Choosing fabric for furniture can be a difficult, overwhelming task if you’re not sure what to do or where to start. You want your customers to be happy with their purchase, but what questions should you ask? What qualities should you look for? Can you get something nice that will also serve your customers and their families well? 

Rest assured, you’re not the only manufacturer with these questions, so take a deep breath. Choosing fabric for furniture can be pretty challenging if you’ve never done it before. But once you know what you’re looking for and how you want to style the furniture, you’ll have the furniture your customers are looking for to furnish their homes.

Today’s blog will teach you what you need to keep in mind when choosing fabric for furniture. We’ll discuss factors like durability, style, and color and considerations like fade resistance or allergies. With this new knowledge, you’ll know how to manufacture your furniture so your customers can decorate their homes just the way they’d like. 

Keep reading to learn what you need to keep in mind about fabric for furniture! 

Durability

Your customer’s lifestyle will likely determine how durable the furniture needs to be. Being retired with a quiet life means they won’t need to worry as much about durability. But with kids, grandkids, or pets around, they’ll think twice about what fabric is covering their furniture. The last thing anyone wants is their furniture getting torn up! 

So, how does durability affect your fabric selection for your furniture? 

First, woven patterns are more durable than printed patterns. The same goes for higher thread counts and tighter weaves. The greater the number of threads per square inch of fabric and the denser the material, the better it will hold up. 

Next, consider who will use your sofa. A microfiber or leather fabric will work better for couches or chairs you share with your pets since the material will need to endure the wear and tear of use and frequent cleaning. 

Style

Randomly picking out furniture fabric isn’t a good idea for you or your customers. You might find the perfect match by luck, but your customers are more likely to enjoy their space if you both pay attention to style. 

First, consider your furniture. Is it a tiny chair, a massive couch, or a loveseat? Larger prints and designs tend to do better on furniture pieces that match their size. Large designs can easily overwhelm small pieces of furniture. 

Also, consider the frame. Is it modern or traditional? A fabric that matches the chair’s frame will look best unless you’re going for an untraditional style to make a statement. 

Color

Your next consideration is color. In fact, this might be the first thing your customers look at when they’re furniture shopping. Will the furniture take up a lot of space in the room? If so, it will be the room’s focal point, so they’ll want to choose wisely! 

Your customers will want their furniture to last for years to come, so be sure to pick a popular color that they’re unlikely to get tired of seeing. Neutral colors are the go-to for many homes since they don’t stand out but fill up the room nicely. Going back to durability, a darker color might work best if your customers have small children. Those stains can stick out like a sore thumb!

Don’t forget about color temperature! Warm and cool colors matter if you want to regulate the mood of the room, which most homeowners want to do. 

Fade Resistance

Before making your final decision, you’ll want to research whether the material fades quickly. If so, you might want to avoid the fabric for furniture likely to be exposed to sunlight or placed near a window. If your customer is really hung up on this fabric, suggest that they put it somewhere else where sunlight and the elements won’t cause the fabric to fade.

Mildew Resistance

Do your customers live in a humid climate? You’ll want to avoid fabric that will attract mildew. While cotton, linen, silk, and wool look nice, they’re breeding grounds for mold because of their increased risk for microbial damage. 

So, what kind of fabric should you use? Antimicrobial fabrics are your friend. SILVADUR Antimicrobial fabrics are perfect since they prevent mold and bacteria from growing on your fabrics. 

Allergies

You’ll want to choose hypoallergenic fabrics for customers with households that suffer from allergies. Microfiber is an excellent example of a hypoallergenic fabric since it’s lint-free and repels dust. Other good choices include silk, linen, cotton, wool, and viscose. 

Avoid long, natural fibers since they attract dust, dirt, pet hairs, and more. Synthetic blends with short fibers are a much better option. 

Pets

You won’t want your customers to worry about rips or tears in their fabric next time Rover hops up on the couch. For that reason, we recommend avoiding silk or any fabric that has texture. Leather and microfiber fabrics are best for animal claws and animal hair. 

Choose AKAS Tex for Your Furniture

We hope this blog has provided you with all the information you need to choose fabric for the furniture you manufacture. Remember that deep breath we had you take? Well, take another breath.

Choosing fabric for furniture can be a stressful experience, so let us make it a bit easier. Choose AKAS Tex for your furniture. AKAS Tex manufactures a variety of fabrics that will work well with your furniture.

We have bamboo, organic cotton, waterproof fabrics, and materials that have essential qualities like being absorbent, antimicrobial, or waterproof. That’s right; your customers can enjoy new furniture while caring for the environment. We even have food-safe fabrics so your customers can eat on their new couch without worry. 

AKAS Tex is here to help you choose the right fabric for furniture that will serve your customers’ needs and stand the test of time. Are you unsure of what fabric you should use for the furniture you’ll manufacture? 

Get started with a 4×4 swatch from our sister site, Wazoodle Fabrics to test with the furniture, and go from there. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need help. Our team will be happy to help you pick out the right fabrics so you can get your customers’ homes furnished in no time, leaving them as happy campers! Get started today!