The best fabric for your sofa is one that meets all your comfort, styling and practicality needs.

Homeowners often prioritise how furniture pieces look over important factors such as upholstery and durability.

With so many material options available, it’s important to understand what differentiates one from the other. To help you decide on the perfect choice for your home, we will discuss the properties and maintenance of the most common sofa fabrics.

1. Different types of fabrics and their benefits

Upholstery fabrics are grouped into two broad categories - synthetic or natural.

Synthetic Fabrics

If stains, spills and fading are a concern for you, then synthetics are a good option. These fabrics are super versatile in both style and function. You can find pure synthetics or versions that have been blended with natural fibres.

• Viscose Rayon - A durable, soft, affordable alternative to silk.
• Polyester - A strong and stretchy fabric that’s resistant to water-based stains, fading and wrinkling. Holds shape well and is Easy to clean.
• Nylon -Cost-effective and resistant to snags. It’s lightweight yet strong and easy to clean.
• Velvet - Available in rich, vibrant colours, velvet is durable and doesn’t snag. Top of the range designs like this Charisma 3 Pillows Sofa by Giorgio Collection age well. Any bruising that happens over time, will only serve to add character to the piece.

Natural Fabrics

Natural sofa fabrics tick all the boxes for comfort, luxury and a timeless look. They offer unique features that synthetics do not provide.

• Silk - Wrinkle resistant, luxurious options for your sofa. You can’t find any fabric that’s softer, shinier, or more lush than silk.
• Cotton - Durable and breathable fabric, cotton fibres are easy to dye and weave, so you can find cotton in a countless array of colours and patterns.
• Linen - Resistant to pilling and fading, linen also wicks away moisture.

2. How to choose the best fabric for your needs

There are four main factors to consider when choosing your next sofa fabric:

Pets and Kids
Having pets and kids around the house usually means that your sofa will be exposed to heavy usage and considerable wear and tear. As such, lean towards microfiber upholstery such as synthetics blended with polyester. Stay away from luxury fabric such as silk and velvet as these will require more regular maintenance.

Allergies
If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, we advise visiting a furniture showroom to interact with the different fabrics on offer. This way you can eliminate all of the ones that result in an allergic reaction. As a guide, natural fibres like cotton and linen are hypoallergenic and antibacterial whilst line and wool are resistant to mould and mildew.

Maintenance
For durability, your best options will be cotton, linen, wool, polyester, and olefin. Whilst the easiest to clean are polyester and acrylic which are both stain-resistant and dry quickly after spills.

On the other hand, linen and velvet are both tough to clean. Linen needs professional cleaning to ensure it doesn’t shrink.

Cotton and silk are both very receptive to spills, and if not cleaned properly, they can start to smell over time. Silk is also very delicate, so it must be dry-cleaned.

Style
Each fabric will give your living room a certain look and feel. Polyester is a common choice for a casual look. Silk, velvet are all more expensive options for formal decorating and come in many colours and patterns.

3. The care and maintenance of upholstered furniture

Most upholstery will come with a certain level of defence, however you will still need to develop good cleaning habits to keep your sofa looking great for long.

Rotate Seat Cushions
When a sofa has loose cushions, like this Louis Small Composition Sofa, turn these over periodically to distribute wear evenly and prevent cushions from indentations. If you do find your cushions are now sloppy, you can unzip the covers and replace the foam or add additional padding.

Cleaning
Regular vacuuming will keep dust and dirt from being embedded into the fibres of the fabric. In addition, schedule professional cleaning at least once a year.

Keep Away From Direct Sunlight
A constant exposure to direct sunlight will result in the fading of your sofa fabric and also lead to its gradual weakening. If moving the furniture is not an option, look at fitting blinds or sheers to filter the light.

4. What to consider when buying a new sofa

The same considerations for comfort, size and quality that you make when shopping for a bed, apply to purchasing a new sofa.

Try before you buy
Test out different seat depths until you find one that gives you sufficient back support. Also consider the seat height, these will range from 45 to 50 cm. There's no right or wrong height, so again, try before you buy to make sure it suits you.

Invest in a good frame
There is no substitute for a quality frame – it will see you through many years of lounging. This is why at FCI, all of our sofas are made from a solid hardwood frame. Be wary of a particleboard or metal construction as these will break down after a short period of use.

Visit showrooms
When shopping online, try setting aside time to see physical samples of the sofas you have shortlisted. This can make all the difference. Without this, it can be difficult to judge the scale of a pattern repeat, or how the light affects the colour or sheen of a fabric.

With the largest showroom in London, we invite you to come in and see our sofa range. Our expert team will be available to assist you with all of your interior designing needs.

Measure up
Measure your living room and all the entryways that lead to it, so that you avoid buying a sofa that’s the wrong size for your home.

In Conclusion

When shopping for the best fabric for your sofa, look for one that offers durability and stain resistance without the sacrifice of style and soft texture.

Our designers want our customers to comfortably live and function in their homes. Do not hesitate to give us a call or visit our showroom to discuss customisation for any of our sofas.

When you are ready to shop, browse our large collection of quality sofas  with a style to suit every design aesthetic.