Fabric & leather

Understand upholstery fabrics, leather and padding materials. Compare specific grades, test data and care before choosing a new cover.

Use the guides to clarify your choices and prepare a specific job. See also our solutions, when you're ready to have your furniture assessed.

A good place to start

9 guides

Upholstery fabric swatches in muted colors folded out on a table

Fabric & leather

Fabric for chairs: choose for use, shape and maintenance

Select fabric for reupholstering of chairs based on daily use, the chair's shape and the care you wish to give it. Use the checklist before the final colour choice.

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Brown leather samples next to a grey fabric sample on a wooden table

Fabric & leather

Leather for chairs: choosing the surface and appearance

Leather for chairs varies in surface, colour range and care. Clarify the specific quality, natural markings and the chair's form, before you choose the cover.

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Folded wool fabrics in natural tones with a clear weave structure

Fabric & leather

Wool as upholstery fabric: properties and choices

Considering wool for a sofa or chair? Compare the specific weave, fibre composition, surface and care requirements rather than wool content alone.

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Tightly woven Upholstery fabric stretched in a round wooden frame as a material detail

Fabric & leather

Martindale: what does the number tell you about your upholstery fabric?

Martindale measures resistance to wear in a laboratory test. See why the figure is not a lifetime guarantee, and which other information you should compare.

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Natural cognac-coloured leather draped over a low wooden stool

Fabric & leather

Aniline leather: natural surface, patina and care

Aniline leather reveals the hide's natural character. Read about appearance, variation, patina and the questions to clarify before choosing and caring for it.

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Leather armrest with a folded white cloth and a neutral bottle beside it

Fabric & leather

Leather care for sofas: identify your leather type first

Proper leather care begins with the leather type. Find product name, care instructions and previous treatment, before you clean or condition the sofa.

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Densely woven and coarse fabric samples on the seat of a light wooden chair

Fabric & leather

Abrasion-resistant Upholstery fabric: look beyond the abrasion rating

Durable upholstery fabric is about more than a high Martindale figure. Compare structure, care, light, seams and the load the fabric must actually withstand.

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Cotton fabrics, sewing thread and a striped cushion cover on a wooden table

Fabric & leather

Cotton as upholstery fabric: what should you examine?

Cotton is not a single fabric quality. Examine the weave, product data, colour and finished construction before choosing cotton for furniture upholstery.

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