The Best Fabrics for Furniture

Nylon, Olefin and Polyester

• These three fabric types are man-made and fairly strong. Nylon is the strongest of the three and therefore has good resistance to wear or abrasion. It is also easy to clean and will generally have a soft feeling. Olefin is also abrasion resistant and also has good stain resistance. The downsides are that it tends to fade when colored and can be sensitive to warmer temperatures. Polyester is strong and has fair resistance to wear or sunlight, although it is less resistant to heat than the other fabrics.

Cotton, Rayon and Acetate

• While these fabrics will dye well, they will typically fade over time and have an average abrasion resistance. For most furniture today, these fabrics will go into a blend with others to limit their downsides. Cotton has a soft feel, dyes well and does not tolerate dirt very well. Rayon is somewhat stronger, with good dyeability and fair wear and sun resistance. Acetate is not popular but works well in blends and dyes pretty well, although it only has fair sunlight resistance and low wear resistance.

Wool

• Wool is durable and fairly easy to maintain, although it is not a popular fabric. Reasons for this include its higher price compared to other fabrics and its tendency to attract moths. Low quantities of wool will generally require a blend with other fabrics to help negate these downsides.