Fabric for Recovering a Recliner & Sofa

Leather

• Leather is one of the most common materials for a recliner and it is popular for a sofa as well. Leather is highly durable but it can be expensive and can vary in color. Finished leather is easy to care for because it can handle water and dry-cleaning techniques. Unfinished leather cannot get wet and is therefore not suitable for homes with children or pets. Today, faux leather is common, and it is sometimes easier to care for and always less expensive.

Cotton

• Cotton is a common type of fabric for a recliner and a sofa. It is soft and warm and, depending on how tightly it is woven, can be quite stain-repellent. Cotton is also resistant to certain pests, including moths, which would otherwise eat holes in the upholstery. Cotton is naturally flammable but some types are treated with fire retardant.

Rayon

• Rayon is a synthetic fabric that is inexpensive and can come in a wide variety of bright colors. Rayon, however, can shrink if it gets wet and it therefore can only be dry-cleaned or spot-cleaned very carefully. Rayon resists moths and other pests well but it is highly flammable unless the manufacturer has treated it with a flame retardant.

Polyester

• Polyester is a common material for upholstery because it resists moths and other pests, is not as flammable as rayon or cotton and resists water-based stains. It also is highly resilient to sunlight and it does not tear easily. Because of this, many upholstery fabrics are a blend of a natural fiber with a polyester fiber.

Outdoor Fabric

• Outdoor material needs to have a number of qualities that other indoor upholstery fabrics may not have. The fabric needs to be fairly thick so that it can withstand a lot of wear and tear. It also needs to be resistant to the sun and to precipitation. Most types of outdoor upholstery fabric are treated with a mold-resistant chemical.