Sofa fabrics: 5 tips for choosing the best upholstery for your sofa

When choosing a sofa, we usually rely on elements such as size, design and color. A common mistake is not to pay enough attention to the fabric that covers it, which instead is one of the factors that improves the comfort and prolongs the life of the sofa.

This is why it is important to ask yourself a series of questions when choosing a sofa: which part of the house will you put it in? What will you use it for? Do you live with children or pets?

In this article we give you 5 tips to help you choose the best upholstery for your sofa.

Whether your sofa is a new entry or a vintage piece of home furnishings, the idea of ​​upholstering it with upholstery can crop up at any time.
There are several reasons for upholstering a sofa: it can be a antique sofa with an important (even sentimental!) value, it can be located in an area of ​​the house at risk of stains or it is made to measure and you want it to be the most comfortable your home has ever seen.

Whatever your reason, know that sofa upholstery is a long-term investment , as it can extend its useful life by approximately 10 years. If, on the other hand, you do not want to cover the sofa but are thinking of buying one that will be used immediately, thinking about the upholstery should still be one of the decisive elements for the purchase.

Having said that, how do you choose the upholstery for the sofa? There are several factors to consider. Let’s see the 5 most important:

Before falling in love with a particular style or color, evaluate the resistance of the fabric covering the sofa. One way to do this is to evaluate the Martindale cycles , which are usually indicated in tissue samples.

The Martindale method is a technique for analyzing the resistance of fabrics and leathers, both natural and synthetic. It helps you evaluate the resistance to breaking, color changes, the propensity for the appearance of balls or fluff that indicate wear.

To guide you, consider that a fabric is considered strong enough for a regular, family-use sofa when it settles between 15,000 and 20,000 Martindale cycles. If, on the other hand, you already know that you will be making a very intensive use of the sofa, it is better to opt for a fabric with a resistance of at least 40,000 Martindale cycles. There are fabrics that can reach 100,000 Martindale cycles, but they are those that we usually find in spaces open to the public such as public offices or means of transport.

Cotton or linen are resistant fabrics because they have a good thickness. Cotton is, without a doubt, the leading fabric for covering a sofa: it is resistant, it does not deform and gives that touch of naturalness that does not hurt. Linen is also a great candidate especially for its freshness. Another very popular choice are jacquard fabrics : you recognize them because they have designs or reliefs incorporated into the fabric itself that are obtained by mixing yarns of different thicknesses, colors and, sometimes, materials. The finish of the jacquard fabrics is strong and resistant, with marked textures and textures, perfect for covering a sofa.

The choice of color is very personal, but it can also be driven by other factors. Do you prefer your sofa to stand out in space or blend in?

The color of a sofa upholstery can make a huge difference in a room and give it a great imprint of personality.

Light colored sofa upholstery will show signs of aging more quickly. If a light-colored sofa has stolen your heart, make sure the upholstery is removable and washable or has been pre-treated with an anti-stain product.

A good middle ground is a gray or dove-gray sofa. Both are easy to fit into any color palette, and are dark enough to blend in with stains and signs of aging. To add liveliness to a gray or dove gray sofa, you can play with the colors of the cushions.

If you live with children or pets , you will need to take their presence into account when choosing the upholstery for the sofa. A light-colored fabric may not be the best solution if young children move and play around the house: stains that are difficult to remove and hide are a very real possibility!

In general, dark fabrics are more resistant to everyday wear and can be more resistant to scratches and small stains.

The same goes for pets: if your dog or cat is used to lounging on the sofa with you, consider the color of their hair. Depending on your pet’s color, the sofa upholstery could become a litmus test for hair!

To understand which sofa upholstery is right for you, it is important to evaluate the mix of material, strength and price. Regardless of your personal tastes, you will still have to respect your budget at your disposal!

Velvet, for example, is a fabric that is always in vogue for sofas: it is elegant, soft and resistant, but it has a fairly high price. If you don’t want to give up characteristics similar to those of velvet, you can opt for a low cost option such as chenille.

Leather, on the other hand, is one of the most expensive sofa coverings, but its strong point is resistance. With proper maintenance, a leather sofa can last up to 20 years! For a similar but cheaper finish, you can choose imitation leather or imitation leather: they break more easily but are very reminiscent of the original.

Among the fabrics that offer a good balance between price and quality are synthetic fabrics. Microfiber is very popular for sofas, has a soft and pleasant texture to the touch, resists scratches and is easy to clean. Polyester fabrics are also economical and resistant.

And finally the canvas: it is one of the most used fabrics for upholstery of sofas because it resists wear well, does not crease and is cheap. It is ideal for sofas where you spend hours and for sofa beds.

Choosing the best upholstery for your sofa should be based on several factors, not just your personal taste. Design, size and colors are important elements, but they must be combined with resistance, ease of cleaning and with the characteristics of the environment in which you will place the sofa.

If you need help choosing the best upholstery for your new sofa or changing that of your beloved vintage sofa, check out Jopla’s PRO profiles! & nbsp; In just a few clicks you can find a person expert in upholstery for sofas who will help you choose the best one for you and upholster your sofa in no time.