Choosing upholstery fabric is one of those decisions that seems simple until you start looking at the options. There are hundreds of fabrics out there, and the right choice depends on how you actually live, not just what looks good in a showroom.

We help customers choose fabric every day at our workshop. Here is what we have learned about what works, what does not, and how to avoid expensive mistakes.

The Main Fabric Types

Velvet

Velvet has had a serious comeback and for good reason. Modern velvets are nothing like the delicate pile fabrics of decades ago. A good performance velvet has a Martindale rating of 40,000+ rubs, resists staining, and cleans up well. The pile gives it a rich, dimensional look that photographs beautifully.

Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms, statement pieces. Modern performance velvets handle everyday use well.

Watch out for: Pile crush (the marks left when you sit). This is normal and not a defect: it is how velvet works. If that would bother you, choose a short, tight pile rather than a long, luxurious one. Avoid velvet in direct sunlight, as UV fades the colour and can damage the pile over time.

Linen

Natural linen has a beautiful texture and gets softer with age. It is breathable, does not pill, and has an understated elegance that works in both traditional and contemporary settings.

Best for: Formal sitting rooms, light-use pieces, adults-only households.

Watch out for: Pure linen wrinkles and stains relatively easily. It is not the best choice for a family sofa that gets heavy daily use. Linen blends (linen/cotton or linen/viscose) give you the look with better practical performance.

Cotton

Cotton is versatile, affordable, and available in an enormous range of prints and colours. It takes dye well, which is why you see it in so many patterns. It is breathable and comfortable in all seasons.

Best for: Everyday furniture, loose covers (which can be washed), traditional looks.

Watch out for: Plain cotton is not the most durable option for a sofa that gets heavy use. Cotton blends with polyester add strength. Also, cotton fades in sunlight more than synthetics do.

Performance Fabrics

This is the category that has changed the most in recent years. Performance fabrics (brands like Aquaclean, Fibreguard, and Crypton) are engineered to resist stains, spills, and wear. Some can be cleaned with just water. They come in textures that mimic linen, velvet, and cotton, and you often cannot tell the difference by touch.

Best for: Families with children, pet owners, high-traffic furniture, anyone who wants to worry less about spills.

Watch out for: Quality varies enormously. Cheap performance fabrics feel plasticky and do not breathe. Invest in a good one and it will genuinely perform as promised. We can advise on specific ranges.

Leather

Genuine leather ages beautifully, is easy to wipe clean, and has a feel that no synthetic replicates. Full-grain leather develops a patina over time that many people love. Corrected-grain and pigmented leathers offer more uniform colour and better stain resistance.

Best for: Hard-wearing furniture, offices, pieces you want to age gracefully.

Watch out for: Leather is significantly more expensive than fabric, covering both the material itself and the labour to upholster with it, since it requires different skills and tools. Aniline (un-coated) leather is beautiful but marks easily. If you have cats, their claws will scratch leather. There is no way around that.

Wool

Wool is naturally flame-retardant, resilient, and long-lasting. It has a warmth and depth of colour that synthetics struggle to match. Traditional and contemporary wool weaves are available from suppliers like Abraham Moon and Bute Fabrics.

Best for: Quality pieces, traditional furniture, cold rooms.

Watch out for: Wool can feel scratchy against bare skin. It is better suited to pieces where you sit clothed (sofas, dining chairs) rather than headboards where your face touches it. Wool also needs moth protection in storage.

Understanding Martindale Rub Tests

The Martindale test measures how many rubs a fabric can withstand before showing noticeable wear. It is the industry standard for durability and the single most useful number when comparing fabrics.

10,000–15,000 rubs: Light domestic use. Occasional chairs, bedrooms, decorative pieces.
15,000–25,000 rubs: General domestic use. Adequate for most household furniture.
25,000–30,000 rubs: Heavy domestic use. Family sofas, furniture that gets daily use.
30,000+ rubs: Severe use and commercial. Restaurants, hotels, waiting rooms, pubs.

For a family sofa, we generally recommend a minimum of 25,000 Martindale. For commercial upholstery, 40,000+ is the starting point. A fabric with a low Martindale on a high-traffic piece is a false economy. You will be reupholstering again in a few years.

Choosing Fabric by Use Case

You Have Pets

Dog and cat owners need fabric that stands up to claws, hair, and the occasional muddy paw. Our recommendations:

Do: Choose tightly woven performance fabrics, microfibre, or leather. Tight weaves resist snagging from claws. Darker colours or patterns hide hair between cleans.
Avoid: Loose weaves (linen, bouclé), velvet with long pile (traps hair), anything light-coloured if your pet sheds.

You Have Young Children

Children generate a remarkable range of stains. Juice, crayons, chocolate, yoghurt, often in the same afternoon.

Do: Invest in a proper performance fabric like Aquaclean (cleans with water) or Fibreguard. Choose dark or mid-tone colours. Patterns are more forgiving than plains.
Avoid: Light-coloured plain fabrics, silk, delicate weaves, untreated cotton or linen.

A Formal Living Room

If the room is for adults and sees moderate use, you have more freedom. This is where the beautiful but less practical fabrics come into their own: silks, fine linens, pale velvets.

Commercial Spaces

Restaurants, hotels, and offices need fabrics rated above 40,000 Martindale, ideally with Crib 5 fire retardancy (a legal requirement for most commercial settings in the UK). We work with commercial fabric suppliers who specialise in this area. Read more about our commercial upholstery services.

Colour and Pattern Considerations

Beyond durability, the visual choice matters. A few practical notes from experience:

Light colours make a room feel larger and are striking, but they show every mark. If you go light, choose a performance fabric.
Dark colours are practical and can feel heavy in a small room. Navy and charcoal are enduringly popular because they work with almost any scheme.
Patterns hide wear and stains better than plains. A subtle texture or small pattern is often a good compromise between visual interest and practicality.
Pattern repeats affect fabric usage. A large repeat pattern needs more fabric (and therefore costs more) because the pattern must be matched across panels. Ask about the repeat size before falling in love with a large-scale print.

How to Order Fabric Samples

Never choose upholstery fabric from a screen. Colours look different on monitors, and you cannot feel the texture, weight, or drape of a fabric digitally.

We offer free fabric samples that you can order to your home. Live with them for a few days. Hold them against your walls, your curtains, your other furniture. Look at them in daylight and in artificial light, as colours shift dramatically between the two.

You can also browse our full fabric range online to narrow down your shortlist before ordering samples.

A Note on Fire Regulations

In the UK, upholstered furniture sold for domestic use must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations. This means either the fabric, the filling, or an interliner must pass certain ignition tests. We cover this in detail in our guide to fire safety regulations. As professional upholsterers, we ensure all our work complies with these regulations. It is not something you need to worry about when working with a reputable workshop, but it is worth knowing about if you are considering DIY.

Getting Help Choosing

If you are feeling overwhelmed by choices, that is normal. We help customers narrow down fabric selections every day. Tell us about your piece, how you use it, whether you have pets or children, and roughly what look you are going for. We will suggest specific fabrics that balance aesthetics, durability, and budget. For an idea of what reupholstery costs overall, see our pricing guide.

Get in touch for a quote and we can discuss fabric options as part of the process. Or visit our workshop on Tottenham Court Road (WC1E 6HP) to see and feel fabrics in person. There is no substitute for handling the real thing.