Furniture fabrics for contract use: a buyer's guide
Fabric is often the first part of a piece of furniture to show wear. A sofa with a sound frame can look tired within two seasons if its fabric frays, pills or fades. In a hotel or restaurant, where seats are used by hundreds of people, choosing a fabric is a technical decision as much as an aesthetic one.
This guide explains what the key figures on a fabric data sheet mean, how to choose fabric for indoor and outdoor use, and what to ask your supplier.
Abrasion resistance: what Martindale means
The Martindale test (EN ISO 12947) measures how many rubbing cycles a fabric withstands before it shows wear. The higher the number, the more durable the fabric. Domestic use usually needs lower figures, while common market practice for contract seating is to ask for at least 30,000 rubs.
For very busy spaces such as lobbies, restaurants running several sittings or waiting areas, many specifiers ask for higher figures still. In the US you will often see the Wyzenbeek test, which counts double rubs using a different method, so the two sets of numbers cannot be compared directly. Abrasion resistance is not the only criterion, but it is a good first filter.
- Contract seating: typically 30,000 Martindale rubs or more
- Very heavy use: higher figures still
- Martindale and Wyzenbeek results are not directly comparable
Beyond Martindale
A fabric with high abrasion resistance can still pill, fade in the sun or pull apart at the seams. That is why data sheets include other tests too: pilling resistance, colour fastness to light (often given on the blue wool scale), colour fastness to rubbing and seam slippage.
If the furniture sits near large windows, light fastness matters as much as abrasion resistance. Ask your supplier for the full technical data sheet of the fabric, not just a Martindale figure.
Cleaning and stains
In a restaurant, fabric meets wine, coffee and oil; in a hotel, sunscreen and make-up. Stain-resistant finishes repel liquids long enough for them to be wiped away, and some fabrics can be cleaned with diluted bleach. Faux leathers wipe clean easily with water and a mild detergent.
If you choose faux leather, ask whether it is PVC or polyurethane. Polyurethane feels softer but needs good hydrolysis resistance, especially in hot and humid climates. Always follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions, because the wrong product can strip a fabric's protective finish.
Fire safety
In public spaces, how upholstery behaves in a fire is critical. The EN 1021 series assesses the ignitability of upholstered furniture: EN 1021-1 uses a smouldering cigarette as the ignition source and EN 1021-2 a match-equivalent flame. Some projects, particularly for international hotel brands or ships, require additional or different certifications.
Ignitability depends on the combination of fabric and foam, not on the fabric alone. Consult the project's fire safety consultant and ask your supplier for test reports on the specific combination that will be used.
Outdoor fabric
Outdoor fabrics have to cope with sun, rain, salt air, pool chlorine and sunscreen. Solution-dyed acrylic and olefin (polypropylene) are regarded as some of the most durable options, because the colour is locked inside the fibre and resists fading. Sling seats often use PVC-coated polyester mesh, which dries quickly.
What sits under the fabric matters too. Outdoor cushions need open-cell, quick-drying foam that lets water drain through, and UV-resistant sewing thread. Without them, even the best fabric will grow mildew or split at the seams.
Samples and choosing
Always look at samples under the light of the room where the furniture will go and, if possible, see a sample upholstered on a seat. Ask how long the fabric is likely to remain available, so you can replace covers in the same shade later.
Almeco keeps a finishes library of fabrics and finishes for indoor and outdoor use. See samples in our showrooms in Thessaloniki, Athens and Crete and request a quote with prices and lead times.