What Type of Couch Material Is the Strongest?

Leather

• A good quality leather couch with a strong frame can hold up for a long time. Leather couches tend to be the most expensive for a reason. The leather is strong, stain resistant and stretches over time, which makes it feel softer. The leather can be wiped clean and kept looking new for years to come. The only drawback to leather is its tendency to become punctured by sharp objects, such as sharp pet claws or keys. If you treat your couch with that in mind, it can serve as the best all-around fabric for a couch. But if your pet sheds, leather is a long-lasting material that won't absorb all that pet hair.

Microfiber

• For those not wanting to invest in a leather couch, microfiber is another strong and durable couch material. Microfiber has velvety and suede-like feel to its surface. Its spun from ultra-fine polyester fibers that are tightly woven together. Polyester is more stain resistant than cotton and is easily cleaned. This is the most durable couch material outside of leather, but it is priced much lower.

Cotton Blends

• Cotton has always been known as a strong material. This is no different for couches. A cotton couch has good resistance to fading and wear; however, it is less resistant to spilling and staining over the leather and microfiber choices. To compensate, many couch manufacturers sell cotton blends. Mostly blended with polyester, a cotton blend offers some resistance to staining that a cotton couch alone will be vulnerable to. Tightly woven cotton blends serve as stronger materials for couches.

Couch Frame

• Couch materials are important aspects of buying a couch, but buyers are reminded that if the frame is not constructed well, the couch will not last. No matter what materials are used for the couch, if it cracks on the edge from your kids jumping, it will be rendered useless. No one wants to sit on a leather couch that now hits the floor because it's cracked.

  Avoid frames made of a single layer of plywood and particleboard frames that are held together by staples if your budget allows it. Get a solid wood frame.