I was talking to a friend who’s buying a new computer and she was really beating herself up for all the things she didn’t know she didn’t know.
Been there? You’re getting something new — by joyful decision or necessity — and you think it’ll be easy until you start digging in and suddenly it seems like you’re supposed to be an expert in something you don’t know anything about. You wanna yell at the world, “Hey! I know things about other things, dammit!”
Of course you do. You’re super smart. You just don’t buy a computer, car, or maybe (just maybe) you don’t buy furniture upholstery fabric very often.
We get it. And we can help. Not so much with the computer or car, but for sure with the upholstery fabric. Here at the largest online upholstery fabric store we’re well-versed in the moment when initial excitement about an upholstery project gives way to confusion about all the options and terminology.
Drawing from questions we get a lot, today we’ll give you the essentials so you can start feeling as confident about the knowledge you have as you are passionate about the project you’re working on.
When A Yard Isn’t A Yard: Why Upholstery Fabric Gives You More
Here’s a head-scratcher to start with: In the upholstery industry, a yard isn’t a yard.
Huh? For clarity, a yard itself is still 36 inches. But upholstery fabrics are made on rolls (aka, reams) that are 54 inches wide. That’s so the fabric is easier to work with, helping you avoid unnatural seams and making it easier to match patterns — particularly on larger furniture pieces. Fabrics can occasionally be a bit wider or more narrow, but 54 inches is the standard.
What does that mean for you? Well, for example, here at KOVI the minimum amount of fabric you can order is a yard, but that yard is going to be 54 inches wide so what you receive (36” x 54”) is even more than you thought you were getting.
Which is great when you’re working on an armchair reupholstery project and a pattern like blush pink and green tropical floral catches your eye. Or you’re reupholstering a sofa in a classic Hampton blue stripe pattern that you want to easily match. Or you’re adding some throw pillows in ruby red brocade or calming pale aqua shearling to an existing piece and you want to get as many as you can out of a single yard.
Bottom line: A yard is to the land of upholstery fabrics as a baker’s dozen is to a bakery. You get more than you paid for.
Here’s The Rub: How To Spot Fabrics Built For The Way You Live
When you’re in the market for upholstery fabric, regardless of the project, quality is obviously top of mind. And one of the key measures of quality for most projects is durability. How do you know what’s durable or not?
If you’re looking for a new car, you go to sources like Consumer Reports or Kelley Blue Book for their rating of different makes/models in terms of reliability, etc. For fabrics, we look at the industry standard Wyzenbeek rating — aka, “double rubs” rating. Spill something on your sofa and rub the spot left and right to start cleaning it? That’s one double-rub. (You’ll see Wzyenbeek and double rubs used interchangeably, btw.)
Side note: KOVI’s fabrics are at least 15,000 double rub rated, perfect for residential projects, and many are 40,000 double rub rated and higher — like much, much higher and commercial grade ready.
So when you’re picking out fabrics for your primary bedroom you can look very smart suggesting a grounding and snuggly tawny gold boucle (200,000 double rubs) for your headboard, an earthy spice orange geometric pattern jacquard (30,000 double rubs) for your end of bed bench, and a duvet cover in sugar white Crypton linen (100,000 double rubs). Add to the elegance but not the maintenance with curtains in a bisque white traditional pattern damask (45,000 double rubs). Bedtime just got more peaceful.
Crypton, Not Krypton: Meet Some Of The Upholstery Fabric Superheroes
See, even in a piece intended to simplify and explain industry jargon we can slip into jargon — like Crypton. So let’s talk about Crypton next.
Setting aside fabrics and interior design, think of something you’re passionate about. No doubt there’s some brand or product that’s pretty universally agreed to be high quality. Like, if somebody asked which is more luxurious, Motel 6 or the Ritz Carlton? No disrespect to Motel 6, but you gotta go with the Ritz Carlton every time.
When you read/hear names like Crypton or Sunbrella, or fabrics like solution-dyed acrylic and olefin on sites like ours, what they’re saying to you is — in terms of durability and performance — this is the Ritz Carlton of fabrics.
That’s because today’s upholstery fabrics ain’t ya’ grandma’s. Many are created on a fiber level for performance and durability, sealed down to their essence. So much so that gone are the days of getting a new piece of furniture and needing to immediately douse it in Scotchgard or some other stain barrier coating.
So, when you’re reupholstering your patio or porch furniture, start your search by filtering for Sunbrella or outdoor fabrics and you’ve got options you can count on like a sapphire blue diamond pattern woven fabric or a bold forest green and white stripe Sunbrella — bringing strong Beverly Hills Hotel vibes. Or when you’re refreshing your family room sectional, rest easy AND get that bright and cheery look you’ve longed for with a snow white Crypton velvet or perhaps a rich, welcoming midnight blue chenille instead.
You’ve Got A Friend In Me: Quick Tools For Your Home’s Design Refresh
Now you know how fabric sizing works, how to recognize durability as you search, and why certain names get bandied about so much. And you know we love helping you love your spaces through the power of fabrics. Let’s wrap up with a few quick bits specific to KOVI:
- Samples Make Perfect: Sometimes before you can know how a fabric works for what you’re dreaming up, you need to move it from your screen to your space. That’s why we offer samples. Find a fabric, click the “Order Sample” tab, and follow the instructions from there.
- Measure Up: Fabric is sold by the yard but off of a fabric ream that’s 54 inches wide. And we sell it by the yard and in increments of 1/4 yard after your first yard. But how much fabric do you need for your project? Check out our handy upholstery yardage chart, and…
- Step-by-step: …spend some time exploring our treasure trove of resources to help you on your DIY journey and keep you inspired along the way.
Now you’re ready to embark upon your next upholstery project feeling a bit more like a pro and a whole lot less like you’re learning a new language. You got this. And we’re always here to help.
Links:
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