How to Choose Upholstery Fabric

1. What furniture are you upholstering?

When choosing upholstery fabric, you need to understand how the piece of furniture is going to be used. For example, is it for a statement chair that’s used occasionally? Or perhaps a sofa that the whole family lounges on every evening? Or maybe you’re looking for upholstery fabric for dining chairs that need to handle the occasional splash of red wine? It’s important that the upholstery fabric you choose meets these criteria - and that’s where the Martindale Rub Test comes in...

2. What is the Martindale Rub Test?

The Martindale Rub Test is the standard way of measuring fabric durability. It’s a practical benchmark to help you know what’s suitable for which space.

Less than 10,000 rubs - decorative fabric only, for example, cushions and accents.
10,000-20,000 rubs - light domestic use, such as occasional chairs.
20,000-25,000 rubs - general domestic use, for everyday furniture.
25,000-30,000 rubs - heavy domestic use and light commercial use, such as recliners.
30,000 rubs or more - commercial use, using commercial grade fabric.

To put this in real terms, if you’re upholstering a footstool or window seat in a busy family home, you should aim for at least 30,000 rubs to ensure it wears well over time. To help you work out if your preferred fabric is up to the job, you’ll find Martindale scores listed alongside each of the upholstery fabrics on our product pages. If you're still unsure about what this means, take a look at our blog on The Martindale Test: Fabric Rub Count.

Shop for wool fabric

3. What is the most durable fabric for upholstery?

All fabrics have unique characteristics, and their composition plays a part in their durability. The only true way to test the durability of upholstery fabric is by the Martindale rub test. However, by their very nature, heavier fabrics do tend to be more durable than lightweight ones. If you’re looking for a durable upholstery fabric, here are a few common options:

Wool: naturally fire retardant and extremely soft to the touch makes wool a great option for domestic furniture.

We love: Cotswold Wool Fabric - with a Martindale Test score of 40,000, this fabric is woven from recycled wool yarns

Velvet: nothing beats the heavy drape of velvet for giving a home a sense of grandeur and warmth.

We love: JR Vintage Velvet FR Fabric - this hard-wearing fabric has a Martindale Test score of 88,000 and is a lovely fire retardant upholstery fabric with a vintage looking patina.

Linen Blend: Combining the appeal of linen with the hard-wearing nature of man-made polyester, fabric blends are the ideal way to enjoy durability and style.

We love: William Morris Pimpernel Fabric - this washable linen blend has a Martindale Test score of 50,000 and has a beautifully textured finish with added durability.

4. Does upholstery fabric need to be fire retardant?

All upholstery fabrics, both domestic use and contract use, must comply with the current fire safety legislations. This means that if you are buying upholstery fabric, you must check if it is fire retardant or if it needs to be treated with an FR coating or used with an FR liner.

The simplest solution is to use fabric that is already FR treated and does not need an extra fire retardant liner when upholstering. We have a large range of fire resistant upholstery fabric that makes it easy to comply with fire safety regulations.

Using a fire retardant lining is another good option, but there are stipulations. If the composition of a fabric is made up of 75% or more natural fibres, then a fire retardant liner can be used. If the fabric is less than 75% natural fibres, then it cannot be used with an FR liner and therefore must be treated to the relevant standards.

If you select an upholstery fabric that needs to be treated, then we can offer this service. Depending on the end use for the fabric, it will either be dipped or back-coated. Please call us on 01242 388390 or email us on orders@justfabrics.co.uk for more information. This process can take a couple of weeks.

5. How to clean upholstery fabric?

Different fabrics require different care, but as a general rule, it is always best to remove loose dirt and debris with a vacuum cleaner and then spot-treat stains. This can be done with a natural vinegar and baking soda solution or a mild detergent. Always test solutions in a hidden area before applying to ensure it doesn’t damage the fabric or affect the colour. For a deeper clean, you can use a handheld steamer, or if you have removable covers, you can put them in the washing machine on a suitable cycle that ensures they don’t shrink.

6. Patterned upholstery fabric choices

Reupholstering a tired armchair or headboard is a great way to give a new lease of life to your furniture and your living space. There are a huge number of upholstery fabrics available on our website - here are some of our favourite themes:

Striped upholstery fabric: our range of striped upholstery fabrics includes muted ticking stripes, bright seaside stripes and broad nautical stripes. For a fun take on the stripe theme, we love the Aztec stripe fabric in a cotton-polyester blend.
Animal print upholstery fabric: from tropical parrots to cool crayfish and musical monkeys to dressage ponies, animal print upholstery fabric is an endearingly popular choice. We love Sophie Allport’s sheep fabric for its simplicity and understated luxury.
Tweed upholstery fabric: beautifully crafted from wool, our tweed upholstery fabric features plaids and herringbone stripes, as well as a wide range of tartan fabrics. We love this Balmoral fabric in Loch, a classic 100% wool tartan fabric that’s exceptionally priced.
Floral upholstery fabric: from bright blooms to verdant foliage, our range of floral upholstery fabric is bursting with life. Styles include modern designs, such as the cheerful Orla Kiely-inspired Abelia fabric, to more vintage floral upholstery fabric designs such as the traditional Hidcote fabric.