Fabric Info You Need to Know
Have you ever touched a fabric and felt the sensation of peace and calm run through you? The sense of touch is powerful. It’s why we use layers of textures in every room we design.
Though fabrics are all around us, selecting the right one takes consideration. Krista sat down and chatted with Kim Clapperton, a fabric expert from Maxwell Fabrics.
In this blog, we’ll explain why you might not want to select linen for a drapery, but you might for a custom sofa. We’ll go through terminology you should know and share the most durable fabrics that can stand up to kids and pets.
FABRIC TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Here are a few fabric terms that might help you understand what goes into your fabric selections.
Double Rub
A double rub is a fabric durability test. A machine rubs cotton duck against the fabric. Each time the machine goes back and forth, that’s one double rub. When the fabric starts showing wear or a thread breaks, they record the number of double-rubs at that point. That becomes the fabric’s double-rub rating.
At a minimum, you should look for a fabric with 15,000 double rubs on upholstery fabric.
Fibre Content
Fibre content refers to the materials used in the creation of the fibres of a fabric. Cotton (seed-hair), silk (natural protein), linen (flax-based), mohair (Angora goat) and polyester (petroleum) are all fibre content examples.
Microfibre
Microfibre is a synthetic material composed of polymers or wood pulp.
Pile
Pile is a term that refers to all textiles when a fibre is cut or looped to create a textural effect. It can be warp cut (velvet or mohair) or warp loop (terry towelling) or weft cut (velveteen or corduroy).
Pile length refers to the length of the pile strand that sticks up from the fabric backing.
Woven/ Knit
Woven fabric is formed by weaving and interlacing threads and has three main types such as pain, twill and satin.
Knit fabric is yarn that is knitted together with loops.
Printed
Printed fabrics are any type of textile that has an ink/dye print stamped on them and the pattern is not built into the fabric.
Off-Gassing
A release of chemicals into the air that continues after the fabric has been through manufacturing.
WIPEABLE AND EASY TO CLEAN FABRICS
Most fabrics have a treatment already woven into the fabric. Almost 95% of Maxwell’s fabrics are treated. It’s not a topical treatment that will wear off. The treatment is a water-based, heat-set nanotechnology sprayed on the fabric’s fibres. This is a greener version of previously used treatments that produced off-gassing.
These treatments allow time to wipe up spills on fabrics before they set into the fibres. You can even spill red wine and clean it up!
BEST FIBRE CONTENT FOR A BUSY FAMILY
For a busy family, the most commonly specified options are polyester, wool, and cotton.
Fabric treatments have opened the door to many fabric options that you wouldn’t ordinarily select for a busy family. Linen is often considered high-maintenance and difficult to clean, but it is now an option for a family as long as you’re okay with adding backing for upholstery fabrics and not using it near a bright window. With treatment, staining is less of a concern.
ECO-FRIENDLY FABRICS FOR ALLERGIES AND SENSITIVITIES
If you are conserved about the environment or have allergies, look for the Oeko-Tex label on fabrics. This is a symbol that means that the fabric won’t off-gas and its production is sustainable and energy efficient.
BEST FABRICS FOR PETS
If you have a dog or a cat, the struggle is real to keep pet fur off of your clothes and your upholstery.
- Select fabrics with a low pile or microfiber are the best option for pets.
- Avoid anything with a long/ tall pile or woven materials that will grab onto pet hair and invite kitties to scratch.
DRAPERY FABRICS
The fibre content and construction of drapery fabrics have a big impact on their longevity in a drapery application.
A tighter weave will retain its shape better than a looser weave. Your workroom will let your fabric relax for a bit before they cut it to be sure it is the appropriate length, but you may still see more stretching in your window if your weave is quite loose.
Natural fibres will contract and stretch depending on the moisture content in the room. Linen is subject to this. It will stretch, or relax, in high humidity and shrink back up in low humidity. Be sure to have your workroom cut the fabric to a length that will look great at either stage.
If you’re interested in using a silk drapery, be sure to only place them on windows that don’t get a lot of sun and select a liner fabric to protect them. Silk will break down in sunlight.
Specifying a double rod with a blackout drapery on one rod and sheer on the other is a great option for added privacy.
WHAT MAKES A FABRIC MORE EXPENSIVE?
The fibre content, backing, and complexity of the pattern are three things that will affect the price of a fabric.
- A natural fibre is going to be more expensive than a polyester.
- A printed fabric is going to be less expensive than a colourful woven fabric.
- A velvet with a dyed pattern is going to be more expensive than a plain dyed velvet.
- Mohair is one of the most expensive fibre contents as it comes from a specific type of goat. It will also last until long after you’re done with your furniture. There are mohair couches from the 60s that look brand new to this day.
UPHOLSTERY FABRIC MAINTENANCE
A quick wipe down with a damp cloth and the upholstery attachment of your vacuum is all you need to care for your upholstery fabrics. A regular vacuum will liven up velvet and mohair piles that have flattened.
FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT FABRIC
We barely scraped the surface of this tapestry of information. We are so grateful to have fabric experts to help us guide our clients. What was your biggest takeaway? Send an email to marketing@kristahermansondesign.com to let us know!