How to Choose the Best Sofa Fabrics for Your Home
High-quality fabrics made to last.
Finding the right sofa can take a lot of consideration. With plenty of options to choose from, it's important to learn about the different types of sofa fabrics to ensure you find the best fit. We've outlined the best sofa fabrics to simplify your shopping experience. Keep reading below for tips to help you choose the right types of upholstery fabric for your home.
Use our table of contents to navigate to the sections you want to read most:
Genuine Leather
Faux Leather
Leather Match
Microfiber
Cotton
Velvet
Chenille
Leather Sofas
Often chosen for its timeless style and natural appeal, leather is one of the best sofa materials. Leather upholstery adds warmth to a space and ages beautifully. With three main types of leather upholstery – genuine leather, faux leather, and leather match – it's easy to find an option that suits your lifestyle.
Genuine Leather
Genuine leather is one of the most durable upholstery materials. Leather sofas offer high-quality comfort that gets even better with time.
Benefits of Genuine Leather
Genuine leather is incredibly comfortable and reliable. It softens with wear and develops a beautiful patina over time. Though genuine leather is more of an investment than other types of upholstery fabric, it can last much longer.
Genuine leather is also hypoallergenic. This makes genuine leather a practical choice for those who are sensitive to allergens.
Things to Consider
The quality, durability, and softness of genuine leather can vary based on the grain and finish so we recommend looking closely at the product description to find details about the type of leather. Check out Your Guide to Different Types of Leather for helpful info about types of leather grain and finishes. For homes with children or pets, we recommend choosing leather upholstery with a protective finish to prevent any stains or scratches.
How to Care for Genuine Leather
Depending on the finish, genuine leather can be very easy to clean. Leather upholstery with an aniline finish requires extra care and is more prone to stains than semi-aniline or pigmented finishes.
Aniline leather has only been colored with a soluble dye that does not alter the feel of the leather. This type of leather should be wiped down with a soft microfiber cloth and vacuumed with an upholstery attachment to remove dust. For stains, use a solution formulated specifically for aniline finishes.
Semi-aniline leather has a thin protective coating that prevents wear and discoloration. Like aniline leather, semi-aniline leather should be vacuumed regularly. Treat spots or stains with a leather cleaner made for semi-aniline leather.
Pigmented leather is treated with a colorful dye that creates a protective seal. This kind of finish makes pigmented leather more durable and easy to clean than aniline or semi-aniline leather. Simply use a mixture of warm water and mild soap to wipe down pigmented leather upholstery. Then dry the spot with a clean, soft cloth.
Pro Tip:
We suggest staying away from using varnish, oil, furniture polish, ammonia, or saddle soap on your leather furniture.
Leather Match
What is Leather Match?
Leather match upholstery uses genuine leather on the front pieces of furniture and faux leather on less visible areas, such as the side or back of the furniture. The faux leather closely matches the color and feel of the genuine leather to create one seamless piece.
Benefits of Leather Match
The strategic use of both genuine leather and faux leather offers a high-quality piece at a reasonable price. With genuine leather used on the primary parts of the sofa, such as the cushions and armrests, leather match upholstery wears well over time and provides the same comfort as a fully genuine leather piece.
Things to Consider
Since leather match furniture combines both genuine leather and faux leather, it's important to keep this type of leather out of direct sunlight. Too much exposure to direct sunlight can cause the different types of leather to wear differently.
How to Care for Leather Match
Leather match upholstery can be cleaned using the same instructions as genuine leather and faux leather. We recommend consulting the manufacturer instructions for any special directions to treat stains.
Fabric Sofas
Fabric sofas are an excellent choice if you're looking for softness and durability. Fabric upholstery comes in a variety of bright colors and patterns that complement a variety of styles. Keep reading below to learn about four popular types of upholstery fabric – microfiber, cotton, velvet, and chenille.
Microfiber
What is Microfiber?
Microfiber is an upholstery material made of incredibly thin synthetic fibers woven tightly together. The tight weave creates a soft, durable fabric crafted to withstand everyday use, making it one of the best sofa fabrics for homes with children and pets.
Benefits of Microfiber
Microfiber is woven to have a smooth, suede-like texture that brings comfort to any living room. With densely-packed fibers, microfiber upholstery is non-absorbent and water-resistant. This gives you extra time to wipe up spills before they can settle into stains. Microfiber is also a hypoallergenic material, making it a safe choice for anyone who is sensitive to allergens.
Things to Consider
Microfiber upholstery comes in several different colors, ranging from neutrals to vibrant shades. Because microfiber is fade-resistant, it helps colors maintain their fresh look. However, microfiber upholstery typically only comes in solid colors.
Additionally, synthetic types of upholstery fabric can generate static and cling to pet hairs and clothing fibers.
How to Care for Microfiber
Microfiber is a low-maintenance fabric that can last for a long time with the proper care. Vacuum microfiber regularly with an upholstery attachment to remove dust and pet hair.
Small spills can be quickly dabbed with a clean cloth. For more stubborn stains, we suggest checking the manufacturer tag to check the cleaning codes. Some microfiber upholstery can be cleaned with water and other types of microfiber can only be cleaned with solvents. Read our guide What is Microfiber? to find additional information on removing stains from microfiber upholstery.
Cotton is another one of the best sofa materials for everyday use. Cotton is a long, natural fiber woven for long-lasting quality. Cotton upholstery adds a touch of casual ambience ideal for relaxing.
Benefits of Cotton
Cotton is a hypoallergenic, breathable material that wicks away excess moisture. Because it is an absorbent material, cotton upholstery is easy to dye and comes in a variety of colors and patterns.
Compared to other natural fibers, cotton upholstery offers comfort and durability at a very affordable price. The reasonable price makes cotton upholstery a great investment that will last for years to come.
Things to Consider
As a natural fiber, cotton is more prone to stains and wrinkles than synthetic types of upholstery fabric. Cotton is often combined with a synthetic fiber to make the material more durable while maintaining the natural look of cotton.
We suggest keeping cotton upholstery away from direct sunlight to prevent fading. Fading can weaken the fibers and lead to tearing.
How to Care for Cotton
The build-up of small particles can cause upholstery to wear faster, so it's best to vacuum cotton regularly to remove dust and pet hair. Use the upholstery attachment to thoroughly vacuum the corners and creases.
Because cotton can stain easily, it's important to treat spills quickly. Create a mild soap solution with a bit of bleach-free dish or laundry detergent and use a clean microfiber cloth to gently dab the spot until the stain lifts. Blot with a damp cloth to remove excess soap and then dab the spot dry with a paper towel or dry cloth.
For stubborn spots, use a water-free solvent to spot-treat the area. We recommend checking the manufacturer tag for specific instructions on how to treat stains.
Pro Tip:
Read our guide Types of Upholstery Fabric: Cotton vs. Microfiber to compare the two popular upholstery fabric types.
Velvet
Velvet upholstery is one of the best sofa fabrics for making a statement. Velvet is often made of cotton, wool, or synthetic materials. The dense, smooth pile creates a lustrous shine and soft texture.
Benefits of Velvet
With a pill-resistant finish and a timeless appeal, velvet is a durable fabric made to last. The classic upholstery fabric adds an elegant feel and warm texture that elevates the space. Velvet is comfortable and soft, making it a great addition to any home.
Things to Consider
Velvet made with synthetic fibers is a better choice for homes with children or pets. The close-knit weave makes velvet a great option for pet-friendly upholstery as it can be harder for cats to get their claws stuck in velvet's tight weave.
Velvet can be prone to "bruising." This refers to the noticeable marks where the velvet pile goes in different directions or is flattened. Bruising can be smoothed out with a brush or gently steamed.
How to Care for Velvet
Velvet is surprisingly easy to clean and doesn't require much more maintenance than most other types of upholstery fabric.
Because velvet can cling to small particles, such as pet hair, dirt, and dust, vacuuming should be included in your regular cleaning routine. Use a soft brush attachment to smooth out the fibers. We also recommend rotating the cushions regularly to prevent the fabric from looking wrinkled.
If spills happen, it's important to use a dry cloth to soak up any excess liquid before the spot can dry. It's best to check with the manufacturer for any special instructions before using any solutions or solvents to treat stains.
Chenille is an incredibly plush upholstery fabric that adds warmth and comfort to your space. Chenille aptly means "caterpillar" in French due to its fuzzy texture. Chenille fabric is similar to velvet except its fibers are looped instead of cut. The closely-knit fibers create a durable fabric with a beautiful sheen.
Benefits of Chenille
Chenille is crafted from yarn and woven for a soft, tufted effect. The yarn is typically made from a variety of materials, such as polyester, cotton, or rayon, for a long-lasting fabric with an abrasion-resistant quality. Chenille retains heat well, making it a great choice for creating a cozy living room.
Things to Consider
The looped construction makes chenille soft, but is more prone to getting snagged. This makes chenille a less pet-friendly fabric than other types of sofa fabrics. Chenille should be kept away from areas with direct sunlight to prevent the color from fading.
How to Care for Chenille
Chenille is easy to maintain. Like other types of sofa materials, it's important to vacuum regularly with an upholstery attachment to prevent dust from settling into the fabric. Regular vacuuming makes maintenance easier over time. We recommend spot cleaning with a bit of water and a clean light-colored cloth.
Pro Tip:
Deciding between a few fabrics? Order free fabric swatches to compare the look and feel of different types of upholstery fabric. Use the product filter to find which sofas offer complimentary samples.
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