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Furniture fabrics. What do they hide in their specification?

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Furniture fabrics. What do they hide in their specification?

Upholstery fabrics surround us from all sides: we come into contact with them practically every day. A velour sofa, plush sofa, chenille armchair... What do we really know about them? Can we consciously choose them? All you have to do is read our guide and then you will learn all the secrets hidden by furniture fabrics!

1. What parameters appear in fabric cards?
2. What do the individual parameters mean?
3. What properties can fabrics have?
4. How will Easy Clean, Hydrophobic and Pet Friendly fabrics make your life easier?

 

Specification of fabrics, i.e. we figure out mysterious parameter cards
It has been known for a long time that the quality of the fabric proves its durability. But how can you tell which material is good quality when you can't touch it? And how to avoid falling into the trap of poor quality but beautiful look products? The answer lies in their specifications. Usually it takes the form of a special card on which all the necessary parameters of the fabric you are interested in are listed. There is a wide range of materials on the market with different characteristics, which can make it difficult to find the perfect one that meets all your requirements. So let's take a look together at what appears in the parameters.


Fabric weight
It's nothing but the weight of the fabric. It is expressed in grams per square meter. The concept of grammage is therefore related to the thickness and weight of a specific fabric and may be helpful in determining its characteristics. Does this mean, however, that higher grammage automatically translates into better quality? Absolutely not!


The weight of the fabric has little to do with its quality. We are easily able to meet high-quality, extremely airy material with a low basis weight. So why to pay attention to this parameter? It turns out to be useful to determine the purpose of a particular material. Thicker, heavy fabrics are, for example, better for curtains, the main purpose of which is to cut you off from excess light. On the other hand, lighter materials are suitable for more airy accessories. So it all depends on what you need.

Tensile and tear strength
To determine the tensile strength of the fabric, it is placed in a special machine. In it, the material is stretched until the threads forming it are broken. A score above 600 N ensures the Category 1 rating, i.e. the highest. Anything below 250 is minimal tensile strength.


The tear resistance test looks completely different. A material with a torn line in the middle is placed between the test clamps. In this way, the pressure of the force that must be used to tear the fabric is checked. Products that pass this test with a score greater than 40 N are classified as Category 1, which is the highest. On the other hand, a result lower than 15 N means that the fabric is classified as Category 5, which means that it is not resistant to tearing.

Wet and dry abrasion resistance
It is determined on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is given to the fabric with the highest resistance to friction. The test involves placing a piece of fabric in two devices: one performs wet rubbing and the other dry rubbing. Then the colour of the material is compared with the untested fragment and the result is determined on this basis.

Tendency to linting and pilling
Surely you have noticed more than once that tiny balls form on the surface of your favourite sweater. That's pilling. It is similar with furniture materials - pilling is a natural property of the material, which arises when miniature knots form on the threads. Therefore, it cannot be completely eliminated. However, some fabrics are more resistant to pilling than others. This propensity is determined on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means minimal resistance to pilling.

Abrasion resistance
To measure this parameter, the so-called Martindale test is performed. It involves inserting the fabric between two discs of sandpaper. Then the device is turned on to rub the material under constant pressure until there are abrasions or even damage on its surface. Due to the specificity of modern fabrics, the time of such a test may even be extended to several days!


Abrasion resistance is given in a special unit called a cycle or stroke. Materials that can withstand over 50,000 cycles are generally considered to be very durable. However, in our offer you will also find materials with a durability exceeding 100 or even 200 thousand cycles, which will easily satisfy the needs of even the most demanding users.


But what if the fabric you desire most scored less than 50,000? This is absolutely no cause for concern. Even fabrics with a much lower level of resistance show durability that is quite sufficient in home conditions. So unless you damage the surface of your sofa with a sharp object, it should serve you in excellent condition for many years.

Resistance to UV rays, i.e. light
It determines how quickly the fabric will lose its colour when exposed to the sun. The sample is placed in a special chamber where it is exposed to very high intensity light. After the test is completed, it is compared with the fragment that has not been tested, and on this basis the final mark is given. This parameter usually uses a scale from 1 to 8, where 8 points are given to a material with a surprisingly high resistance to sunlight. Materials with a resistance index of 6 or more are an excellent choice for covering outdoor furniture. However, at home, 5 is considered more than satisfactory.

Non-flammability test or flame retardancy test
The fabric is subjected to the so-called cigarette test or match test (these are two separate tests). The test consists in the fact that a glowing cigarette or a match is applied to the material. If the material does not catch fire, the test is assessed positively and the fabric is certified as flame retardant. This parameter is especially important when we want to use the material in a café, restaurant or hotel.

Additional properties, i.e. user comfort in the first place
Sometimes it happens that ordinary upholstery materials are not enough. Perhaps there is a pack of frisky dogs in your house, or maybe you have two unruly children who love to play on the corner sofa. In such situations, it is best to reach for materials for special tasks! These are fabrics enriched with special functionalities that make the use of the furniture more pleasant. So let's take a look at the options available together, and we're sure to find something you like.

Hydrophobic fabrics - are they really afraid of water?
Crazy fun, children running around the coffee table, a sudden moment of inattention... And it happened! Orange juice is on your new sofa. You anxiously reach for the cloth to wipe the stain, but unfortunately the liquid has already discoloured the material. Sound familiar? However, there is a simple way to make this nightmare end completely differently – water-repellent fabrics!


Sometimes called water repellents, these are simply waterproof materials. Their biggest advantage will therefore be that they absorb liquid very, very slowly. All this is due to the fact that the fibres are covered with a special coating that allows the liquid to accumulate on the surface of the fabric in the form of droplets.


In this way, you gain valuable time to reach for a cloth, handkerchief or paper towel and quickly remove the stain. Not even the slightest trace will remain after the juice! No wonder that water-repellent fabrics are perfect for homes with unruly children. In addition, resistance to dirt means that furniture upholstered with such materials retains its aesthetic appearance for much longer.

Easy Clean fabrics - do they really cause problems?
Imagine your perfect afternoon. You invite your friends over and exchange gossip, laughing happily. You serve your guests cups of coffee and serve a plate of cake, which you spent a good hour baking. A sudden movement and... Your delicious dessert lands on the back of the chair. Things like this happen in every home. That's when easy-cleaning fabrics, called Easy Clean, come into play.


It is a group of materials with a surface finished with a special, invisible coating based on nanoparticles. This solution effectively prevents the absorption of impurities deep into the upholstery fabric. Thanks to this, you are able to quickly remove any stains from the furniture - using only water and a bit of grey soap! Say goodbye for good to juice, coffee, ketchup, ice cream, pens or wine!

Pet Friendly fabrics - do animals love them?
Your pooch can't get on the sofa, but you keep finding mysterious tufts of hair on it? There is a simple way to do this: animal-friendly fabric! This unusual material has a fine weave and significantly increased smoothness, thanks to which it shows increased resistance to dirt and sticking hair. Therefore, animal hair does not stick and does not enter its surface, remaining easy to remove with a special roller, a wet cloth or a vacuum cleaner.


Your kitten sits innocently in the corner, but new scratches magically appear  on the new leisure set? The Pet Friendly fabric will also deal with this problem effectively! It can boast of high resistance to dirt and sticking hair. In order to provide you with such an effect, the material undergoes rigorous testing.


The test sample is placed on a special roller, which is then set in motion. A weight with spikes suspended on a chain then hits its surface. This treatment allows you to reproduce the way our pet can treat your favourite piece of furniture and at the same time provides you with the highest quality material.

The world of upholstery fabrics is something worth considering. Many parameters included in the specifications will make it much easier for you to choose the material that is suitable for the individual needs of your family. Thanks to this, the corner sofa or couch will maintain a satisfactory condition and elegant appearance for a long time. So pay special attention to:
- grammage. Fabrics of different weights will work better as curtains, and others are better used as a corner sofa padding,
- tensile and tear strength. Thanks to them, you will determine whether the material will cope with more extreme conditions,
- Wet and dry friction resistance. A great way to determine how well a fabric will cope with everyday use,
- resistance to UV rays. This parameter will help you determine whether your fabric will withstand intense lighting, e.g. in a sunny living room,
- flame retardancy. If there is a fire hazard in your home, it is better to opt for a product with an appropriate certificate,
- Easy Clean fabrics. They will be great in homes with children. Liquids condense on their surface, giving you time to remove them,
- easy-cleaning fabrics. Thanks to nanoparticles, dirt does not penetrate inside them. Thanks to this, you can remove dirt with a little water and grey soap,
- Pet Friendly fabrics. Pet owners will love this high-quality proposition. The materials show increased resistance to claw damage and hair sticking.