Furnishing Fabrics

Factors to consider when choosing furnishing material

Along with the look and design of the fabric, there are many factors to think through before landing on the best material for your purposes.

First and foremost, you need to know what it will be used for - is it durable enough to withstand people sitting on it every day or is it a decorator fabric suited to an ornament? You'll need a more heavy-duty upholstery fabric if it must tolerate a lot of wear and tear. Similarly, does your fabric require a lot of maintenance, especially if you have pets and small children (with grubby hands)? Is it likely to fade if it's positioned in direct sunlight? What's the drape of the fabric like - could it be too stiff for your purposes? Has it been treated to make it resistant to fire, fading and/or stains?

Asking the right questions, and knowing what answers you need, is the best way to settle on the perfect fabric for breathing life into your furnishing project.

The different types of furnishing fabrics

Linen - great for formal living room furniture, less so for homes with children and pets because linen wrinkles and stains easily.

Leather - a damp cloth and a quick vac are all you need to maintain leather but, for crafters, it can be difficult to work with (for advanced crafters only).

Cotton - one of the safest, natural fibres for upholstery with many great properties such as resistance to wear and tear, fading and pilling. A cotton blend is also more stain-resistant than basic cotton.

Wool - another natural fibre with similar advantages to cotton, as well as resistance to wrinkling and most stains. Consider a wool synthetic blend for something even easier to clean.

Nylon - nylon blends, rather than nylon on its own, are more common for upholstery because they're considered the most durable of all furnishing fabrics.

Polyester - similar to nylon, polyester is mainly blended with natural fibres for better wrinkle resistance and reduced fading. Stay away from wool and polyester blends as they tend to pill.

Find the right furnishing fabrics at Spotlight

Ready to purchase? You can peruse our range of furnishing fabrics and materials online, but first, we recommend you read our guide to choosing upholstery fabrics to help you make the best choices. If you're feeling particularly creative, you might like to try one of our furnishing projects - from covering a lampshade to creating your own cushions and laundry bags.

Alternatively, head into a Spotlight store to check out the different furnishing fabrics available and speak with one of our friendly customer service team who'll be happy to answer your questions.