Microfiber was developed in the mid 1980s, and was first used primarily in Europe and Asia. The microfiber trend spread to the U.S. in the late 1990s.
One problem with microfiber furniture is its ability to generate and hold static electricity for long durations. This can cause clothing items, pet fur and dirt to stick to the furniture, making it look less than clean.
While microfiber furniture is resistant to stains, the cleaning process is itself a disadvantage. When cleaning stains off microfiber furniture with the recommended ratios of soap and water, the cleaning can cause a set-in stain that gives the furniture an uneven color. To avoid this when cleaning microfiber furniture, owners should clean the entire surface area, instead of spot-cleaning, so that spots and cleaning stains are not apparent.