Thinking of investing in one of our high quality sofas? Selecting the best sofa fabric for your needs is as important as getting the right shape and size. The ideal upholstery should suit your lifestyle, complement your décor and offer a balance of durability and aesthetic appeal. So, if you need help making your choice, you’ve come to the right place! From family-friendly weaves to luxury velvets, this guide will help you narrow down the perfect sofa fabric for you.

What to consider when choosing the best sofa fabric

Functionality

All of our sofas are hand crafted around a solid hardwood frame with high-quality springs, webbing and cushion filling for exceptional longevity. However, the choosing the best sofa fabrics will extend your chosen sofas life even further. With that in mind, your choice of sofa upholstery should reflect how it will be used day to day.

Occasional furniture, for example, doesn’t need to be overly hardwearing. These pieces won’t experience the same wear and tear as those that you use on a daily basis. As such, you can opt for more delicate fabrics or bold statement prints without worrying about fading or pilling.

On the other hand, the primary sofas and chairs in your living room will need to be upholstered in a material that can withstand frequent use. Inferior quality fabrics can show wear quite quickly! And if you have children or pets, you’ll also need to consider stain resistance – more on this later.

Why the best sofa fabric is synthetic

When it comes to the best sofa fabric for sofas and armchairs, we always recommend synthetics or blends over 100% natural fibres. While on the surface, natural materials like cotton and wool may seem like the premium option, they are hard to care for and show wear sooner. Instead, modern velvets, soft yet hardy chenille and finely woven synthetic fabrics are more durable and easier to clean. If you do want to incorporate natural materials, opt for a high synthetic-blend (of 60% or more).

Leather is another classic and long-lasting sofa fabric that develops a characterful patina over time. However, leather can also stretch and scratch with use, and grease marks can be hard to remove. So, if you’re seeking low-maintenance sofa upholstery, it may not be right for you.

We supply sofas upholstered in a variety of commercial grade fabrics from leading brands like Romo, Warwick, Wemyss and Ross Fabrics. Luxury synthetic velvets like Plush by Warwick and Walbrook by Wemyss with its marbled finish are ideal for more traditional pieces. Meanwhile, Warwick’s Krayola and Splash are chic woven plains with stain-repellent FibreGuard technology built in.

New Technology fabrics

As mentioned, functionality is one of the key things to bear in mind when choosing the best sofa fabric, especially in busy family households. And stain resistant fabrics like Aquaclean and FibreGuard can make your life even easier thanks to fibre technology that repells dirt and makes cleaning easy. In fact, new technology fabrics can withstand sticky fingers, paw prints and accidental spills with ease!

Aquaclean fabrics are treated with an invisible coating to stop dirt and liquids from penetrating the fibres. This means that most spills like wine, coffee, milk and ink will sit on the surface, rather than being absorbed. This will give you time to wipe them up before they stain. Better yet, you’ll only need to use water in most cases – no special cleaners or chemicals needed!

Alternatively, FibreGuard offers similar benefits, with stain resistance woven directly into the fabric rather than applied as a surface treatment. As a result, it won’t wear off over time and will keep your sofa fresh for longer. This permanent protection ensures that liquids bead up on the surface, giving you time to blot spills before they set in. FibreGuard also repels dust, making it an excellent choice for allergy sufferers. And if you have pets, why not upgrade to FibreGuard Pro which includes an anti-microbial barrier to protect against germs and odours?

Whichever you choose, both of these sofa upholstery fabrics come in a wide range of colours and finishes. That way, you won’t have to compromise on style to enjoy the practical benefits.

Colours & patterns

The best sofa fabric will provide durability but must also achieve the look and feel you want in your living room. Our sofas can be upholstered in virtually any colour or pattern. And there is a huge library of literally 1000’s of fabric samples to help you decide at our Horsham showroom. Think timeless neutrals, eye-catching florals and vibrant hues, as preferred.

Our team can also provide recommendations based on your taste and existing décor, plus our own experience. For example, while it may be tempting to go for a statement print in the short term, we’d advise sticking to simpler styles for large, frequently used pieces. That way, they are less likely to go out of fashion and will stand the test of time – especially since our sofas are built to last. If you would like to add interest, we can supply colourful accent pieces like cushions and footstools, plus numerous home accessories to help you do so.

It’s also important to think about how different colours perform day to day. For example, lighter fabrics may show dirt more easily, while darker tones may fade if placed in strong sunlight – an issue that affects natural fibres more than synthetic’s and blends. With that in mind, mid-tone shades may offer the best balance for everyday use. As for patterns, woven designs are typically more subtle, but also more durable and fade-resistant than printed patterns. The latter are therefore better suited to decorative or occasional furniture.

Fabric quality

Last but certainly not least, you need to consider the quality of your sofa upholstery. This will help you determine how long they’ll last, whether they’re worth the investment and the level of maintenance involved. A high thread count generally means a tighter and tougher weave that is more resistant to wear. Fine weaves also make cleaning easier, as dirt and crumbs are less likely to become trapped in the fibres versus thick weaves.

Another key measure of quality is your sofa fabric’s Martindale Rub Test Rating for wear and abrasion resistance. Any material which scores 25,000 – 30,000 is considered suitable for heavy domestic use, and anything over 30,000 is considered commercial grade. At New England Home Interiors, all of our sofa fabrics have an impressive rating of at least 70,000 for your peace of mind. As such, they’ll look great for years to come, even if clean-ups and pet scratches are a common occurrence. Learn more about sofa fabric grades in this guide.

How the fabric selection process works

Ready to get started? If choosing the best sofa fabric for your preferred model still feels overwhelming or you just need help deciding, get in touch! Our expert team are on hand to help you over the phone or during your visit to the showroom.

We’ll begin by learning about your interior style and colour preferences, and to help you choose the best sofa fabric, we will also take into account your lifestyle, family requirements, pets and what your sofa or armchair will be used for.

From there, we’ll walk you through the different types of sofa upholstery fabrics that would be most suitable for you. If you’re visiting us in person, you’ll also have the opportunity to browse our many fabric swatches at your leisure. We can also provide Aquaclean or FibreGuard samples if we feel you’d benefit from upgrading to these stain resistant fabrics.

Call us on 01403 330508 or pop into our Horsham showroom Tues–Sat between 10am and 5pm.