Fiber Cheat Sheet
Acrylic
Material Origin
Man Made
Strengths
Decent performance, easily cleanable, wool-look, resistant to UV
Weaknesses
Short staple fibers that call pill easily (not typically an issue with high-end fabrics).
Best For
Mixed with polyester or cotton, outdoor pieces
Cotton
Material Origin
Natural
Strengths
Good performance, durable, releases stains easily, wears well
Weaknesses
Dark colors can fade, if a stain is left too long it can be difficult to remove
Best For
Mixed with other fibers. Cotton provides softness and sheen
Flax / Linen
Material Origin
Natural
Strengths
Luster, absorbs color well giving deep, rich, beautiful colors, good UV resistance, good performance dependent on the weave. Cool fabric; good for hot climates. Creates beautiful textiles.
Weaknesses
Poor elasticity. In drapery, it absorbs moisture in the air and will grow in humid months. It can stain, but easier to remove than cotton. Poor abrasion resistance. Poor sagging resistance. Most linen upholstery will need to be knit-backed to avoid sagging/slippage.
Best For
Beautiful drapery. Sophisticated and durable upholstery when in the right weave. Best when woven with cotton. Linen drapery/furniture is a luxury/ sign of wealth.
Wool
Material Origin
Natural
Strengths
Good performance, durable, releases stains easily, wears well
Weaknesses
sunlight resistant but can weaken if in bright sunny rooms over a period of years Depending on weave, may need to be backed. LOOSE WEAVE DRAPERY CAN ALSO GROW IN LENGTH.
Best For
Luxurious and sophisticated look. Will last a very long time. In many fabrics will see "polyamide" mixed in with wool. Polyamide is nylon. It gives stability to wool to keep it's shape as wool lacks tenacity/elasticity.
Silk
Material Origin
Natural
Strengths
Absorbs color like nothing else. Colors with depth and saturation like no other textile. Silk adds soft hand, high luster and sheen to a fabric.
Weaknesses
VERY POOR ABRASION RESISTANCE. Easily stains and difficult to remove. Bright everyday sunlight for years will break down fibers "sun rot".
Best For
DRAPERY ONLY. (use interlining with silk drapery). Some customers will love and still want to use silk for upholstery. Need to back-knit back silk if used in upholstery. Set the expectations.
Viscose / Rayon
Material Origin
Both…Made from wood pulp
Strengths
Replicates the softness, sheen and lister of silk
Weaknesses
Viscose velvet cannot withstand dampness. Wetness of any kind will leave a mark. Think of viscose as artificial silk. It’s just as delicate, but much less $.
Best For
When mixed in an intimate yarn blend (NON-VELVET) is fine for upholstery. If using on everyday furniture, test on a memo. (Good news, Recently Manufacturers have been able to treat viscose/combo velvets-look for "stain repellant" on the tag.
Polypropylene (Olefin)
Material Origin
Natural
Strengths
great performance fabric! Polypropylene is basically plastic. sunlight resistant, holds color well. great for outdoors, resistant to moisture- bleach cleanable. one of the most stain resistant upholstery materials
Weaknesses
low heat resistance-not good near fireplaces. petroleum products bind to oil-grease, oils can make it look dingy. not eco friendly. does not have a great hand.
Best For
Outdoor rugs and upholstery, performance upholstery
PET
Material Origin
(Polyethylene terephthalate yarns (recycled plastic)
Man made-made from recycled plastic bottles mainly
Strengths
polyester -easy to clean, sunlight resistant
Weaknesses
Can pill! Oils can adhere to fibers. Yes, made from recycled plastic-that's great, but the process uses a ton of water, so not as eco-friendly. Does not have a great hand.
Best For
Best for a client on a budget. However, we don’t recommend it unless it is blended with another fiber. Kirkby has some great blended pet fabrics that wear really well. Romo has some solid pet fabrics that pill very easily and look cheap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime.
-
TBD
-
TBD
-
TBD