{"id":10137,"date":"2025-05-31T15:22:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T20:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kovifabrics.com\/blog\/?p=10137"},"modified":"2025-06-06T11:03:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T16:03:54","slug":"the-more-you-know-quick-primer-to-shopping-for-fabrics-like-a-pro-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kovifabrics.com\/blog\/the-more-you-know-quick-primer-to-shopping-for-fabrics-like-a-pro-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The More You Know: Quick Primer To Shopping For Fabrics Like A Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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<\/em> she didn\u2019t know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Been there? You’re getting something new \u2014 by joyful decision or necessity \u2014 and you think it’ll be easy until you start digging in and suddenly it seems like you\u2019re supposed to be an expert in something you don’t know anything about. You wanna yell at the world, \u201cHey! I know things about other things, dammit!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course you do. You’re super<\/em> smart. You just don’t buy a computer, car, or maybe (just maybe) you don\u2019t buy furniture upholstery fabric very often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get it. And we can help. Not so much with the computer or car, but for sure with the upholstery fabric. Here<\/a> at the largest online upholstery fabric store we\u2019re well-versed in the moment when initial excitement about an upholstery project gives way to confusion about all the options and terminology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When A Yard Isn\u2019t A Yard: Why Upholstery Fabric Gives You More<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a head-scratcher to start with: In the upholstery industry, a yard isn\u2019t a yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Huh?<\/em> For clarity, a yard itself is still 36 inches. But upholstery fabrics are made on rolls (aka, reams) that are 54 inches wide. That\u2019s so the fabric is easier to work with, helping you avoid unnatural seams and making it easier to match patterns \u2014 particularly on larger furniture pieces. Fabrics can occasionally be a bit wider or more narrow, but 54 inches is the standard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does that mean for you?<\/em> 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\u201d x 54\u201d) is even more than you thought you were getting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is great when you\u2019re working on an armchair reupholstery project and a pattern like blush<\/a> pink and green tropical floral catches your eye. Or you\u2019re reupholstering a sofa in a classic Hampton<\/a> blue stripe pattern that you want to easily match. Or you\u2019re adding some throw pillows in ruby red brocade<\/a> or calming pale aqua shearling<\/a> to an existing piece and you want to get as many as you can out of a single yard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom line:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s The Rub: How To Spot Fabrics Built For The Way You Live<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s durable or not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for a new car, you go to sources like Consumer Reports<\/em> or Kelley Blue Book<\/em> for their rating of different makes\/models in terms of reliability, etc. For fabrics, we look at the industry standard Wyzenbeek rating \u2014  aka, \u201cdouble rubs\u201d rating. Spill something on your sofa and rub the spot left and right to start cleaning it? That\u2019s one double-rub. (You\u2019ll see Wzyenbeek and double rubs used interchangeably, btw.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Side note:<\/strong> KOVI\u2019s fabrics are at least 15,000 double rub rated, perfect for residential projects, and many are 40,000 double rub rated and higher \u2014 like much, much higher and commercial grade ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when you\u2019re picking out fabrics for your primary bedroom you can look very smart suggesting a grounding and snuggly tawny gold<\/a> boucle (200,000 double rubs) for your headboard, an earthy spice<\/a> orange geometric pattern jacquard (30,000 double rubs) for your end of bed bench, and a duvet cover in sugar<\/a> white Crypton linen (100,000 double rubs). Add to the elegance but not the maintenance with curtains in a bisque<\/a> white  traditional pattern damask (45,000 double rubs). Bedtime just got more peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crypton, Not Krypton: Meet Some Of The Upholstery Fabric Superheroes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

See, even in a piece intended to simplify and explain industry jargon we can slip into jargon \u2014 like Crypton. So let\u2019s talk about Crypton<\/a> next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting aside fabrics and interior design, think of something you’re passionate about. No doubt there\u2019s some brand or product that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you read\/hear names like Crypton or Sunbrella<\/a>, or fabrics like solution-dyed acrylic and olefin on sites like ours, what they’re saying to you is \u2014 in terms of durability and performance \u2014 this is the Ritz Carlton of fabrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because today’s upholstery fabrics ain\u2019t ya\u2019 grandma\u2019s. 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when you\u2019re reupholstering your patio or porch furniture, start your search by filtering for Sunbrella or outdoor fabrics and you\u2019ve got options you can count on like a sapphire blue diamond<\/a> pattern woven fabric or a bold<\/a> forest green and white stripe Sunbrella \u2014 bringing strong Beverly Hills Hotel vibes. Or when you\u2019re refreshing your family room sectional, rest easy AND<\/em> get that bright and cheery look you\u2019ve longed for with a snow<\/a> white Crypton velvet or perhaps a rich, welcoming midnight<\/a> blue chenille instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ve Got A Friend In Me: Quick Tools For Your Home’s Design Refresh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> your spaces through the power of fabrics<\/a>. Let’s wrap up with a few quick bits specific to KOVI: <\/p>\n\n\n\n