Sagging sofa cushions – what’s the cause?
“When selecting the fabric and style of a new lounge suite it is crucial to consider its future environment”
Picture this:
You purchased a brand-new couch this autumn. It has extra wide cushions on the seat. It’s sleek, it’s chic, it takes up one third of your lounge and most importantly, you can melt into it on a Friday evening after work.
Fast forward to mid-spring. Sure, you passed all those cold winter’s nights watching movies with the family and you have spent more of the lockdown sitting down than you would like to admit, but now that it’s almost time to pop your bubble your brand-new couch is looking a little… dishevelled.
When selecting the fabric and style of a new lounge suite it is crucial to consider its future environment. To prevent your dream couch from becoming saggy and stretched on the seat cushion after prolonged use, or to remedy the situation, we’ve reached out to James Dunlop Textiles’ Auckland-based Upholstery Specialist, Robert Street, to provide insight into the problem and offer some solutions.
Why does the fabric on a newly upholstered sofa appear stretched and out of shape after only a few months of use?
There are several factors that could come into play here, let’s look at them one by one.
Firstly, it is rare for an upholstery fabric with a synthetic component to stretch as synthetic fibres are very stable. Natural fibres are generally stable but can ‘move’ over time depending on the weave. Twill weaves don’t move (think denim jeans) but basket weaves can move a little. Natural fibres such as cotton and linen can absorb the humidity in the air and ‘relax.’
However, all of James Dunlop Textile’s fabrics undergo the seam slippage test, which is performed as part of the fabric’s evaluation and quality testing process, where any possible issues like the weave stretching are highlighted. Any fabrics with seam slippage test failures are identified and resolved before we manufacture a product for our range.
What is Seam Slippage?
Seam slippage is the separation of yarns in a fabric, usually along a sewn seam or join. Generally, the yarns don’t actually break, they just pull apart leaving an unsightly gap along the fabric join.
So what could be the cause?
With this in mind – we can eliminate fabric stretch as the issue here and look at what the likely cause could be.
1. Foam
Good quality foam loses 5-7% of its loft within the first 3 months of use – this may be a contributing factor here. Some furniture manufacturers use a pre-crushed foam (the Gucci of foams) which prevents this loft loss – while being more expensive, it is worth it as you really do get what you pay for in furniture.
2. The Design
There are two main types of couch designs – cushion seat and fixed seat.
Cushion Seat: The sides of a cushion seat pull upwards, and therefore do not need extra fabric as the cushion flexes to allow the fabric cover to release into the compressed foam in the centre, where you sit.
Fixed Seat: A fixed seat requires an allowance of extra fabric in the back of the base cushion. This extra fabric moves forward, compensating for the foam compressing when you sit on the couch. Once you stand, the foam lofts again and if the extra fabric does not move back to the base of the cushion fast enough it will be trapped, causing a ‘puddled’ saggy look.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
-
34.9% I prefer booking online whenever possible
-
26.4% Online booking is helpful but not essential
-
34% I prefer calling the clinic
-
4.7% I didn’t know online booking was available
A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
Poll: Does a savoury scone require cheese on top, or folded inside?
Help settle the great kiwi debate ... cheese on top, or folded inside?
-
76.5% Inside!
-
23.5% On top!
Loading…
