Best fabric for a sofa: how to choose upholstery fabric
The best fabric for a sofa is the one that can handle your life: for everyday use, look for abrasion resistance from about 20,000 Martindale cycles, a fabric that is easy to clean and — if you have children or pets — a tight weave. Colour and feel come next. Here is how to choose, from 15 years of making upholstered sofas.
Comfort first, fabric second
A sofa is chosen for comfort: a beautiful but uncomfortable sofa will not serve you, however good the fabric. So choose the model and the seat depth first — and only then the fabric. Everything you can change on a made-to-order sofa is in Made-to-order sofas in Portugal.
How to choose upholstery fabric: 5 questions
- How much will you use the sofa? For a living room you sit in every day, look for abrasion resistance from about 20,000 Martindale cycles; a guest sofa can do with less.
- Are there children at home? Choose a fabric that is easy to clean of dust and stains. That matters more than the colour: a light, practical fabric lasts longer than a dark one that nothing comes out of.
- Do you have a cat or a dog? A tight, smooth weave that claws cannot catch, in a colour close to the fur. Bouclé and loosely looped fabrics are not for homes with pets.
- Does the sofa get the sun? The light in Portugal is strong. Near large windows, choose light-resistant fabrics and colours that do not visibly fade — beige, grey, sand tones.
- Do you like to change things? Removable covers make cleaning easier. On our 2Sleep sofa beds, such as the Place, the covers of the cushions you sleep on come off and can be washed; on the Kazka children’s bed everything comes off — armrests, cushions and even the base.
Types of sofa fabric, in short
- Velvet: soft with a sheen; shows pressure marks and pet hair. With pets, choose short pile and a medium colour.
- Bouclé: very beautiful and warm to the touch, but snags on claws and threads.
- Chenille and tightly woven fabrics: the middle ground — soft, durable, easy to look after.
- Cotton and linen: natural and cool, but they crease and stain more easily; good if you like a lived-in look.
- Stain-resistant fabrics: the most practical choice for families with children.
Touch the fabric before you decide
Photos do not show the feel or the true colour in the light of your home. At our studio in Cascais (Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–19:00) you can sit on the sofas and see the samples in person; see also our materials.
In your own fabric
We also upholster in the customer’s own fabric. One piece of advice we learned the fun way: mark the right side of the fabric. With good fabrics it is often hard to tell the right side from the wrong side — once we upholstered a sofa inside out, the customer noticed, we redid it very quickly and we all laughed that nobody could find the right side.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best fabric for a sofa?
There is no single best fabric for everyone. For everyday use, choose a fabric with good abrasion resistance (from about 20,000 Martindale cycles), easy to clean and pleasant to the touch. With children or pets, choose a tightly woven fabric with a stain-resistant finish; for a sunny room, a fabric that resists fading.
What sofa fabric is best with cats and dogs?
A tightly woven, smooth fabric that claws cannot catch, in a colour close to your pet’s fur. Avoid bouclé and loosely looped fabrics — they snag easily.
Is velvet a good choice for a sofa?
Yes, if you like the feel and the sheen. Modern velvet is durable, but it shows pressure marks and pet hair. In homes with pets, choose a short-pile velvet in a medium colour.
Can I upholster a sofa in my own fabric?
Yes. We make sofas to measure in 25–44 working days, including in the customer’s own fabric — we only ask you to mark the right side of the fabric, because with good fabrics it is often hard to tell the right side from the wrong side.
