fabrics. It has a short lifespan and it
wears quickly and also removes discoloration and stains which makes maintenance
extremely demanding.
vi. Other upholstery fabric
Chenille, Chintz, Crewel, and Damask are among the most popular
choices for natural fabrics. Chenille is often made of cotton, with a tough,
great texture, but easily stretched. Chintz originated in India and is known
for its floral patterns while crewel originated in Britain and embroidery has
traditional motifs such as flowers, shrubs, and birds. Damask is basically a
classic fabric for upholstery made of silk fiber. Nowadays Damascus is made of
rayon, cotton, or various blends.
Upholstery fabric uses
i. Traditional upholstery is a craft that has evolved over the
centuries for padding and covering chairs, seats, and sofas before making sewing
machines, synthetic fabrics, and plastic foam. Using a hardwood or webbed
platform, it can use springs, lashings, animal hair stuffing, grass and coir,
wool, hessian, scrims, bridal tie, stuffing tie, blind stitch, topstitch, and flocks
and wading.
ii. Upholstery fabric can be used for repairing or replacing seating,
cushions, cabin upholstery, headliners, and even carpeting on boats. Usually, a
thin film of plastic is used on top of high-elastic, high-density plastic
foam to keep away the water that can get through the seams. Closed-cell foam is
used in small cushions that can sometimes double as a flotation device.
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