Since finding out about the discount I get from working at Plumbs, my mother is suddenly interested in buying some loose chair and sofa covers. She does love to count her pennies!
When trying to find our more about loose covers she asked me, what’s the best type of fabric to choose when buying furniture covers? Unfortunately I didn’t know off hand so I had to do some investigating and found that it is quite a common question, so I thought I’d share what I found.
The cheapest fabrics generally used to make furniture covers are nylon stretch fabrics. The flexibility you get with this type of material give a really close and snug fit around any piece of furniture, now just because they’re the cheapest doesn’t mean they are not good. These fabrics are great value for money, so why would you choose these fabrics:
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- They are very easy to care for and can be washed at 40 degrees
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- Because of their flexibility they can cover over 98% of furniture styles
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- They don’t crease and very easy to remove and replace
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- They are extremely hard wearing so last for years
The more costly fabrics are generally made of natural materials such as cotton and linen but there are also chenille and velvet fabrics that are either made in natural materials or man-made with a mix acrylic and polyester. Some of the best fabrics use a combination of both natural materials for a soft feel and man-made for improved practicality, such as preventing shrinkage in the wash and creasing. These fabrics are more rigid so give a more contemporary loose cover look but can be unsuitable for complicated styles of furniture. So why would you choose these over the more flexible fabrics:
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- Give a more relaxed and contemporary look to your furniture
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- Greater choice of fabric materials
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- Heavy-weighted for a great finish
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- The texture and feel is superb
