As part of our training we had to learn not only the practical aspect of upholstery but also provide a couple of dissertations. One being the history of 20th century design but also the historical use of upholstery fabrics. Now some fellow students absolutely hated this part of the course but we found it to be a fundamental part of the training and more so in the real world when it comes to providing advice. Not only can we offer this knowledge it also helps when trying to date an antique item.

We would like offer the following insights which may or may not be found in any guides:

• Martindale test – measures abrasion resistance, the higher the figure the better. For a high usage item such as a lounge chair we would advise of 40,000 plus.
• Wool is brilliant, especially patterned.
• Thread count – the higher the thread count the stronger the fabric.
• A herringbone weave will be stronger than a plain weave.
• A felted type wool in a dark colour is not great if you own a Golden Retriever.
• Buttons on a check or striped piece of furniture can be a bad idea (wonky lines).
• Linen clothes go baggy after a few outings…just think of the same effect on a piece of furniture. Whilst one may like the idea of using a 100% linen, sometimes a man-made fibre added to the mix is not a bad idea.
• The majority of fabric comes in a standard width, if it is patterned and going on a large item make sure the pattern matching costs are factored in.
• Cats have no idea how expensive the material is.
• Teenagers will not realise that chairs with castors should NOT be pulled across an oak floor.
• Decent fabric costs more than £20 per metre (at least).
• Regardless of how tough a material is, it will not be protected by wine spills, sticky chocolate fingers or items in pockets…not even leather or vinyl will survive a sharp metal clothing adornment.

It’s not the only chair that is getting the spotty treatment as another client likes this fabric and has chosen to use the same material on their chair.