Everybody buying a new sofa or chair worries about someone getting a little sloppy with their red wine while sitting on it. In fact, a fear of stains leads many people with kids or pets to simply put off buying new furniture completely. But there’s no need to live with a falling apart sofa just because you’re concerned about stains. That’s because there’s a whole new category of upholstery fabric that’s popped up in recent years: performance fabrics. These remarkable products can handle spills and dirt with ease. Here are the big players in the performance fabric category – all approaching stain resistance from a different angle. (more…)

Thinking of buying a new sofa or reupholstering an old one? Don’t overlook good, old-fashioned cotton. While cotton is typically considered for casual, washable slipcovers, it can also look quite formal and modern. The variations are truly endless, so here’s everything to know about cotton for upholstered furniture. (more…)

If you’re looking for a classic upholstery fabric, you can’t do much better than linen. Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen has been around for thousands of years (it was even used as currency in ancient Egypt). It’s still loved today for its beauty, feel, and durability. Considering getting a sofa or chair upholstered in linen? Here’s what you need to know about how it’s made, when it works, and when you might want to go with a different fabric. (more…)

Velvet, with its plush feel and sheen, is pretty much the original glamour fabric. For most of its history—from China, where it was made for the first time more than 4500 years ago, to Italy in the 14^th and 15^th centuries—only the very wealthy could afford it. Thankfully, these days, velvet is still super luxe but a lot more affordable.

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